Fear of the Lord

 What is the "Fear of the Lord"?

In Deut. 10:11-17 we read:

"Go," the LORD said to me, "and lead the people on their way, so that they may enter and possess the land that I swore to their fathers to give them." 12 And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, 13 and to observe the LORD's commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good? 14 To the LORD your God belong the heavens, even the highest heavens, the earth and everything in it. 15 Yet the LORD set his affection on your forefathers and loved them, and he chose you, their descendants, above all the nations, as it is today. 16 Circumcise your hearts, therefore, and do not be stiff-necked any longer. 17 For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes.

Wow! The fear of the Lord seems to be a mixture of obedience, love, and awe.  Clearly in this passage God is presented as LOVE.  He chose Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all their descendants out of love and is now giving them a great land to live in peace.  God is also presented as the awesome and great God to whom all things belong.  How should we respond to this God?

In the fear of the Lord.  We could possibly define the "Fear of the Lord" as "the state of being overwhelmed and in awe at the realization of the almighty power of God and His forgiving and caring love towards us."


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