Fear the Lord your God

 Christ in all the scriptures

Reverend is His name  Deuteronomy 6

The God of Israel

"Thou, even thou, art Lord alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth, and all things that are therein, the seas, and all that is therein, and thou preservest them all; and the host of heaven worshippetrh thee"  Nehemiah 9v6.

The God of all nations

"Is He the God of the Jews only? is He not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also: seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith"  Romans 3v29-30.

God of Abraham, God of all Israel, God of all nations, God most high, God alone without a likeness; this is the fundamental teaching of the bible, and is the main teaching of Deuteronomy 6.  High above the creation in its entirety, preserving it, bestriding it, He is worshipped by the host of heaven.  How are we on earth to respond to such a majestic One?  This is the theme of the chapter..

We are to FEAR HIM   Deuteronomy 6v2, "That thou mightest fear the Lord thy God..."; 6v13, "Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God..."; 6v24, "And the Lord commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God...". 

Fear is yare, and means reverential fear.  It can also mean dread, as it is translated terrible (29 times) and afraid (78 times) and dreadful (5 times).  Out of 314 occurrences in the Hebrew scriptures, it appears in Deuteronomy 24 times, so it is a major topic. 

We know that so far as the unregenerate world is concerned, (described as the wicked), "there is no fear of God before his eyes"-Psalm 36v1; Romans 3v18.  We also know that nominal; Israel had substituted the fear of God for the fear of man. Jehovah noted, "...their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men"-Isaiah 29v13.  It is an insult to the majestic God to feign loyalty to Him.  Mere lip service toward Him, when hearts are far from Him dishonours Him and He is not deceived.  How many church services today are ritual instead of reverence?

The apostle Peter says, "pass the time of your sojourning here in fear", because God is holy-1st Peter 1v17; "Fear God, honour the king"-2v17; "Be subject to your masters with all fear"-2v18;  "your chaste conversation (manner of life) coupled with fear"-3v2; "be always ready to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason for the hope that is in you with meekness and fear"-3v15.  We are to be a God-fearing people in all aspects of life.  I always think of it like this: we will all one day stand alone before Christ on His judgment throne to give account of our lives.  There will be just me and Him; the One before whom throngs of angels bow, and do His bidding without reserve or hesitation; the One who knows everything about me from beginning to end; the One who gave His all for me to save me from eternal punishment.  In the unforgettable words of the late Mr. William Trew of Cardiff, "We should live now as we will wish we had lived when we stand before Him".

"The fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding"-Job 28v28

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom..."-Psalm111v10

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge..."-Proverbs 1v7

"My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; so that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; yea if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; if thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God"-Proverbs 2v1-5.

"Let all the earth fear the Lord: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him.  For He spake and it was done; He commanded and it stood fast"-Psalm 33v8