One of my favorite family-gathering memories: It was a holiday dinner at my in-laws’. With six girls and a boy in the family, such dinner gatherings were loud and festive. And, as was often the case in the 20th century, the men sat in the living room adjacent to the kitchen as our spouses prepped the meal. We were, of course, discussing important things like football.
At this particular gathering, all of us brothers-in-law were gathered in the living room when one of them said with much boldness, “I fear no man!” quickly followed by a quieter comment about his wife, “But that little woman in the next room scares the snot out of me.” As I said, one of my favorite family-gathering memories. And we bring it up annually.
The concept of fearing God is among the most challenging biblical ideas, particularly in the context of the Old Testament, the Hebrew scriptures. We are likely familiar with, The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom… (Proverbs 9:10a). It’s one of those Proverbs that sounds profound and correct but we don’t know why. If asked to describe or explain “fear of the Lord,” we might be a bit at a loss. What does it really mean?
When I first encountered the phrase in personal readings 50+ years ago, it caused me to pause. Growing up going to church and Sunday School I probably heard it a lot. But when I read it myself it seemed like a new term for me. A cursory exploration in my compact Bible Dictionary revealed that “fear of the Lord” could be translated or redefined as reverence or respect.
That seemed to satisfy me for a little while, but there was a lingering sense that it was larger and more robust than that. My pastor’s title was Reverend. I respected him, but I didn’t fear him nor did I suspect he was on the same par as God. There had to be more. So I did some digging and discovered some stuff…
Yirah (יִרְאָה) is the most common Hebrew word used for “fear” in the context of fearing God. It conveys a sense of awe, reverence, and respect. Yirah is often associated with a profound recognition of God’s greatness and holiness, leading to an attitude of humility and obedience. It is frequently used in the context of seeking wisdom and understanding from God (thus the Proverbs 9:10 passage). The Psalms are laced with “fear of God” language, for example, Psalm 86:11 (AMP):
Teach me Your way, O Lord [Yahweh],
I will walk and live in Your truth;
Direct my heart to fear Your name [with awe-inspired reverence and submissive wonder].
The fear of Yahweh represents an attitude of recognizing our complete reliance on Him for mercy, forgiveness, and even our very existence.
Fearing God is having a clear understanding of who God is and how my own sinful nature places me in conflict with his nature, and it is knowing that my only hope is divine grace and mercy. A healthy understanding of “fear of the Lord” is dependent on my view of God. If I know the God of scripture, “fear of the Lord” will look different than if I view Him as a god that smites, a celestial tyrant. This is why I repeatedly advise people to maintain a consistent practice of spending time immersed in the Gospels developing a deeper understanding of Jesus, the visible expression of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15).
N.T. Wright in addressing “fear of the Lord.” Human beings were made to know, worship, love, and serve the creator God. That always was and always will be the way to healthy and fruitful human living. It demands, of course, a certain kind of humility: a willingness to let God be God, to celebrate and honour him as such, and acknowledge his power in and over the world. *
The placing of our lives in the hands of God is the attitude of submission that the Old Testament refers to as “the fear of the Lord.” Bottom line…
Submission to the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. And life!
* Wright, N. T.. Paul for Everyone: Romans, Part One (The New Testament for Everyone) (p. 13). Presbyterian Publishing Corporation.
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