The Lord is awe-inspiring, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him in Genesis 26:12-14,
“So Jacob took an oath in the name of the Fear of his father Isaac.”
This comment was made by Moses as he recounts the agreement made between Jacob and Laban when Jacob left Laban in Paddan Aram to go back to Canaan. Jacob left Laban suddenly with his wives and all of his belongings and Laban chased after him to retrieve his “household gods” and to confront Jacob for running out on him unannounced with his daughters and grandchildren. The two decided to make a covenant not to harm one another and built a “witness heap” of stones as a memorial to not do so.
Moses here calls the Lord the “Fear of his father Isaac”. It was in this name Jacob takes his oath. Previously in verse 42 as Jacob explains himself to Laban, he refers to “the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac”.
Fear when associated with the Lord speaks to me of reverence, of an acknowledgment of who we are actually dealing with when speaking of the Lord and the things of the Lord. It is the Lord who not only has made us, but is also the One who sustains the creation from moment to moment. As my friend Rodney has been fond of saying, “every breath we breathe is a manifestation of the grace of God.” It is this Creator God we are accountable to as the writer of Hebrews acknowledges, “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” Hebrews 4:13.
Some have assumed that it is the God of the “Old Testament” that was a God of fear. The God of the “New Testament” is a God of love. In the church we view God as our “Abba, Father” and rightly so, “For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’" Romans 8:15. But the fear we are no longer a slave to here is the fear of condemnation and judgment. Our Savior has rescued and freed us from that. My perspective is that a more careful reading of the Scriptures reveals there is no difference in the way God reveals himself in the Hebrew Scriptures versus the Scriptures of the Church. It is one and the same God who has revealed himself in the same way relative to his character and nature in both.
When God gave the law to Moses on Mount Sinai he revealed himself as “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin.” God reveals himself in the Hebrew Scriptures as a God of love and his love and grace is abundantly manifested in countless places. One needs look no further than Moses’ comment about Abraham in Genesis 15:6, “Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.”
We find the very same manifestation of God’s character and nature in the writings of the New Testament. John tells us in 1 John 4 of the incredible love of God, “God is love.” And yet in John’s revelation we read that of Jesus Christ, “The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. ‘He will rule them with an iron scepter.’ He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.” Revelation 19:14-16. Now, here is someone to fear!
In Proverbs 1:7 we read, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge…” This is as true today as the day it was penned. The writer of Hebrews tells us, “For we know him who said, ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ and again, ‘The Lord will judge his people.’ It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” Hebrews 10:30-31. And, “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our ‘God is a consuming fire.’” Hebrews 12:28-29.
Our loving Heavenly Father calls us his children, and his children we are! He loves us with a love that is difficult to comprehend; its dimensions seem so boundless. Nonetheless, this is our same Creator God who is due our reverence, our respect, our awe as well as our adoration! Not to be trifled with!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share your theme of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We’d love to hear from you!
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