"Fear, The Beginning of Wisdom"
- Rita Larson
- Jan 2, 2024
- 3 min read
It can be difficult for us to wrap our minds around the concept of fearing God. We know from scripture that His love for us is immeasurable and unconditional, and it can be hard to understand how that same God is also worthy of our fear. But Proverbs 9:10-12 teaches us that wisdom comes from understanding the fear of the Lord: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. For by me thy days shall be multiplied, and the years of thy life shall be increased. If thou be wise, thou shalt be wise for thyself: but if thou scornest, thou alone shalt bear it.”
When we approach God casually, we are not taking His power and authority seriously enough. We should be in awe of the immense sacrifice that was made to reconcile us to God – Jesus’ death and resurrection. When we recognize the magnitude of this, it should cause us to fear the Lord. This is not a fear of punishment but a reverential fear that leads us to a deeper understanding of His love for us. We should live our lives in such a way that we are committed to being in right standing with God, and this fear of the Lord is what drives us to do that.
This concept of fearing God is also taught in other scriptures, such as Psalm 111:10, which states, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.” In Psalm 34:9, the Lord says, “O fear the Lord, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him.” Here, we see that those who fear the Lord will be knowledgeable of living a life pleasing to Him and, in return, blessed for living according to His purpose.
Another example of this is found in Proverbs 1:7: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” This verse underscores the importance of having a reverent attitude towards God. If we view Him with reverence, we can begin to gain a deeper understanding of who He is, which will lead to greater wisdom and knowledge. However, if we choose to ignore the Lord, we will only be fooling ourselves.
Finally, Isaiah 11:2-3 tells us, “And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord; And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears.” Here, we see that by having a reverent attitude towards the Lord, we can be blessed with wisdom and understanding. We can then use this wisdom to make righteous decisions in our lives and avoid the temptation of sin. We will be able to make decisions without relying on our own knowledge and experience but rather trusting in the Lord.
Fearing the Lord is essential to gaining true wisdom. By having a reverent attitude towards God, we can gain wisdom and knowledge, as well as receive the blessings of His love. We can also be empowered to live a life that honors Him, bringing glory to His name. When we understand who God is and what God has done for us, we understand that "fear is the beginning of wisdom." ©Rita Larson 1/2/2024
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