The Fear of the Lord Gone Bad
Not everyone who fears the Lord always lives an exemplary life like Job did. Jonah’s life teaches us something else about the fear of the Lord.
He was an anonymous face in the crowd on board a ship headed for Tarshish when a violent storm arose. “Every man for himself” wasn’t good enough after awhile. The superstitious crew members wondered who on board was responsible for this evil, destructive fierce storm. Surely someone had angered his god. By a type of lottery, they determined it was Jonah. He had their rapt attention. Just who was this man? Then said they unto him, Tell us, we pray thee, for whose cause this evil is upon us; What is thine occupation? and whence comest thou? what is thy country? and of what people art thou? (Jonah 1:8)
Here’s Jonah’s “all you need to know in 30 seconds” elevator speech: “And he said unto them, I am an Hebrew; and I fear the LORD, the God of heaven, which hath made the sea and the dry land. Then were the men exceedingly afraid, and said unto him, Why hast thou done this? For the men knew that he fled from the presence of the LORD, because he had told them.” (Jonah 1:9-10)
Clearly, this man who feared God had issues. He wisely didn’t go into the story of why he disobeyed God. But we know why. He didn’t like God’s message he was sent to deliver to those people over there in the opposite direction in Nineveh. As a prophet, he was God’s messenger to wicked people, which we could argue, made him more spiritual than the average person—even religious people. He was told to go tell the people of Nineveh to repent of their sins and God would prevent the judgment He had planned for them. Jonah knew God would forgive them, and he didn’t want that. He wanted God to judge them. He wanted nothing to do with God’s plan.
This leads us to some serious points about spirituality. Knowledge, even insider, deep knowledge, isn’t all there is to the fear of the Lord. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction. (Prov. 1:7) Wouldn’t you say that in the moment Jonah got on that ship headed in the opposite direction of Nineveh, he was acting as a fool?
But truth be told, we all have moments of being a fool, not agreeing with God or obeying Him. What I like best about this story is that God still worked with Jonah and with those people on the ship in the context of Jonah’s disobedience. The God we fear can and does do that.
Wherefore they cried unto the LORD, and said, We beseech thee, O LORD, we beseech thee, let us not perish for this man’s life, and lay not upon us innocent blood: for thou, O LORD, hast done as it pleased thee… Then the men feared the LORD exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice unto the LORD, and made vows. (Jonah 1:14, 16)
They threw Jonah overboard, per his request, and a whale swallowed him. From the whale’s belly, Jonah repented, sort of.
After the whale spit him out, he went and preached to the people of Nineveh, and God spared them. But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry. And he prayed unto the LORD, and said, I pray thee, O LORD, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil. Therefore now, O LORD, take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live. (Jonah 4:1-3)
What was his deal? There was certainly a spiritual blemish in his life, to say the least. But let’s draw our attention to our sovereign God who works all things together for the good to those who love Him and who are called according to His purpose (Rom 8:28).
In spite of Jonah’s attitude, God’s bigger purpose happened perfectly. Jesus spoke of Jonah (known as Jonas in the New Testament) and how his life was a prophetic picture. Imagine. God’s prophet was himself a prophetic picture:
But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here. (Matt. 12:39-41)
Here’s what the fear of God teaches us today: We might not be the best at fearing God, but He is the focus, not us. Let’s not be DOWN on Jonah or down on our own failings. Instead, let’s be UP on God, the object of our fear. He gets glory one way or another. Let’s be willing participants in that.
Jody
Benefits of the Fear of the Lord
Job has the testimony that he feared God and hated evil. Besides evidence from the very first verse in the book, we know from the conversation about Job between God and Satan. Let’s listen in.
And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought? Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land. (Job 1:8-10)
Let’s push pause there. I think this might be the only time in the Bible that we hear Satan praise God for His awesomeness (in his accusatory Satanic way, but nonetheless). And what he said backs up what the rest of the Bible teaches about the benefit of fearing God. Here are the blessings Job enjoyed, per Satan:
- Hast not thou made an hedge about him, (protection)
- and about all that he hath on every side? (protection for his family and his stuff)
- thou hast blessed the work of his hands, (productivity)
- and his substance is increased in the land. (provision)
Was Job a special case? Or does God provide these benefits to any and all who truly fear Him? Don’t miss the fact that while Job feared God on the inside, God blessed him on the outside. Satan was smart enough to give God credit for the fact that Job, and his family as a result, lived a protected life, successful and profitable in his work, enjoying personal abundance. Job lived a charmed life. It was the result of fearing God, and you can expect the same if you truly fear the Lord (notice my previous post on exactly what that means).
Here are the verses to back it up.
- In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge. (Prov. 14:26)—Protection for you and your kids
- The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them. O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him. O fear the LORD, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him. The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing. (Psa. 34:7-10)—Protection and provision
- He will bless them that fear the LORD, both small and great. The LORD shall increase you more and more, you and your children. (Psa. 115:13-14)—Productivity.
- The fear of the LORD tendeth to life: and he that hath it shall abide satisfied; he shall not be visited with evil. (Prov. 19:23)—Protection.
But we can’t take this and run with a “prosperity gospel” theme where we encourage others to trust Christ and their life will be an enviable dream of success. First, it’s one thing to pray a prayer accepting Christ—and quite another to live a life that fears God. That requires a heart that wants to know, love, obey and serve Him evidenced by daily sitting at His feet in front of the Bible (see my previous post).
But beyond that, God reserves the right to test our fear of Him. That might require touching our protection, productivity and provision. That’s exactly what happened to Job, and it resulted from Satan standing before God and having a discussion about Job’s fear of the Lord.
Was Job an isolated case? Probably not. Satan is the accuser of the brethren, even if he’s accusing God for how blessed we are. (Rev. 12:10) So while there are promises of prosperity and success (Josh. 1:8, Psa. 1:1-3), there is always God who tests and teaches obedience through suffering (Heb. 5:8).
But the bottom line is that Job still feared the Lord through it all, because one who fears the Lord knows, loves, obeys and serves Him. Job said, Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him. (Job 13:15)
After he was tried, his life went back to a testimony of protection, productivity and provision. So the Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning. (Job 42:12a)
Now, having said all that, if you know, love, obey and serve God, that’s a testimony that you fear Him. I’ll bet your life shows God’s protection and provision. Take some time to recognize that and give God the praise.
But if your life is a mess in every way, it begs the question—do you fear the Lord?
Jody
How to Fear the Lord
What does it mean to fear the Lord? The concept is mentioned all over the Bible. But how do you know what it is and if you fear the Lord?
First, He commands to fear Him. He equates fearing Him with keeping his commandments, or obeying Him, walking in His ways, loving Him and serving Him with all of our heart. He promises a prolonged life as a result. (Deut. 6:1-2, 13, 24; 10:12, 20; Prov. 10:27, 22:4)
Fearing the Lord isn’t a feeling you muster. After all, fear, to us is an emotion. But rather it is something learned, not by sitting in church or taking a class. You learn to fear the Lord by a practice of reading His word each day—all your life. Only through that do you learn to know, love and fear God. (Deut. 14:23, 17:18-20, 31:12-13)
To that point, think of the testimony of Job. There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil. (Job 1:1) You wonder how it is that Job feared the Lord. He didn’t fear the Lord just for a day, because fear of the Lord is not a daily emotion. He had a life of fearing the Lord, and we see the key to it here: Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food. (Job 23:12)
There is a distinct correlation between meeting with God in His word every day and the fear of the Lord.
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. For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. (Prov. 2:1-6)
Which comes first: fearing God or getting wisdom from His word. The verses above seem clear that getting knowledge, wisdom and understanding will lead to the fear of the Lord.
But notice, The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. (Prov. 9:10) Fear of the Lord, knowledge, wisdom and understanding all go together. They are stuck together like glue.
I used to tell God all the time that I just wanted to know Him more. I felt like I had a nice taste of Him, but there was so much more about Him and of Him I hungered and thirsted to know. Then it dawned on me one day sitting through a boring, weak, mamby pamby church service. I had been trying to make a decision between that church and another one I had been visiting. Somehow it hit me. If I wanted to get to know God better, it would be from getting to know His word better, and that other church that I wasn’t sitting in at the time, was strong on teaching the Bible. I made my decision right there. I would choose the strong Bible-teaching church. My knowledge, understanding and fear of Him grew stronger only then as I was challenged with those around me at the Bible-teaching church to dig in the word myself for the amazing nuggets it holds.
I would say that those reading this who love God and meet with Him daily, anxious to know Him more and apply what they learn from the treasures of His word don’t need to wonder if they fear the Lord. They do, and they have that testimony before God.
Jody
Fear of the Lord = Obedience
Looking at what it means to fear the Lord, I was intrigued with the following interesting passage:
“A son honoureth (or glorifies) his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour?(or glory) and if I be a master, where is my fear (reverence or awe-inspired deed)? saith the LORD of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name? Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar; and ye say, Wherein have we polluted thee? In that ye say, The table of the LORD is contemptible. And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? offer it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person? saith the LORD of hosts.” (Mal 1:6-8)
What was the proof that the Israelites didn’t honor God and didn’t fear Him? After all, they never said they didn’t honor or fear God. He observed their life and concluded they didn’t honor or fear (reverence) Him.
It showed in what they offered God in their sacrifices. They offered polluted bread, probably made with leaven, and they offered less than perfect animals—those they didn’t want that were sick.
It isn’t as if the Israelites didn’t know what God required.
No meat offering, which ye shall bring unto the LORD, shall be made with leaven: for ye shall burn no leaven, nor any honey, in any offering of the LORD made by fire. (Lev. 2:11)
And if there be any blemish therein, as if it be lame, or blind, or have any ill blemish, thou shalt not sacrifice it unto the LORD thy God. (Deut. 15:21)
Prophetically, this would have been an offense because the sacrifice, which was to be perfect, pictured the coming Christ, who was perfect. They marred the prophetic picture or symbol. Leaven pictures sin. Jesus was the bread of life, and He had no sin. So God wanted the offering to have no leaven.
Practically, they disobeyed God in the sacrifice they offered. God asked for perfect sacrifices. So while they partially obeyed God, in that they did do sacrifices, they didn’t do it completely. Half-hearted obedience is disobedience. God is not interested in a form of obedience. He deserves and demands complete obedience.
I notice that God was especially angry at disobedience surrounding things that were prophetic pictures. Consider Moses striking the rock twice when God just asked him to speak to the rock the second time. (Num. 20:7-12) God was so upset with his disobedience to that, he didn’t allow Moses to enter the Promised Land, even though he was called to lead the children of Israel into the Promised Land!
For a quick prophetic view and summary, that rock out of which water came pictured Christ. (1 Cor. 10:4). The first time water came forth from the rock was after God asked Moses to strike it (Ex. 17:6). The second time, God asked Moses to simply speak to the rock, because as a picture, Christ only needed to be smitten once (Isa. 53:4, Heb. 9:28, 1 Pet. 3:18). Moses messed up the prophetic picture by having Christ smitten twice.
Consider Cain and Abel. They both offered sacrifices, but Cain’s wasn’t the type God wanted (Gen. 4:2-5) The correct animal sacrifice pictures Christ; an offering of the tilling of the ground pictures human effort to please God.
“By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.” (Heb. 11:4)
The point overall, though, is that to fear the Lord is to obey completely. Not halfheartedly, not just so it looks good to others around. God wants an obedient, compliant heart. Know what He said and do what He said from the heart completely. That shows Him that I fear Him. This applies to more than our offerings.
“And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.” (1Sa 15:22 AV)
Back to our original verse in Mal about the Israelites offering polluted bread and imperfect lambs. You know, others could have easily overlooked the condition of the offering. On the outside, they were probably pretty inconspicuous. But what matters is what happens between us and the Lord. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. (Heb 4:13) We just don’t realize that God sees everything, including motives and thoughts.
Our obedience and personal disciplines must be between us and God first. Even if no one ever sees our devotion and the sacrifices we decide to make, God sees it and weighs it. Does it come from a heart that honors Him, and is it pure and right?
This defines the fear of the Lord. God asked these people where their fear was. It was missing because they didn’t obey completely, which stemmed from a heart not perfect toward Him. We’ll take a deeper look at the fear of the Lord.
Jody