Let Us Fear the Name of Jesus

Let Us Fear the Name of Jesus

 

Because we are those who are called by the name of God (Isaiah 43:7), we must fundamentally have in us a heart that desires to fear the name of Jesus. To fear means to honor and to stand in awe. Even in this world, people do not speak or act carelessly when they are doing something in the name of someone they respect. Therefore, we who believe in Jesus must be all the more careful in our words and actions so that we do not dishonor the name of Jesus. If, at our foundation, we do not have a heart that desires to fear Jesus, then even while saying that we believe in Jesus, we will speak and act according to our own will in daily life, and in the end we will obscure the glory of Jesus by doing so. Therefore, just as Proverbs says that the fear of Jehovah is the beginning of knowledge (Proverbs 1:7) and the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10), at the very “foundation” of our faith we must always have a heart that desires to fear the name of Jesus. In this chapter, through the related words of Scripture, let us consider together the importance of fearing the name of Jesus...

 

[Fearing the name of the Lord is the way to obtain perfect wisdom.]

 

Micah 6:9 "The voice of Jehovah crieth unto the city, and the man of wisdom will see thy name..."

 

In this passage, when it says that fearing the name of the Lord is perfect wisdom, it means that perfect wisdom is given to those who fear the name of Jesus. If a person who does not honor or fear the name of God were to receive wisdom, he would rather become proud through that wisdom and reveal himself more than Jesus. Therefore, it is only right that perfect wisdom is given to those who fear the name of the Lord. And perfect wisdom does not mean wisdom that knows only in part (1 Corinthians 13:9-10), but the complete wisdom that understands Christ, who is the mystery of God (Colossians 2:2-3). Therefore, in order to receive this “wisdom that is from above” (James 3:17-18), we also must fear the name of Jesus, our Lord (Philippians 2:11) [the name of the Lord = the name of Jesus; see The Name of God, “Jesus”].

 

[God hears the prayers of those who fear His name.]

 

Nehemiah 1:11 "O Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, who delight to fear thy name; and prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. Now I was cupbearer to the king."

 

Thus, God hears the prayers of His servants who delight to fear the name of God. Therefore, in order to receive answers to prayer, we also must fear the name of Jesus. If we do not have within us a heart that desires to fear the name of Jesus, our prayers will become prayers for our own desires (James 4:3), that is, “self-centered prayers,” and in the end God will not answer those prayers [see How to Pray]. God answers when we offer prayers that are centered on Jesus and desired by Jesus. Therefore, it is very important that we have a heart that desires to fear the name of Jesus. Truly, God hears the prayers of the servants of Christ (Galatians 1:10, 1 Corinthians 7:22-23) who delight to fear the name of Jesus, because through the answers to those prayers they will not become proud (Deuteronomy 32:15-19), but will give thanks and glory all the more to Jesus in the name of Jesus (1 Corinthians 15:10, Ephesians 5:20, 2 Thessalonians 1:12).

 

[On the day of God’s judgment, those who fear the name of God will be blessed.]

 

Malachi 4:1-3 "1For, behold, the day cometh, it burneth as a furnace; and all the proud, and all that work wickedness, shall be stubble; and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith Jehovah of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. 2But unto you that fear my name shall the sun of righteousness arise with healing in its wings; and ye shall go forth, and gambol as calves of the stall. 3And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I make, saith Jehovah of hosts."

 

In this passage, it says that those who will remain alive on the day of God’s judgment are also those who fear the name of God. From this word alone, we can clearly see how greatly God repays with grace those who fear His name. Through the words recorded below in Malachi 3 and Revelation 11, the word of God is also clear.

 

Malachi 3:16-18 "16Then they that feared Jehovah spake one with another; and Jehovah hearkened, and heard, and a book of remembrance was written before him, for them that feared Jehovah, and that thought upon his name. 17And they shall be mine, saith Jehovah of hosts, even mine own possession, in the day that I make; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him. 18Then shall ye return and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not."

 

Revelation 11:18 "And the nations were wroth, and thy wrath came, and the time of the dead to be judged, and the time to give their reward to thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and to them that fear thy name, the small and the great; and to destroy them that destroy the earth."

 

As the passages above testify, the proud and those who do evil, that is, those who do not fear God [Jeremiah 2:19], will surely perish, and those who fear the name of God will finally be blessed. Whether servants, prophets, or saints, both small and great, only those who fear the name of Jesus will receive a reward. Therefore, in order to receive not judgment but reward when Jesus comes, we all must fear the name of Jesus.

 

[Now we must pray according to the word below.]

 

Psalm 86:11 "Teach me thy way, O Jehovah; I will walk in thy truth: Unite my heart to fear thy name."

 

Because this passage says, “Unite my heart,” our heart must have only this one desire: to fear the name of Jesus. Our heart is easily divided into many things. That is why, through Proverbs 4:23, Scripture also says to keep thy heart with all diligence. This one heart that desires to fear only the name of Jesus — this heart is truly important for us. Therefore, for this, we must earnestly pray to Jesus in the name of Jesus.

 

What will happen if we do not fear the name of Jesus with one heart? Through the words of Deuteronomy 28 below, God has given us a lesson.

 

Deuteronomy 28:58-68 "58If thou wilt not observe to do all the words of this law that are written in this book, that thou mayest fear this glorious and fearful name, JEHOVAH THY GOD; 59then Jehovah will make thy plagues wonderful, and the plagues of thy seed, even great plagues, and of long continuance, and sore sicknesses, and of long continuance. 60And he will bring upon thee again all the diseases of Egypt, which thou wast afraid of; and they shall cleave unto thee. 61Also every sickness, and every plague, which is not written in the book of this law, them will Jehovah bring upon thee, until thou be destroyed. 62And ye shall be left few in number, whereas ye were as the stars of heaven for multitude; because thou didst not hearken unto the voice of Jehovah thy God. 63And it shall come to pass, that, as Jehovah rejoiced over you to do you good, and to multiply you, so Jehovah will rejoice over you to cause you to perish, and to destroy you; and ye shall be plucked from off the land whither thou goest in to possess it. 64And Jehovah will scatter thee among all peoples, from the one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth; and there thou shalt serve other gods, which thou hast not known, thou nor thy fathers, even wood and stone. 65And among these nations shalt thou find no ease, and there shall be no rest for the sole of thy foot: but Jehovah will give thee there a trembling heart, and failing of eyes, and pining of soul; 66and thy life shall hang in doubt before thee; and thou shalt fear night and day, and shalt have no assurance of thy life. 67In the morning thou shalt say, Would it were even! and at even thou shalt say, Would it were morning! for the fear of thy heart which thou shalt fear, and for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see. 68And Jehovah will bring thee into Egypt again with ships, by the way whereof I said unto thee, Thou shalt see it no more again: and there ye shall sell yourselves unto your enemies for bondmen and for bondwomen, and no man shall buy you."

 

In fact, even in this world, there are countless punishments that come from not keeping the law. They are so many that we cannot know them all, and some punishments are so severe that we do not even want to know about them. The reason we do not want to know about countless punishments in this way is that we expect them to have nothing to do with us. In the same way, although the words of Deuteronomy 28:58-68 above are solemn words that record the plagues that come from not fearing the name of God, we only need to fear the name of Jesus so that these words may have nothing to do with us. Now our faith should not be the faith of a child who obeys because he is afraid of punishment. Rather, like a mature person who can understand the heart of his parents, we should fear the name of Jesus with a glad heart and a willing spirit because of the grace and love that Jesus shows us, and because of the reward He will give us.

 

Psalm 102:15 "So the nations shall fear the name of Jehovah, And all the kings of the earth thy glory."

 

Amen! According to the word above, all nations and all the kings of the earth must now humble themselves, fear the name of God, and fear the glory of God. We must put away our former way of boasting in our own wisdom, might, and riches, and instead boast that by the grace of God we are what we are (1 Corinthians 15:10). This is because the reason we exist in this world is entirely for the glory of God (Isaiah 43:7, 1 Corinthians 10:31). Realizing this is very important for us. This is because only when we come to know that we exist for the glory of the name of God (Exodus 9:16) can we humble ourselves and fear the name of Jesus.

 

Ezekiel 36:21-23 "21But I had regard for my holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the nations, whither they went. 22Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: I do not this for your sake, O house of Israel, but for my holy name, which ye have profaned among the nations, whither ye went. 23And I will sanctify my great name, which hath been profaned among the nations, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the nations shall know that I am Jehovah, saith the Lord Jehovah, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes."

 

Matthew 6:9 "After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name."

 

2 Thessalonians 1:12 "That the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ."

 

As the lessons given in the passages above teach us, we must fear the name of Jesus before considering ourselves. For, as we have seen above, those who fear the name of Jesus will, in the end, be blessed...

 

Amen.