The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Deuteronomy 5:29,
"Oh, that their [the Israelites] hearts would be inclined to fear me [the Lord] and keep all my commands always, so that it might go well with them and their children forever!"
Moses recounts for this new generation of Israelites what the Lord had said to him about the previous generation. It was when the Lord spoke to the nation out of his glory and majesty from the darkness, "while the mountain was ablaze with fire." Verse 23.
Were we to ask why the Lord wanted his people to be scared of him, we might betray a bit of misunderstanding. Sometimes people take the phrase "fear the Lord" to mean the Lord wanted his people, and us today, to be scared of him, or even terrified of him.
We are told in Proverbs 1:7, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction." Here is the same exhortation to fear the Lord. The thought here is reverence and respect. An attitude that promotes veneration and worship. I have to think just a bit of acknowledgment of what God is capable of in his anger is appropriate here as well. We are told, "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.
I think the prophet Isaiah, at his commissioning, strikes the appropriate outlook, "'Woe to me!' I cried. 'I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.'" Isaiah 6:5.
"Oh, that their [the Israelites] hearts would be inclined to fear me [the Lord] and keep all my commands always, so that it might go well with them and their children forever!"
Moses recounts for this new generation of Israelites what the Lord had said to him about the previous generation. It was when the Lord spoke to the nation out of his glory and majesty from the darkness, "while the mountain was ablaze with fire." Verse 23.
Were we to ask why the Lord wanted his people to be scared of him, we might betray a bit of misunderstanding. Sometimes people take the phrase "fear the Lord" to mean the Lord wanted his people, and us today, to be scared of him, or even terrified of him.
We are told in Proverbs 1:7, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction." Here is the same exhortation to fear the Lord. The thought here is reverence and respect. An attitude that promotes veneration and worship. I have to think just a bit of acknowledgment of what God is capable of in his anger is appropriate here as well. We are told, "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.
I think the prophet Isaiah, at his commissioning, strikes the appropriate outlook, "'Woe to me!' I cried. 'I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.'" Isaiah 6:5.
How is the fear of the Lord expressed in your life? That is a question I ask of myself today.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
No comments:
Post a Comment