“Fear of the LORD is the foundation of true knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.” (Proverbs 1:7NLT)
We live in a dynamic information age largely driven by scientific communications and the digital revolution. The demand to be informed is relentless. Some 2,500 years ago the Hebrew prophet Daniel clearly foresaw an unprecedented knowledge explosion. "Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase," he wrote (Daniel: 12:4). How astonishingly true of our world today. However In an unparalleled period of information overload, the world is desperately troubled because of its fundamental lack of true and basic knowledge. God's Word reveals the true values by which we must live if we are to solve our massive relationship problems and the other seemingly insoluble dilemmas that threaten to overwhelm us. But what is sadly lacking is the basic knowledge so essential to humanity's overall well-being. Well over 2,000 years ago God warned, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge" (Hosea: 4:6).
Psalms and Proverbs are in a section of the Bible known as "Wisdom Literature." The other books in this section are Job, Ecclesiastes and The Song Of Solomon. The focus of these books is instructing men in the ways of the Lord and in His service and worship. If there is a key verse that unlocks the power and purpose of this great book, it would be the Fear of the LORD. If we are to learn wisdom and knowledge, it must begin with the fear of the Lord. This subject is fundamental to the Christian's faith. This is a very vital line of thought in the Book of Proverbs as it is mentioned roughly 18 times in its pages. In all, the phrase can be found 27 times in the Bible. If so much emphasis is placed on fearing the Lord, then Understanding the Fear of the Lord is imperative.
One of the best words to describe the fear of the Lord is reverence. Reverence is a response to a revelation of God. When God reveals Himself, I believe the only appropriate response is reverence. And with it goes submissiveness. A submissive attitude toward God is an expression of the fear of the Lord in our lives. To fear God is to desire to live in harmony with His righteous standards and to honor Him in all that you do. It is an awareness that you are in the presence of a holy, just, and almighty God and that He will hold you accountable for your motives, thoughts, words, and actions.
King David said “Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD.” (Psalm 34:11)
Psalm 34 Verse 11 is an invitation to receive instruction concerning the “fear of the Lord”: “Come, you children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord.” The invitation in verse 11 is to “children” (literally, “sons”). As in Proverbs the teacher often addresses the student as his “son” The fear of the Lord is not an ill-defined, illusive concept, but one which can be taught and known. It is not only subjective, but objective. In addition, the fear of the Lord is not merely academic, but is worked out in very practical terms. The fear of the Lord is now presented as the prerequisite to seeing the goodness of the Lord. David has experienced it, and he urges others to taste of it as well. However, God’s goodness is directed only toward those who fear Him. David begins to instruct men concerning one of the missing factors in their religion, one which has kept them from experiencing the blessings of God’s provision and protection—the fear of the Lord. The subject is introduced in verse 11. In verses 12-14 the results of a fear of God are described. Verses 15-18 depict the relationship which a fear of the Lord establishes. The rewards of a fear of the Lord are spoken of in verses 19-22. The fear of the Lord is not merely learned; it is lived, Just as James taught that “faith without works is dead” James 2:14. David teaches that the fear of the Lord is manifested in very practical ways. The fear of the Lord is the basis of a relationship between God and man.
When we look around at God’s creation—the majesty of towering mountains, the expanse of oceans with their high tides and low tides, the intricacy of delicate flowers, the brilliance of the sun, and the glory of our galaxy—we can catch a glimpse of how awesome our God is! The psalmist David often expressed his awe of God by meditating on God’s handiwork. He wrote, “When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?”(Psalm 8:3–4). This is why Israel’s King Solomon is renowned as the wisest man who ever lived, In the Book of Ecclesiastes; Solomon records his observations about the meaning and significant of life. In the end, he states that the “conclusion of the whole matter” is the fear of the Lord. (Ecclesiastes 12:13–14).
What does the Bible itself say regarding the importance of learning the fear of God? According to book of Proverbs, the fear of the Lord will produce certain benefits in your life and mine. Let me point out some of the benefits of the fear of the Lord. This is one of the most exciting aspects of serving God. I can never read these verses without getting excited. When we fear the Lord, we will find certain things to be true. It Is the Beginning of Wisdom (Proverbs 9:10; 15:33) It Motivates People to Holiness. Proverbs 3:7; 16:6. It Prolongs Life - Proverbs 10:27. It Produces A Sense Of Security - Proverbs 14:26. It Produces Life - Proverbs 14:27. It Makes All Of Life Better - Proverbs 15:16. It Produces Satisfaction and Safety - Proverbs 19:23. 19: It Brings Great Blessings - Proverbs 22:4
The key to mastery in any field is to forever be a student. A wisest king ever lived-in History, said in Proverbs 23:12 “Apply your heart to discipline (Education) and your ears to words of knowledge.” In another words Listen to instruction and do your best to learn. The first important passage about importance of learning is found in the Old Testament is Deuteronomy 6:4-9, “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.” (NIV)
This verse starts with a command to hear what God has to say. This also points to the imperative of the next two verses that, in a nutshell, are about memorizing, teaching and knowing and doing God’s Word. God is commanding us to teach ourselves and our children His Word, so that it penetrates our hearts, minds and will—that is, every aspect of who we are. And, then, we are to write it down and bind it to all our daily aspects of life. That call is still for us today. The second important passage in the New testament is 2 Timothy 3:14-17, “But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (NIV)
In this passage, Paul gives us a similar call to heed God’s Word. Call to scrutinize, understand, and then apply Scripture. This is the basic inductive precept. This passage is not an instruction to give the Bible the occasional “once over.” It is the clear, uncompromising call to continue in our studies constantly and passionately. These two Scriptures call us to live our lives as pleasing to our God, as countless other passages do, such as Proverbs 1:7, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.” which is the understanding and vigorous reverence of God. It is not the fear a child has of what is under the bed. It is the wow, the wonder, awe, and majesty of God. And, this understanding is wisdom to deal with life, to make the most out of what He gives us in our gifts and opportunities.
As someone rightly said “Christianity is not merely a dogma or doctrine, neither a religion nor rituals, but the right relationship and the knowledge of a Person; it is developing an intimacy and friendship with the Lord Jesus Christ. You cannot be educated into being a Christian but you need to born again to be a Christian. Ultimately, truth in Christianity is not a doctrine, not a dogma, not a creed, not what's said in a sermon, rather, truth in Christianity is a person, Christ Jesus. Jesus said so himself:"I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."(John 14:6)
Psalm 1:1-3, reveals to us the secret on how we can be stable in this unstable world. “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.”
Christianity is a religion of knowledge, understanding and wisdom. Where there is no sound and solid biblical knowledge, teaching and practice, the Christian system can neither commence nor continue. One of the basic differences between the Israel(Jews) (into which one was born physically) and the church of Jesus Christ, (into which one is born spiritually)is the fact that knowledge is prerequisite to identifying with the faith of the gospel Bible says “But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares the Lord, “I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.”(Jer. 31:33). Jesus declared that favor with God must involve instruction, reception, comprehension, and commitment.”It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught of God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me.”(Jn. 6:45).
