Mysophobia is fear of "dirt." Hydrophobia is fear of "water." Nyclophobia is the fear of "darkness." Acrophobia is fear of "high places." Taxophobia is fear of being "buried alive." Xenophobia is fear of "strangers." Necrophobia is fear of the "dead." Claustrophobia is fear of "confined places." Triskaidekaphobia is fear of the "number 13." Unfortunately, many people who have learned to fear things that they probably shouldn't have never learned the fear of the Lord. Too few who have acrophobia have learned to fear God and to keep his commandments. Many who have some of these fears give no heed to the words of Christ: "And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul; but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” Many fear what man can do to them but not what God will do at the judgment day if they do not repent and turn to Him in faith.
The fear of the Lord is a principle of the Scriptures that seems to have vanished today. There was a time when truly born-again people were called God-fearing Christians, but this seems to be a relic of the past. God does not expect us to fear Him or dread Him as a child fears some dark shadow under his bed – He expects us to fear Him with a reverential awe as we would feel if we were standing in the presence of a great and powerful man such as the President or a judge. Because truly, God is our President and our Judge. We are to respect Him – to reverence Him – to honor Him – to be in awe of Him.
Let’s look at some other passages which speak of this awe and fear towards God:
Proverbs 9:10 “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.”
Proverbs 8:13 “The fear of the Lord is to hate evil.”
Proverbs 14:26 “In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence.”
Proverbs 10:27 “The fear of the Lord prolongeth days.”
Proverbs 14:27 “The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life.”
Proverbs 15:33 “The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom.”
Proverbs 19:23 “The fear of the Lord tendeth to life: and he that hath it shall not be ashamed.”
Psalm 19:9 “The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever.”
Psalm 130:3 “But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.”
Isaiah 8:13-14 “Sanctify the Lord of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread. And he shall be for a sanctuary.”
If we will walk in the fear of the Lord, as the early church did in Acts 9:31, then we will walk in holiness – we will hate evil – we will walk with confidence – we will prolong our days – we will have a fountain of life – we will have instruction of wisdom – we will not be ashamed to walk with Him – we will be forgiven – and we will have Him as our sanctuary. We truly are a God-fearing people – a people who hold Him up with awe and reverence – a people who honor and reverence “Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”
Quote – “We fear men so much because we fear God so little.” – William Gurnall
