The Fear of God, What does it Mean?
To Fear Jehovah is beginning of Wisdom
The FEAR of Almighty God, Yahweh [traditionally rendered, JEHOVAH] is NOT a MORBID fear.
Rather, it is a REVERENTIAL fear, for such an AWE-inspiring being, whose POWER, can be seen
ALL AROUND us, in the CELESTIAL bodies [ stars, planets etc.] and right here on EARTH, in
his CREATIVE WORKS [Revelation 4: 11]. In the lightning, storms, ETC. WE GLIMPSE a SMALL display of Jehovah's GREAT and AWESOME POWER.
It should be ONLY NATURAL, then, for ANY well-thinking person to FEAR the CONSEQUENCES of willfully displeasing God Almighty.[ Hebrews 10: 26, 27, 31].
At the same time, because we are AWARE of Jehovah's GREAT LOVE, for us [ John 3: 16]
[ 2 Corinthians 13: 11], we are DRAWN to his PURE personality of LOVE, JUSTICE
[ Deuteronomy 32: 4], WISDOM [ Romans 11: 33; Job 12: 13, 1 Corinthians 2: 7] , and POWER
[ Revelation 7: 12; Job 37: 23 ].
Holy Scriptures views on the FEAR of Jehovah.
Those who are MORBIDLY FRIGHTENED of Jehovah God The Almighty, are those who OPPOSE or FAIL to COMPLY with his RIGHTEOUS DECREES .
Those who do not fear him are UNWISE. Psalm 111:10; Proverbs 9:10; Proverbs 8:13. ; Proverbs 14:16.
Psalm 33: 8, reads: Let all [those of] the earth be in FEAR of Jehovah. At him let all the inhabitants of the productive land be frightened. Verse 10 shows that Jehovah has BROKEN UP the COUNSEL of the nations, and THWARTED the THOUGHTS of the peoples.
On the other hand, verse 12 says: Happy is the nation whose God is Jehovah,
The people whom he has chosen as his inheritance.
Verses 11 to 17 shows that Jehovah is CONSIDERING the WORKS of ALL those dwelling
on the earth WHILST verse 18 says: Look! The eye of Jehovah is toward those FEARING him,
To those waiting for his LOVING-KINDNESS, [18b] To DELIVER their soul from DEATH
itself.
MEANING OF FEARING Jehovah.
Proverbs 8: 13 says: The FEAR of Jehovah MEANS the HATING of BAD. Self-exaltation and
PRIDE and the BAD WAY and the PERVERSE MOUTH.
Psalm 111: 10 says: The FEAR of Jehovah is the BEGINNING of WISDOM.
Proverbs 9: 10 says: The FEAR of Jehovah is the START of WISDOM, and the KNOWLEDGE
of the Most Holy One is what UNDERSTANDING is.
Proverbs 14: 16 says: The WISE one FEARS and is turning away from badness,
but the STUPID is becoming FURIOUS and SELF-CONFIDENT.
Proverbs 14: 12 / 16: 25 say: There exists a way that is upright BEFORE a man, BUT the WAYS
of DEATH are the END of it AFTERWARD.
Acts 10: 34 says: At this Peter opened his mouth and said: "For a CERTAINTY I perceive that
God is NOT PARTIAL, but in EVERY nation the man that FEARS him and works
RIGHTEOUSNESS is ACCEPTABLE to him. ..."
Proverbs 12: 28 says: In the PATH of RIGHTEOUSNESS there is LIFE, and the JOURNEY
in its PATHWAY means NO DEATH.
True followers of Christ are really followers of God Almighty [ 1 Corinthians 11:3], they thus
FEAR God, rather than fear man [ 1 Peter 3: 14; Psalm 118: 6].
They realize that even if they were to lose their life in this world, the RESURRECTION hope
is REAL to them. Luke 12: 4, 5; John11: 25; 1 Corinthians 15: 20 - 22. Acts 17: 31.
Peace