Wisdom Study Session 5: "Fear of the Lord" = Recognition of and Submission to God's Complete Authority

Respect for and acceptance of God’s awesome power and authority is the most basic, most essential, element of fearing God. We see it in the Hebrews’ response to God’s appearances and actions during the Exodus. Deuteronomy 5:24-29, Joshua 4:19-24. We also see it in Abraham’s and Job’s acceptance God’s authority to completely upend their lives. Genesis 22:1-12, Job 1. The Psalms connect fear of the Lord with being in awe of and submission to God. Psalm 22:23; 33:8-9; 76:7-12; Ps 128:1. This fundamental aspect of fearing God is also described in the wisdom books. Proverbs 1:20-30 and 24:21-22; Sirach 2:15-17.

Is this still applicable after Jesus came to us in humility, calling us to Himself with gentleness?  Absolutely.

Jesus himself tells us that we must continue to fear God’s awesome power. Matthew 10:28, Luke 12:5. The Apostles, those closest to Him, displayed and taught this, both before and after His resurrection/ascension. Luke 5:9-11, Matthew 28:16-17, Acts 9:3-7, Philippians 2:9-12, 1 Peter 5:6, Revelation 1:17-18. Others who encountered Jesus displayed it. Matthew 2:11-12, Mark 5:32-33, Luke 8:43-48. It continues right now in heaven. Revelation 14:7.

So how do we reconcile the continuing need to recognize and respect God’s truly awesome authority with Jesus’ loving and approachable nature?  Two sets of verses come to mind.

The first is Matthew 11:28-30:

Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (NASB)

The second is Luke 18:15-17:

And they were bringing even their babies to Him so He would touch them, but when the disciples saw it, they began rebuking them. 16 But Jesus called for them, saying, “Permit the children to come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 17 Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all.” (NASB).

In both, Jesus expressly invites us to approach him in close, intimate, ways. Indeed, in the Luke passage He acts to remove barriers to Him.

Yet in both, he demands recognition of and submission to His authority. The yoke and burden in the Matthew passage show that we must submit to His direction and do His work. See Sirach 6:23-31. And babies, the exemplar Jesus uses in the Luke passage, are subject to adults’ complete control. So although we can freely approach God through Jesus, we must still recognize and submit to His complete authority.

Consistent with that, Jesus stressed that we must actually live out what God commands. Matthew 7:21-27, Luke 6:46-49; Luke 8:19-21; Luke 11:27-28; John 13:17; John 14:15; John 14:21; John 14:23; John 15:10. His closest disciples also recognized that. See James 1:22-25; 2:3-5;  3:24;  5:3; 2 John 1:6.