That They May Learn to Fear Me All the Days That They Shall Live upon the Earth

As the passage above says, we can learn to fear God by hearing the word of God.

Romans 10:17 “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

And while we live in this world, we must learn to fear God. This is because fearing God is the way for things to go well with us. Because this is an unchanging truth, God tells us, “Fear me.”

Deuteronomy 5:29 “O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever!”

Deuteronomy 6:1-2 “1Now these are the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments, which the LORD your God commanded to teach you, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go to possess it: 2That thou mightest fear the LORD thy God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son’s son, all the days of thy life; and that thy days may be prolonged.”

The word “fear” here means to honor with reverence and awe. Even from the meaning of this word alone, we can see that in order to fear God, we need the humility to lower ourselves. Yes. Just as, even in this world, the younger should honor the older (1 Kings 12:3-14), we must know how to exalt and fear Jesus, who is the Most High. If we do not know this, or if we forget it, we cannot help but become proud and presumptuous. And such pride and presumption are things God forbade through the law given by Moses.

Deuteronomy 8:11-20 “11Beware that thou forget not the LORD thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day: 12Lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein; 13And when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied; 14Then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the LORD thy God, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage; 15Who led thee through that great and terrible wilderness, wherein were fiery serpents, and scorpions, and drought, where there was no water; who brought thee forth water out of the rock of flint; 16Who fed thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not, that he might humble thee, and that he might prove thee, to do thee good at thy latter end; 17And thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth. 18But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day. 19And it shall be, if thou do at all forget the LORD thy God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day that ye shall surely perish. 20As the nations which the LORD destroyeth before your face, so shall ye perish; because ye would not be obedient unto the voice of the LORD your God.”

As this passage teaches us, there is no god in this world greater or mightier than God. In other words, all sovereignty belongs to God, and only when God permits it can all things become possible.

Deuteronomy 10:17 “For the LORD your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible...”

1 Chronicles 29:11-12 “11Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all. 12Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all.”

Now that we know and believe this truth, we must fear only Jesus, who is God. Moreover, Scripture also says that fearing God is the whole duty of man.

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 “13Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. 14For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.”

Proverbs 1:7 “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.”

Proverbs 9:10 “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.”

Therefore, as human beings, it is only right that we fear God and keep His commandments. Therefore, we must know how to fear Jesus more than anyone else.

Matthew 10:28 “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”

Therefore, all the days that we live upon this earth, we must continually learn to fear Jesus through the word of God written in the Scriptures. With that fear, we must pray to Jesus in the name of Jesus, and we must humbly listen to the words of Jesus and live by them. For, as mentioned earlier, things will surely go well in the end for those who fear God.

Ecclesiastes 8:11-13 “11Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil. 12Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him: 13But it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he prolong his days, which are as a shadow; because he feareth not before God.”

Amen.