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A scripture verse has been running through my mind throughout the past week and I’ve been praying and pondering just what it’s significance is for me TODAY. As I searched scripture, I found many verses that speak of “The fear of GOD”. The particular verse that has been on my heart is: Proverbs 9:10 "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
In my daily Bible reading this week, I have been reading in Exodus, currently in chapter 20 and beyond. As I read chapter 20, verse 20, I noted that, to the nation of Israel; “Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning." (NIV) Wow…..how well Moses must have known God and His plan! It only took me about 5 days, but I have finally grasped just what the Lord is teaching ME in this text! Allow me to expound. This may not be significant for you, but when I learn a great Truth, I have to share it!
This section of scripture in Exodus 19 and 20 recounts the story of the nation of Israel, a mere 3 months after God miraculously led them from captivity and slavery in Egypt. Under the leadership of Moses, the Israelites (an estimated *2-3 million people), had approached the Wilderness of Sinai. God had previously instructed the nation of Israel on the importance and the need of obedience to God, as recorded in Exodus 19:3-5; “Then Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain and said, "This is what you are to say to the house of Jacob and what you are to tell the people of Israel: 'You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself. Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession.” Verse 8 of the same chapter recounts that: “The people all responded together, "We will do everything the Lord has said."
It was in this setting that the Lord God gave The Law (The Ten Commandments and much more) to the people of Israel. Following a three-day period of consecration, commanded by God, the nation of Israel was prepared to meet God. Moses, under God’s instruction, led the people to the foot of the mountain of Sinai. “On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, with a thick cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast. Everyone in the camp trembled. Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, because the Lord descended on it in fire. The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace, the whole mountain trembled violently, and the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder. Then Moses spoke and the voice of God answered him.” Exodus 19:16, 18-19
As the Lord gave the LAW to the nation of Israel, the people recoiled from the mountain and trembled with great fear. “When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance and said to Moses, "Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die". Exodus 20:18-19 The following verse, Exodus 20:20, is the one that initiated my week-long study: “Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning." (NIV)
I believe that scripture, though given and recorded thousands of years ago, is quite relevant for people TODAY! My quandary arose as I was reading the same verse in the New King James Version (which I normally read every day) of the Bible. “And Moses said to the people, "Do not fear; for God has come to test you, and that His fear may be before you, so that you may not sin.” (NKJV) Notice the difference in wording of the two versions…
I got stuck on the word FEAR being used twice in the same passage (as in the New King James Version); in the first instance, saying DO NOT fear and in the second instance saying that “His fear may before you”. Hmmm….I wondered, how I was to follow the instruction, given by Moses to God’s people, “do not fear”, yet also follow the many Bible passages that speak to us about “fearing God”? As I stated in the beginning of this writing, particularly the scripture of Proverbs 9:10 came to my mind. "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. Because I know that I DEFINITELY need wisdom to carry out my daily living, it was extremely important for me, personally, to work through what I experienced as a quandary and seek God’s instruction about “fearing God”.
My help came through prayer and study. As I read the New International Version, along with other translations and study tools, the Holy Spirit taught me just what Moses was saying in Exodus 20:20. I learned a key principle; that in order to effectively live for and serve God, it is ESSENTIAL that we know who He is! The better we know God, the more we understand His ways and will! The second part of Proverbs 9:10 (often omitted from memory or recitation) says, “…knowledge of the Holy One is understanding”.
That precept fully grasped, it was now easier for me to comprehend what Moses was telling the people of Israel…in Exodus 20:20. My new understanding is this; while we do not have to tremble in fear, to the point of becoming unproductive or paralysed, we DO have to cultivate a solid understanding of God, thereby holding Him in deepest reverence and utmost awe (FEAR).
During my study this week, I was prompted to ponder, WHY I should fear God? What would your answer be, if you were asked that question? I was recently asked, “Why do you fear God?” and though, in my HEART, I knew the correct answer, in my HEAD I was not able to adequately verbalize the proper answer. Perhaps this week’s study was given to me to help me formalize a solid response in both my HEART and MIND. Why should we fear God? Simply put, the answer is: Because HE holds the keys to LIFE and DEATH for each of us! Scriptures that I found that support this answer are in:
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Hebrews 9:27 "…man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment…"
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Romans 2:5 "But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God's wrath, when His righteous judgment will be revealed."
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Romans 1:32 "Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death…"
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2 Peter 2:4-9 "For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them into gloomy dungeons to be held for judgment;
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if he did not spare the ancient world when he brought the flood on its ungodly people, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others;
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if he condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by burning them to ashes, and made them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly;
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and if he rescued Lot, a righteous man, who was distressed by the filthy lives of lawless men (for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard)
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if this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue godly men from trials and to hold the unrighteous for the day of judgment, while continuing their punishment."
As I consider who GOD is, and who I am, in light of God’s will, plan and purpose, as well as in light of the preceding scriptures, I am humbled and can do nothing more than fall before Him in deepest, repentance and reverence. Actually, the best word in the English language that I can come up with for this state of being is: FEAR. This is not a ‘scary’ fear or a fear that makes my heart race or my blood curdle….but a fear that is composed of all of the following: awe, surrender, submission, reverence, worship, respect, gratitude and much more. How well do YOU know God? Well enough to truly FEAR Him? Do you hold HIM in deepest honor and value, and yet live in a manner that is not FEARFUL or ‘scared’ of our most gracious and loving God? For me, this study truly deepened my understanding and solidified in a greater way, my relationship with God. I pray you may gain some valuable insight also.
The instruction from Moses urges us to become OBEDIENT servants of God, keeping the ‘fear of God’ always before us, so that we would not sin. Though saved, I believe that a Christian CAN drift into a lifestyle of willful sin and that SIN can keep us from entering heaven. I happen to believe that one’s salvation is only as “secure” as their faithfulness to God. Without repentance from willful, on-going sin, I believe that a person can fall from grace and be unfit to enter heaven. God is HOLY, heaven is PURE and there is no room for SIN. It is only through the atoning blood of our Savior, Jesus Christ, that we can be made ‘fit’ for heaven. Because God loved mankind, He provided His remedy, JESUS, to atone for our sin. If we fall from faith in Christ, including LIVING for Christ, we will not receive eternal life in heaven. God is unchanging; He is full of grace and mercy, yet He is JUST and HOLY.
The instruction in Exodus 20:20 was given from God so that He could ultimately BLESS us! God designed a plan whereby He could bless His children! He loves us so much and is waiting to bless, but He will only bless OBEDIENCE. In order to receive God’s BLESSING we need to carry out our end of the covenant, which is to follow His ways and Word, living out His precepts and instruction in all aspects of our lives. Whew…..how thankful I am that we serve a merciful God! God created humanity and knows our weakness and frailties. Yet, He will ALWAYS provide a way out when we are tempted to sin and God always has an open embrace when we repent and turn back to follow Him!
Though my study this week was arduous and time consuming, it has been both refreshing and rewarding to go deeper in my understanding and knowledge of God! This type of study is much like going through a conflict with a loved one; after all is said and done and misunderstandings are resolved, you end up growing closer to the person and gaining a deeper understanding and respect in the long run! This week’s study even included the reading of a long, but very powerful sermon by Jonathan Edwards…”Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”. I recommend reading this sermon if you have never read or heard it! It may give you a greater understanding of just how precious your salvation truly is! How I love the Lord and cherish His every precept and instruction! May YOU gain wisdom and be blessed by the Lord as you grow in your knowledge of Him!
Additionally: I found the following commentary helpful as I studied the passage in Exodus 20:20, I’ve included it for your study and review. Commentary- Matthew Henry’s “whole Bible commentary”
The encouragement Moses gave [the Israelites], by explaining the design of God in his terror (v. 20): Fear not, that is, "Think not that the thunder and fire are designed to consume you," which was the thing they feared (v. 19, lest we die); thunder and lightning constituted one of the plagues of Egypt, but Moses would not have them think they were sent to them on the same errand on which they were sent to the Egyptians: no, [the thunder and lightning] were intended,
1. To prove them, to try how they would like dealing with God immediately, without a mediator, and so to convince them how admirably well God had chosen for them, in putting Moses into that office. Ever since Adam fled, upon hearing God's voice in the garden, sinful man could not bear either to speak to God or hear from him immediately.
2. To keep them to their duty, and prevent their sinning against God. He encourages them, saying, Fear not, and yet tells them that God thus spoke to them, that his fear might be before their face.
We must not fear with amazement-with that fear which has torment, which only works upon the fancy for the present, sets us a trembling, genders to bondage, betrays us to Satan, and alienates us from God; but we must always have in our minds a reverence of God's majesty, a dread of his displeasure, and an obedient regard to his sovereign authority over us: this fear will quicken us to our duty and make us circumspect in our walking. Thus stand in awe, and sin not, Ps. 4:4.
*Footnote: Although there is no record of the precise number that left Egypt in the Exodus, a military census taken not long after listed the number of men 20 years of age and older who could serve in the army as 603,550 (Exodus 38:26). From that number, the total Israelite population of that time has been estimated at approximately 2 to 3 million. Taken from “How Many in the Exodus” by Wayne Blank
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