Ecclesiastes 12:13 (ESV) The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.
Fear God
So far in this study I’ve defined fear, and found where it and it’s synonyms and antonyms are used in the Bible. I’ve identified some of the major contexts that the Bible talks about fear in. One of those major contexts is in the fear of the Lord. And, in the context of the fear of the Lord, I’ve outlined several major sub-contexts that I can focus on and study. From there I’m digging into the “commands to fear God” first because commands are things that seem more important, or more urgent.
Now, God’s word is not shy when it comes to telling us what God wants us to do, and it plainly tells us to fear the Lord. Not as a suggestion, or a platitude, but as a duty.
Understanding the Scriptures
Notes
These are my notes from each verse as I read it.
Deuteronomy 6:2 - The command to fear God has a multi-generational impact. It’s not just for us, but for our children and grandchildren. It also includes a blessing that “your days may be long.”
Deuteronomy 6:24 - God commands us to fear Him for our good - that he may preserve us. God has all power over our lives.
Deuteronomy 10:12 - The Lord requires us to fear Him, obey Him, and love Him with all our heart and soul. We are to keep His commands for our good.
Deuteronomy 10:20 - We shall fear God and hold fast to Him.
If you hold fast to a principle or idea, or if you stand fast, you do not change your mind about it, even though people are trying to persuade you to.
Joshua 24:14 - Fearing God, we are to serve Him in sincerity and faithfulness.
1 Samuel 12:24 - Fear God and serve Him faithfully - remembering what great things He has done for you.
2 Kings 17:36 - Fear God and worship Him because of the power with which He takes care of you.
2 Kings 17:39 - Fear God and He will protect you from your enemies.
Ecclesiastes 12:13 - It is the whole duty of man to fear God and keep His commandments.
Colossians 3:22 - When we are bound to serve others we should do it with the heart of serving God and fearing Him.
1 Peter 2:17 - Fear of God is chief among the virtues of honor and love.
Revelation 14:7 - Fearing God gives Him glory. He is our judge in the end. God created us for His purpose.
Meditation
Meditating on the notes above, I see a kind of narrative - or progression - developing.
The first verse starts of with the Fear of God having a generational impact - parents, children, grandchildren…
Then the next two verses tell us that fearing God is for our own good.
Then the next two verses tell us that we need to persevere in our fear of Him, and have faith in Him.
Then the next three verses tell us what God does, and will do, for those who fear Him.
Then the next two verses tell us that fearing God is a duty both in our relationship with Him, and in our relationship with each other.
Then the last two verses tell us that fearing God is a virtue, and it gives Him glory.
Message
Fearing God is something that we must actively do. It is a duty, and a virtue. And when we fear God, He will bless and protect us and our families. When we fear God it is not only good for us, but glorifying to Him.
Do not fear other gods
- Commands not to fear other Gods
Not only does the Bible tell us to fear God, but it also tells us not to fear other Gods. This word is in the context of the Assyrians that took over the northern tribes of Israel, but it is clearly rooted in the first of the ten commandments.
You shall have no other gods before [or besides] me. Exo 20:3
Think about that. God’s first commandment to Israel was that they should revere Him not just first but only.
Actually, let’s look at the first three commandments (Exodus 20:3-7) from the ten commandments, because I think they perfectly illustrate the point that we are commanded to fear the Lord.
- You shall have no other gods before me.
- You shall not make, worship, or serve idols.
- You shall not take the Lord’s name in vain.
As a thought experiment, if I reverse those to say the same thing in a “thou shalt” way, instead of a “thou shalt not” way, they might read like this.
- You shall only revere me.
- You shall hold me as the only sacred thing in your life.
- You shall honor the name of the Lord your God.
To sum it up, you shall have a sacred respect and honor for God - you shall fear God.
God is holy. Not revering God as holy is worse than a child that disrespects its parents. It is highly irritable and detestable to a parent when their child disrespects them - how much more should God be irritated by irreverence!
Is it hard to fear God?
When the Bible commands us to fear God, I don’t think it’s an out of the ordinary kind of command. Instead, it seems like a very basic, but essential, kind of command. It’s a foundation upon which to build.
Is fearing God a hard thing? That is to say, is it hard to have a sacred honor and respect for God? I would say yes, and no.
If it seems like a hard thing, maybe it’s because it’s an everyday thing. It’s not something you accomplish and are done with. It’s something that defines your values, shapes your attitudes and actions, informs your decisions, makes you who you are. It’s not hard when you are in tune with the Holy Spirit. But when you’re not - then, yes, it’s a very hard thing to fear God and not divert your gaze to yourself and the world around you instead.
Is it easy to take time out of your day to meditate on all that God is, and all the He does? Yes, and no. It’s not that the act itself is hard, but taking the time, focusing your heart and mind, and actually feeling a sense of reverence and honor toward God - that takes effort and intention. And I think that’s what the heart of the command is getting at.
I have to take time - every day - and make an intentional effort to not just acknowledge God, but to enter into a state of actual connection between who God is and who I am in relation to Him.
Doing this takes a combination of several things - reading the word, praying, worshiping, and just sitting still at His feet with my gaze fixed upon Him. Not because I “have” to, or even because I “want” to, but because that’s who He made me to be, and it’s who I am “being”.
And he said with a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come, and worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water.” Revelation 14:7
με αγαπη,
BJ