Mt. Sinai and The Day of Judgment

What do the children of Israel coming to Mt. Sinai have to do with the Day of Judgment?  More than you might think.  The children of Israel reached Mt. Sinai in the third month after they left Egypt (Ex. 19:1-2).  They had had by this time many experiences and had seen God working actively on their behalf in miracle after miracle.  They had seen the plagues in Egypt many of which they were spared.  They had crossed the Red Sea on dry ground, they had been provided with drinking water miraculously on two separate occasions (Ex. 15:22-25, Ex. 17:1-7), they had been fed with manna and quail (Ex. 16), and they had been able to defeat those who attacked them with God's help (Ex. 17:8-13).  There was also the cloud that accompanied them by day and the pillar of fire that accompanied them by night.  Evidence of God's presence with them and of his care for them was everywhere to be seen.

At Mt. Sinai, the Lord spoke to Moses from the mountain (Ex. 19:3) with a message for the children of Israel.  They were to be reminded of what they had seen the Lord do to the Egyptians and "how I bore you on eagles' wings, and brought you to myself." (Ex. 19:4 NASB)  These things they were fully aware of.  The Lord is prepared to make a covenant with them making them his special people if they will only agree to obey him keeping his covenant (Ex. 19:5-6).  Moses goes back to the elders of the children of Israel, meets with them, and "all the people" (Ex. 19:8 NASB) agree to do whatever the Lord says.

Here is where we begin to get to what I want to talk about.  Moses returns with the words of the people to the Lord.  The Lord then says to Moses, "Behold, I will come to you in a thick cloud, so that the people may hear when I speak with you and may also believe in you forever." (Ex. 19:9 NASB)  All Bible students are well aware this will be the time when God descends on Mt. Sinai in sight of the people though he will be hidden in a cloud.  "On the third day (after preparations for the event are made--DS) the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people." (Ex. 19:11 NASB)  It will be the time when the Lord delivers the Ten Commandments.

A question is in order here.  Why was one of the purposes of this event "so that the people may hear when I speak with you and may also believe in you (Moses--DS) forever"? (Ex. 19:9 NASB)  The answer to this question is simple enough.  Moses was God's lawgiver, "For the law was given through Moses" (John 1:17 NASB).  He was God's man, the man who acted as a mediator between God and God's children, the children of Israel.  When Moses spoke to the children of Israel they were to listen for he spoke to them on God's behalf.  This event was to make it crystal clear to all of God's relationship with Moses so that the children of Israel would know with certainty that to disobey a command Moses gave was to disobey God himself.

However, there was also another reason God wanted the people to hear him.  He says, "so that the people may hear when I speak with you." (Ex. 19:9 NASB)  They had seen God in action in his miracles but they had not yet heard his voice.  He wanted them to hear him.  Why?  Was it just more confirmation to the people that Moses was God's man as God talked directly to him?  There was that in it but might there have been more?  Yes!  It was to learn to fear God.

Can you imagine what it must have been like to hear the voice of God?  What kind of an effect would that have on a man or woman?  If you were to hear a voice from heaven right now, a loud speaking voice from the heavens (not a quiet inner speaking to the mind or spirit), what kind of an effect would it have on you?  Our first and immediate reaction, one we would be incapable of not having, would be to strike us with terror down to our toes.  The children of Israel had been told what was coming, what was going to happen, and were in expectation but even so, it terrified them.  Fear can change a man and we want to pursue that thought a little bit.

On the third day, as God had said, he descended on the mountain called Mt. Sinai in the presence of the people who were at the base of the mountain although far enough back, according to God's commandment, not to be touching it.  "So it came about on the third day, when it was morning, that there were thunder and lightning flashes and a thick cloud upon the mountain and a very loud trumpet sound, so that all the people who were in the camp trembled." (Ex. 19:16 NASB)  

"Now Mount Sinai was completely in smoke, because the Lord descended upon it in fire.  Its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked greatly.  And when the blast of the trumpet sounded long and became louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him by voice." (Ex. 19:18-19 NKJV)  The NASB says, "God answered him with thunder."  However, while the original language can be technically translated either way the NKJV is correct, it should be voice rather than thunder.

How do I know?  Deut. 4:10-13, "Remember the day you stood before the Lord your God at Horeb, when the Lord said to me, 'Assemble the people to me, that I may let them hear my words so they may learn to fear me all the days they live on the earth, and that they may teach their children.'  You came near and stood at the foot of the mountain, and the mountain burned with fire to the very heart of the heavens: darkness, cloud and thick gloom.  Then the Lord spoke to you from the midst of the fire; you heard the sound of words, but you saw no form--only a voice.  So he declared to you his covenant which he commanded you to perform, that is, the Ten Commandments; and he wrote them on two tablets of stone." (NASB)  They heard words, the words of God spoken by God, not thunder.  We find further confirmation of this in Ex. 20:22, the very words of God himself directly speaking on the subject.    

On the day God descended on Mt. Sinai (called Horeb in Deut. 4:10) the New International Version says the people "trembled with fear." (Ex. 20:18 NIV)  While that is not a literal translation, the literal is "they trembled" (NASB), it is the exact meaning of the literal.  They trembled due to what they were seeing and hearing.

On that third day when God came down on top of Mt. Sinai Moses went up.  God then instructed him to go back down, warn the people again to stay their distance, and to get Aaron and bring him back up to the top of the mountain with him (with Moses), see Ex. 19:20-24.  This he did.

However, having heard God speak terrified the children of Israel to the extent that they begged Moses, "Let not God speak to us, or we will die." (Ex. 20:19 NASB)  Moses responded, "Do not be afraid; for God has come in order to test you, and in order that the fear of Him may remain with you, so that you may not sin." (Ex. 20:20 NASB)

So what are the lessons in this account for us?  I have not been telling a story just to repeat a story.  There are important lessons here for you and me today.  Here are some of them.

(1) One should fear God.  Fear is a motivating factor from God himself.  Its purpose is to keep us from sinning.  Many today say we should have no fear of God.   But the Bible says we are to perfect holiness "in the fear of God." (2 Cor. 7:1 NASB)  Of those listed by Paul in Rom. 3 as being "under sin" (ver. 9) one of the condemning factors is, "There is no fear of God before their eyes." (Rom. 3:18 NASB)  Paul speaks of a factor that motivates him to preach to sinful men.  He says, "Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade men." (2 Cor. 5:11 NASB)  He does not want men to experience condemnation and knows there is a reason to fear such an end.

Yes, I know perfect love casts out fear and the one who fears is not perfected in love (1 John 4:18).  I am sure Paul did not fear God as in trembling fear but the fear of the Lord is one of the things that keeps us from sin (Ex. 20:20) and keeps us walking in faithful obedience so that we can develop that perfect love which in our spiritual maturity destroys fear.  That day comes when we can say as Paul did, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." (2 Tim. 4:7 NKJV)  We never know when we are about to finish the race but we can know before death that we have fought the good fight and have kept the faith and thus have the assurance of salvation.  We need not fear God as long as we are walking in the light but the fear of God ought to keep us walking in that light.

(2) Another lesson we can learn from this account is that fear itself will not keep us on the straight and narrow road of righteousness over the long haul.  All who know the Bible know the rest of the story that is not being covered in this article.  I refer to the golden calf, an idol, which will be made before Moses returns from being on the mountain with God for forty days.  We have here a people who have experienced the real God who speaks and works miracles and who is full of wonder and awe, capable of striking terror into people in an instant, and before Moses can come down off this smoking mountain where God is the people are already into idol worship.

This is at a time when Moses is receiving the Ten Commandments on tablets of stone.  It is at the time when "the glory of the Lord rested on Mount Sinai … and to the eyes of the sons of Israel the appearance of the glory of the Lord was like a consuming fire on the mountain top." (Ex. 24:16-17 NASB)  But, did it matter?  What effect did this wondrous sight have on the children of Israel? 

People will worship their idols and soon forget God.  This is still true today.  Give a man a little terror in his life and he suddenly comes to God but it often only lasts as long as he remains terrified.  As soon as the terror abates he is back to his worship of money, or entertainment, or whatever it is he worships.  That said there are two types of men--wise men and foolish men.  Wise men learn a lesson from terror and it remains with them.  Wise men can learn from what has happened to others.  Foolish men can only learn when the stripes are laid directly on their own backs. 

(3) The final lesson in this article pertains to the terror of the Lord itself.  The children of Israel were terrified of God when directly in his presence at the foot of the mountain.  Now I want to ask one thing.  Do you think it will be any different on the Day of Judgment?  I have no idea why people have no fear of facing God in judgment, people who live their lives here in disobedience.  Do they think they are going to be standing before God as equals on that day? 

When the Day of Judgment comes it will be as it was on that morning at Mt. Sinai.  There will be no doubt about God's existence.  There will be no doubt about whether or not there is going to be a Day of Judgment.  There will be no doubt about where you are heading very, very shortly if you have never obeyed the gospel.  There will be stark terror in the hearts of all the disobedient.  There will be knees too weak to stand on.

There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matt. 13:42).  "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." (Heb. 10:31 NKJV)  "And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire." (Rev. 20:15 NKJV)

It is easy to walk with a swagger through life and tell yourself and others you can handle anything, that you do not need help from anyone and that you are not afraid of God.  Well, maybe you are not afraid.  Maybe you are not wise enough to be afraid but God will make you afraid in the Day of Judgment.  It is just so foolish and unnecessary that people will throw their lives away and for what?  It was for a golden calf in Moses' time and often for nothing more than foolish pride and arrogance and the pleasing of self in our own time.

Everyone needs to count the cost now of disobedience to God.  "God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap." (Gal. 6:7 NKJV)  Will your heart fail you for fear on the Day of Judgment?  It doesn't have to be that way but it is indeed "a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." (Heb. 10:31 NKJV)  If you are unfaithful and disobedient we will see how strong and tough you are on that day and you will see for yourself.  On that day we will all know who we are and what our place is.

That will be the day when "the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.  These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power." (2 Thess. 1:7-9 NKJV)  Yes, like at Mt. Sinai men on the Day of Judgment will know God is God and that man is not the boss.

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Misreading Reality – Jeremiah 44

After Judah and Jerusalem had been destroyed by the Babylonians and the people deported, and carried away captive back to Babylon, the remanent remaining defied God and left for Egypt.  The Bible says, “for whatever things were written before were written for our learning” (Rom 15:4 NKJV) and there is certainly a lesson to be learned from the way that remanent misread reality, a lesson to be applied in our time.  Because of their misperception, they experienced catastrophe.

After Nebuchadnezzar captured Jerusalem and destroyed the city he carried away captive back to Babylon most of the people who remained alive but left some of the poor people of Judah with a man named Gedaliah to govern over them.  When Jews who had been scattered roundabout heard about Gedaliah being left to govern they returned to Judah (Jer. 40:11-12).  However, a plot was hatched by the king of the Ammonites to have Gedaliah murdered (Jer. 40:14) which took place (Jer. 41:2-3) creating great fear among the Jews fearing that Nebuchadnezzar would seek revenge on them for this killing even though they had nothing to do with it. (Jer. 41:17-18)

Their desire was to flee to Egypt where they thought they would be safe.  They sought Jeremiah to inquire of the Lord what they should do.  This he did the Lord telling them if they would remain in Judah it would go well with them, he would save them, but if they were to go to Egpyt “then it shall be that the sword which you feared shall overtake you there in the land of Egypt” (Jer. 42::16 NKJV).

Here is our first lesson.  They did not believe Jeremiah, “You speak falsely!” (Jer. 43:2 NKJV)  We are now some 40 chapters into Jeremiah.  Jeremiah has been prophesying to them for years before Nebuchadnezzar and his prophecies have all been shown to be true by the events that have come to pass.  Is he now to be judged a liar?  They have every assurance he is speaking the truth but they cannot accept it.  Why not?

Well, certainly it is a lack of faith but why?  It is hard to trust one you have been away from so long.  They had been steeped in idolatry which is why Judah was destroyed by the Babylonians, God calling Nebuchadnezzar his servant (Jer. 25:9).  He was God’s instrument to punish.  They had come to trust in their idolatry as we shall see as we continue on.  They had lost trust in God. 

Sin is deceitful (Heb. 3:13).  The prodigal son of Luke 15 thought things were going well until they weren’t.  The Bible says “when he came to himself” (Luke 15:17 NKJV) he repented (verses 18-19).  There is a sense when one gets caught up in sin that he does not think right, he is reading life wrong, judging matters incorrectly, thinking wrong but he/she does not think so.  Sin is deceitful. 

Sometimes one’s life has to be almost destroyed before you can get the person to change their thinking.  The Jewish people finally got out of pagan idolatry once and for all but at what an awful price.  In our own time, we see how the Japanese got out of Emperor worship and the Germans out of Nazism but it took destruction to bring it about.

“The heart is deceitful above all things.” (Jer. 17:9 NKJV)  “There is a way that seems right to a man,  but its end is the way of death.” (Pro. 14:12 NKJV)  Both of these passages assuredly apply to the Jews of that time but they also apply to you and me today.  Our heart tells us this or that but how reliable is it?  We are persuaded we are doing the right thing but are we?  These Jews were sure going to Egypt was the right move.

Upon the arrival of the remanent of the Jews in Egypt and their settlement, Jeremiah continued to speak to them God’s word.  “Why do you commit this great evil against yourselves … in that you provoke Me to wrath with the works of your hands, burning incense to other gods in the land of Egypt.” (Jer. 44: 7-8 NKJV) 

Hear their reply.

“Then all the men who knew that their wives had burned incense to other gods, with all the women who stood by, a great multitude, and all the people who dwelt in the land of Egypt, in Pathros, answered Jeremiah, saying: "As for the word that you have spoken to us in the name of the LORD, we will not listen to you!  But we will certainly do whatever has gone out of our own mouth, to burn incense to the queen of heaven and pour out drink offerings to her, as we have done, we and our fathers, our kings and our princes, in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem.  For then we had plenty of food, were well-off, and saw no trouble.  But since we stopped burning incense to the queen of heaven and pouring out drink offerings to her, we have lacked everything and have been consumed by the sword and by famine." (Jer. 44:15-18 NKJV)

Yes, they badly misread reality.  They thought when they were living in sin before God’s punishment that the good life they were enjoying was because of their idolatry.  The reality was it was because of God’s great patience and longsuffering, granting them time and opportunity for repentance but they could not see that.

Herein lies the final lesson to be learned.  It can be difficult at times to read reality.  Things that seem to be one way may be just the opposite.  Job had an awful time with this.  What is going on?  We do not know why things happen.  We may misjudge and misunderstand.  Things can be very deceiving.  One thinks of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16.  The rich man was receiving God’s blessings, an abundant harvest.  Did this reflect God’s approval of his character?  To ask is to answer.  But, at the time it may well have seemed that way.

The poor man in that account, did his state reflect his spiritual status?  Again, to ask is to answer.  It would be easy to misjudge reality looking at this case if one was not privy to the whole story as given in the scriptures.

The lesson to be learned is that we cannot depend on our wisdom and judgment to direct us in life.  Just because it seems right, whatever it is, does not make it right.  God’s word must direct us, believing and obeying is the only answer to life. 

Solomon nailed it in closing out the book of Ecclesiastes when he said:

“The end of the matter; all has been heard.  Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.” (Eccl. 12:13 ESV)

This was the failure of the Jews of Jeremiah’s day, they did not do that.  May it not be our failure in our day.

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Fear God

I have often heard it said that a Christian should have no fear of God.  I have mixed feelings when I hear that for it is one of those truths that can easily lead to false conclusions unless the statement is clarified. 

John indeed says, “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment.  But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.” (I John 4:18 NKJV)  It is true that every Christian can have fear banished from his life.  

A few verses later John says, “This is the love of God, that we keep His commandments.” (1 John 5:3 NKJV)  This freedom from fear is available to any Christian living a faithful and dedicated life, one who is observing all the commandments of God, who truly repents when he does transgress, who puts God first in his life in every respect.  Such a person fears neither man, death, nor the judgment. 

Paul was such a man.  Near the end of his life he says, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.  Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.” (2 Tim. 4:7-8 NKJV) 

One is also reminded of the stories of the early martyrs of the church who rather than deny the faith allowed themselves to be burned at the stake during the Roman persecutions.  These men and women were fearless and their love perfected. 

It ought to be the goal of all Christians to have this kind of faith in God and love for God that would lead us to become martyrs too if need be.  It is ours for the taking but we must first conquer ourselves. 

Paul told those who were already Christians at Ephesus to “put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in righteousness and true holiness.”  (Eph. 4:22-24 NKJV)  

We know that this is not always easy to do.  Paul said to the Corinthians, “And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ.  I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; for you are still carnal.” (1 Cor. 3:1-3 NKJV) 

Did the Corinthians at this stage of their lives have anything to fear?  Were they guilty of unforgiven sin at the time Paul wrote the letter?  The book of First Corinthians is a book that lists sin after sin for which Paul rebukes them. 

In the second letter to the church at Corinth Paul speaks of their repenting.  He says, “Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance.” (2 Cor. 7:9 NKJV)  He goes on to say, “Godly sorrow produces repentance to salvation." (2 Cor. 7:10 NKJV)  It sounds much like repentance was a requirement for their salvation meaning, of course, that there was a period of time in which these Christians were not in a saved state, a time when they had sinned but had not yet repented.

Another example of the same sort of thing was Simon the sorcerer as found in Acts 8 where Paul tells him, “You have neither part nor portion in this matter, for your heart is not right in the sight of God.  Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you.”  (Acts 8:21-22 NKJV)  

Thus the point to be made is that this freedom from fear, this perfect love that casts out fear, is not for all but only for a certain class of Christian--the totally dedicated and faithful one, the obedient one.  It is a goal to be sought after but also a goal that is obtainable by all if they are willing to make the necessary commitment and sacrifices in their lives. 

The subject also needs to be looked at from another angle.  I know of no man who holds a position of authority whose authority will be respected and honored unless there are some negative consequences to be suffered for disobeying the rules he establishes.  Law without punishment for its violation will not be obeyed and thus practically speaking ends up being no law at all.  

A teacher who will not discipline those who disobey the classroom rules will have utter chaos in the class.  A boss who is not obeyed is really boss of no one, a boss in name only.  In our own country we have laws against illegal immigration.  Those laws have no teeth behind them thus are disobeyed so that we have millions of illegal immigrants in our country.  There must be some fear of authority for there to be any authority and that fear only comes if there are real consequences for disobedience, for breaking the law. 

There are those who want to emphasize reverence for God over godly fear.  We should reverence God but how can there be reverence for God without Godly fear?  It is said that God is like our earthy fathers whom we love and obey and whom we do not fear.  What?  Kids obey Mom or Dad without fear?  

A family where children have no fear of breaking the rules is a family where the children run amuck, who are out of control, disrespectful, disobedient.  Every parent worth their salt has some kind of punishment for their children who break the rules.  Yes, the kids love their parents but the fear of punishment also plays a major role in their obeying the rules.  Is it any different with us in our relationship to God? 

We do not run around as children in stark terror of our parents but certainly we have a fear of pushing them too far by breaking their rules knowing that consequences will follow if we do.  So it is in our relationship with God. 

Those who speak of reverence for God rather than fear of God often leave out, so it seems to me, the element of godly fear.  If asked to define reverence they would use words like respect, honor, deference, and veneration but too often leave out godly fear.  Godly fear is an essential element of true reverence for God.  This kind of fear is not a contradiction of 1 John 4:18.  In fact, godly fear leads to the banishment of the fear described in 1 John 4:18 for it leads to a faithful life. 

Observation of life shows us many who have no fear of God whatsoever.  The fact that a man has no fear of God does not prove he is a man whose love has been perfected.  Many who lack fear of God are atheist and godless men.  They are those who should fear God but who do not. 

What does the Bible say and teach about fearing God?  Noah is the earliest man we read about in the Bible of whom it is said he had godly fear.  In the book of Hebrews, the eleventh chapter, the chapter known as the faith chapter, it is said of Noah that, “by faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household.”  (Heb. 11:7 NKJV)  You can interpret that any way you want but what I get out of it is that Noah was afraid not to build the ark.  Why, because he believed God.  

A man who believes God today concerning what he has had to say about the judgment to come and eternal punishment and orders his life accordingly will simply be following in the footsteps of Noah who acted out of godly fear.  

Moses in recounting the events at Mt. Sinai says the people spoke to him the following words at that time, “Now therefore, why should we die?  For this great fire will consume us; if we hear the voice of the Lord our God anymore, then we shall die.  For who is there of all flesh who has heard the voice of the living God speaking from the midst of the fire, as we have, and lived?” (Deut. 5:25-26 NKJV)  They were fearful for their lives because of what they were seeing and hearing.  What was God’s response? 

Three verses later God says, “Oh, that they had such a heart in them that they would fear Me and always keep all My commandments, that it might be well with them and with their children forever!” (Deut. 5:29 NKJV)  God is saying that his people ought to fear him for their own good.  Has that changed today? 

There is an interesting passage in the book of Jeremiah dealing with this subject.  God speaking says, “They shall be My people, and I will be their God; then I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear Me forever, for the good of them and their children after them.  And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from doing them good; but I will put My fear in their hearts so that they will not depart from Me.”  (Jer. 32:38-40 NKJV)  The fear of God is for our good and will help keep us faithful for that is what God is saying. 

God makes it clear that fearing Him is not an evil thing as some seem to feel that it is today.  Some talk like they think God is just Big Daddy.  That kind of thing is very disrespectful.  God is not one of us.  He is not a man.  When we see God we will be on our knees.  We do not bow down to men.  “As I live, says the Lord, Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess to God.”  (Rom. 14:11 NKJV, see also Isa. 45:23)  Being in God’s presence is not like going to grandfather’s house.  

The Psalmist says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” (Psalms 111:10 NKJV)   Solomon said, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,” (Prov. 1:7 NKJV), “is a fountain of life, to turn one away from the snares of death,” (Prov. 14:27 NKJV), “by the fear of the Lord one departs from evil.” (Prov. 16:6 NKJV) 

Just a few more verses from the Old Testament before turning to the new.  What is the whole duty of man?  Solomon concluded in Eccl. 12:13, NKJV, that it was and is to “fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all” or as the old King James version put it, “this is the whole duty of man.” 

What are the blessings to those who fear God?  “The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him, and delivers them.”  (Psalms 34:7 NKJV)  “Oh, fear the Lord, you His saints!  There is no want to those who fear Him.”  (Psalms 34:9 NKJV)  “Surely his salvation is near to those who fear Him.” (Psalms 85:9 NKJV)  “For as the heavens are high above the earth, So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him.” (Psalms 103:11 NKJV)  “As a father pities his children, So the Lord pities those who fear Him.”  (Psalms 103:13 NKJV) 

Finally, and then we move to the New Testament, Psalms 89:7, NKJV, “God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, And to be held in reverence by all those around Him.”  One wonders, has that changed?  Was it ever meant to change? 

Well, how about the New Testament?  We can have no higher authority than Jesus who said, “I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell: yes, I say to you, fear Him!”  (Luke 12:5 NKJV)  Paul says we are to “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” (Phil 2:12 NKJV) 

There is an interesting passage found in 2 Cor. 7:11 where Paul is recounting how they had repented at Corinth after his first letter admonishing them and he says this, “For observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner:  What diligence it produced in you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear … “ and he goes on.  I have a question.  What were they afraid of?  Was there some godly fear?  Was there fear of condemnation?  

Remember Solomon said in Proverbs, “by the fear of the Lord one departs from evil.” (Prov. 14:27 NKJV)  That is to say by fear of the Lord one repents. 

Paul says we are to perfect holiness “in the fear of God”.  (2 Cor. 7:1 NKJV)  One of the reasons Paul gave for preaching the gospel, in his own words, was “knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men.” (2 Cor. 5:11 NKJV)  The writer of Hebrews says, “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." (Heb. 10:31 NKJV) 

Peter, in fact, commands us to fear God.  He says, “Honor all people.  Love the brotherhood.  Fear God.  Honor the king.”  (1 Peter 2:17 NKJV) 

The last verse I will use is Rev. 14:6-7, NKJV, “Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth--to every nation tribe, tongue, and people--saying with a loud voice, ‘Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.’” 

I believe the Bible is as clear as it can be that man is to fear God.  Call it godly fear if you will for that is what it is.  It is the kind of fear that helps a man stay faithful.  It is the fear that Noah had and that we all ought to have.  The foolish man is the man who does not fear God.  Such a man lives for himself and fears not to disobey God. 

In Rom. 3:18, NKJV, Paul says of those who he has been describing as sinners, talking about their nature and what they had done, “There is no fear of God before their eyes.” 

Yes, reverence God but also understand what is included in that--godly fear.  Godly fear, as stated in the beginning of this article, can lead a man to that state described in 1 John 4:18 where fear is banished for love has been perfected--perfected by the kind of faith and obedience that Noah and Abraham had.  “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments.”  (1 John 5:3 NKJV)  Such a man ceases to fear for he is faithful to God.  He would fear to be unfaithful.   

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