Fear God

Fear God
Proverbs 1:1-7

Book of Instruction and Wisdom

Problems with Proverbs

1. Often times read as a works based book. If you do a + b, God will do c + d.
2. Some passages seemingly don’t appear the way it is in life. The righteous live long and prosper. The poor will be exalted. Justice and wrath comes to the wicked. We don’t always see these happen. These come true in the end. These blessings are not always promised in this life.
3. Best summed up as a book of generalities and not as theological truth for this life which is in stark contrast to our instant gratification lifestyle that many of us live in. We are impatient. We want to be rewarded now.

Written from the perspective of a Father to a Son/ Parent to Child

1. Ultimately written from God the Father to us his children.
2. Reminds us of the great responsibility we as parents have in raising our children.
3. Train up a child in the way of the Lord. Children are like arrows in the hands of an archer. They fly in the direction they are shot.
4. New Christian Families and Long time Christian Families
a. Private family devotions and prayer time
b. Sunday School, Youth Group, not even church is an excuse for not following Deut 6:4, Prov 3:6 and many other passages and verses.
5. It is not too late to teach your children the ways of the Lord. Is it difficult? It is no matter what you are teaching them, but it’s never too late to make a change. Especially when it’s for the Lord.

Let’s focus on the passage for today. Prov 1:1-7

There are three important words or phrases in this verse, fear, Lord, beginning of knowledge.

We are told that we must fear. We must fear God. That fear of God, is the beginning of knowledge. Why is that?

Definition of fear
1. a reverential awe of ( fear God) - Why then when angels appeared to men like Joshua and John, did they fall on their face and tremble in fear? Why did the angel tell Mary not to be afraid? Was it simply because they were in awe of God? Hebrews says it is a fearful thing to be in the hands of God. Is it because of awe? After the death of Ananias and Saphira, fear came upon the church. Did they stand in awe of the Lord and apostles? Is that an appropriate definition? I think it falls short.
2. an unpleasant often strong emotion cause by expectation or awareness of danger.
3. implies great anxiety and usually loss of courage and adds the idea of intense aversion and reluctance to face something. Hmm…could that be because we are sinful man and he is a holy God?

Is God to be held in awe? Yes. Is he worthy of reverence and respect? Absolutely. But I’ll be honest, I fear God. Literally a fall down, crippled by it type of fear. Here’s why. I believe God’s Word. That might sound a little simplified to some but it’s true.

Reasons to fear God.

1. He created all things. Gen 1:1
2. He sets the standard or rules, by giving commandments. Gen 2:16
3. He punishes disobedience. Gen 3:16-19
4. There is eternal punishment as well. Rev 20:11-15

What knowledge has been found in fearing God? Well since the verse is about the beginning of knowledge, we should start there. Fearing God and listening to his instruction gives knowledge of

1. There is a God.

2. I am sinful.
a. The purpose of his law is to point out my sin.
b. My sinful nature does whatever it can to avoid a Holy God.
c. With my sin, no matter what I do, I fall short of the standard God set and am worthy of only discipline and eternal separation and death.

3. God’s Grace and Mercy
a. God provided a substitute, Jesus. Jesus is the way the truth the life. Jesus takes away God’s wrath (propitiation).

Does this mean that we no longer need to fear God?