The opening words of Proverbs state that the fear of God is where to begin to understand how life works. Then, just to strengthen the point, Solomon says the people who think they have no need of God despise the fear of God. If Proverbs 1:7 is one of the verses you have memorized, you might be thinking that you don’t remember the verse exactly this way. The verse actually reads this way: The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction. The verse is saying that the fear of the Lord is the foundation of knowledge. But fools, those who say there is no God, despise this foundation, i.e., the fear of […]
Fear of the Lord
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Are fear and forgiveness opposing concepts? Forgiveness includes acceptance, freedom, love, and understanding. These things have little to do with fear. Fear involves dread, terror, and rejection; so how can fear and forgiveness be connected? There is another meaning associated with fear that is important to remember. The American Heritage Dictionary’s third listing for fear is this: “Extreme reverence or awe, as toward a supreme power.”
The narratives of the Old Testament are a rich resource for God’s people. We have been looking at Deborah in the book of Judges. Even though the events of Deborah’s life took place over 3,000 years ago, God has things for us to learn from her story. Here are some of the qualities that all of us, and women in particular, can learn from the narrative concerning Deborah. Trust in God’s Word Deborah trusted in the word of God. She understood that God alone is able to do what he says he will do. So when God said that Barak and Israel would defeat the Canaanite army, Deborah believed God. She did not need to have her trust in God […]
Some have questioned whether Deborah should be a role model for women today. Was Deborah usurping the role of a man? Was she failing to trust God to provide male leadership in a time of great need? Let’s take a look. Deborah’s role in leading Israel as a judge is an uncommon one. From the time of the patriarchs, men had been leading God’s people. Then, God called Moses to lead the people from Egypt back to the Promised Land. Moses was succeeded by Joshua. Then came the time of the judges. Up to this point, those who led Israel were all men. As we noted in the last post, after Joshua the men of Israel turned away from trusting […]
The time of the Judges was a dark time in Israel’s history. The Israelites had quickly abandoned the responsibility to teach their children about God in their day-to-day life. God became marginalized as the people enjoyed the blessings of the land that God had won for them. By the time Joshua died a new generation had grown up–but this generation did not know God or all of the things he had done for Israel (Judges 2:10. The people did not see the land as a gift from God but rather they viewed it as an entitlement. The faithful worship of God became a relic of the past. As Israel meandered through the years during the time of the Judges, their […]
This is the second in a series of posts responding to a comment from Jeffery Adams. In the last post we looked at the pain and suffering of Job as he dealt with the loss of possessions, servants, and all of his children. Job’s response to these events was to respond to his great God in worship. As the text of Job says: Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. And he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.” God says that in his sorrow Job kept […]
Jeffery Adams submitted a thought provoking comment on the post, “What Makes Bad Language Bad.” I believe it is important to discuss because it is true that there are events in life when appreciation for the sovereignty of God appears to collide with our difficult experiences in the cursed creation that we inhabit. Jeffery is raising this question: Is there a word or phrase that is appropriate to say in response to such situations? For example, the headlines this morning are filled with the story of the shooting deaths of women at a fitness center near Pittsburgh. What do we say to this event? The Bible says that God is sovereign over even the out-of-control rage that leads a man […]
Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. I Thessalonians 5:16-18 Gratitude for Christ In less than two weeks it will be Thanksgiving Day once again. That day begins four weeks stuffed full of events, culminating on Christmas Day. Then, ironically, many will be thankful that the busy holiday season is over. The holiday season places a rather conditional spin on the theme of Thanksgiving. We hope that we will be thankful—assuming that everything works out the way we have anticipated. We will be thankful if the major meals and events of the season go off without a hitch. We will be thankful if that certain annoying relative […]
For I am the LORD your God, Who churns up the sea so that its waves roar— the LORD Almighty is his name. Isaiah 51:15 The men were amazed and asked, "What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!" Matthew 8:27 I heard a famous TV reporter this morning, standing by the sea wall in Galveston Bay, describe the scene of Hurricane Ike's approach. As he was pelted by the water crashing over the sea wall, he described the waters of the Gulf of Mexico as angry waters. He then said the waves were wicked waves. It is telling that weather systems are described with language that indicates purpose and intent, as if […]
I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the LORD sustains me. Psalm 3:5 O Lord God, who has given man the night for rest, as you have created a day in which he may employ himself in labor, grant, I pray, that my body may so rest during this night that my mind cease not to be awake to you, nor my heart faint or be overcome with apathy, preventing it from adhering steadfastly to the love of you. While laying aside my cares to relax and relieve my mind, may I not, in the meanwhile, forget you, nor may the remembrance of your goodness and grace, which ought always to be deeply engraved on […]