Fear of the Lord

My church's home group went through a study on the 'Fear of the Lord.' In a two week series we were suppose to dive into two questions:

1. What is the fear of God?
2. Why is it important to have a healthy fear of God?

While trying to gather up my knowledge to answer these questions I realized that the bible mentions the "Fear of the Lord" again and again in different contexts.

Trying to come up with definitions for each instance was hard and I thought it was a good idea to look at the Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek dictionary to better understand this topic. Not knowing what we were getting ourselves into, John and I spent hours learning about the term "Fear of the Lord" - which is present in the old and new testament. The verb to 'fear' is used over 330 times and it means actual "fear."

Here are a couple of different definitions from the Old and New testament:

• an emotion variously combining dread, veneration, and wonder that is inspired by authority or by the sacred or sublime
• dread
• reverence - the word carries with it a sense of being shattered, broken, dismayed, and in fear
• being terrified
• to tremble with the sense of terror
• to bristle
• fear of the presence of God

C. S. Lewis references the term "fear of the Lord" in many of his writings, but specifically describes it in his book The Problem of Pain and states that fear of the Lord is not a fear that one feels for a tiger, or even a ghost. Rather, the fear of the Lord is one filled with awe, in which you "feel wonder and a certain shrinking" or "a sense of inadequacy to cope with such a visitant of or prostration before it". It is a fear that comes forth out of love for the Lord.
Reading through the different definitions and commentaries, I realized that I have much to learn about the fear of the Lord. Living in a society where Jesus is often described as 'our homeboy,' it is easy to forget about his holiness, power and authority. We forget what is it like to be reverent and in awe of God.
So, why is it important to have a healthy fear of God?
Here are a couple of answers found in scriptures:

• Psa 111:10 - The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise.
• Psa 145:19 - He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save (rescue) them.
• Pro 10:27 - The fear of the LORD adds length to life, but the years of the wicked are cut short.
• Luk 1:50 - And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation.
• Ecc 12:13 - Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

The verses that spoke to me the most came out of Deut. 10:12-22:
"And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to observe the LORD's commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good?
To the LORD your God belong the heavens, even the highest heavens, the earth and everything in it. Yet the LORD set his affection on your forefathers and loved them, and he chose you, their descendants, above all the nations, as it is today. Circumcise your hearts, therefore, and do not be stiff-necked any longer. For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes. He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing. And you are to love those who are aliens, for you yourselves were aliens in Egypt. Fear the LORD your God and serve him. Hold fast to him and take your oaths in his name. He is your praise; he is your God, who performed for you those great and awesome wonders you saw with your own eyes. Your forefathers who went down into Egypt were seventy in all, and now the LORD your God has made you as numerous as the stars in the sky."
These verses help me understand that the Fear of the Lord is what brings me closer to being Christ-like. It is through obeying God, hating evil and seeking wisdom that I am able to become more intimate with God - and therefore, more like him.
I have long ways to go before I can say I fully understand what it means to Fear the Lord, but this study has brought a certain excitement to learn more about God's nature and his plan for his people.