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Joe Garrison
Fishers, IN, United States

Director of Contemporary Worship and Assistant Director of Student Ministries at Castleton United Methodist Church in Indianapols, IN. Husband,Guitarist,and Drummer
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Monday, August 9, 2010

Fear or Reverence?

We've all heard a sermon in our lifetime that centered on, or at least passed by, the idea of the fear of God. A lot of times we hear the pastor say something like "Now, understand this is not fear in the sense of 'terror' but more like 'reverence' or respect."

Right now I'm reading through the Old Testament book of Proverbs in preparation for a study with our high schoolers this fall. Right off the bat I came across 1:7, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline."

That line had me thinking about a passage I read from Revelation a couple weeks ago for our Tuesday night '20 Somethings' discussion group. Revelation 1:9-17 has John explaining his vision of Christ in heaven, ending with his reaction to that sight. What did John do? He fell on his face as though DEAD.

That sounds more like a terrifying drop dead kind of fear than a reverence kind of fear. John wasn't just like "Whoa! God, I respect you!"

Isaiah 6 also comes to mind when I think of the fear of God. Isaiah is explaining his vision of God seated on the throne. He sees God on the throne and seraphs flying above him singing "Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord Almighty. The whole earth is full of His glory." I think it's important to note that they are covering their faces with two of their six wings as to not directly see the face of God.

Isaiah however, does see the face of God seated on His throne. Immediately at the sight, Isaiah says, "Woe to me! I am ruined!" Isaiah sees God and immediately recognizes his own sin and determines that he is dead. God is going to kill him for the sinful life he lives.

That sounds like honestly terrifying fear. Again, Isaiah wasn't just like, "Wow, I respect that dude." He feared for his very life!

Looking at these passages I have to believe that the fear of God is more than just respect or reverence, but an honest and terrifying kind of fear. God wants us to honestly fear him. It is only at that point that we can begin to gain his wisdom. It is through that fear that we can receive the wisdom and knowledge of God.

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