“THE FEAR OF THE LORD”

How this plea is needed today, when a flimsy, weak, and insipid view of God is entertained by so many churchmen; a day when the Lord God of heaven is compared to a mortal man, when His ways are conceived as such that can be apprehended by the finite mind, and exhausted by the learned of this world.”

David knew the Lord, and therefore sought Him to perform a work upon his heart which would find it united in fearing the Lord. It is as though David had cried: “Bring my whole heart into unison, that it may be wholly fixed on Thee.” He is seeking for a proper inclination of the heart, which is so bent away from God as to require a Sovereign act of God to correct and unite it in the proper direction. This is not merely an intellectual or emotional fear, but a soul-fear; a fear that is rooted in the heart because of an acquaintance with the Lord and His ways; a fear that comes out of love. Oh, to be able to say: “My heart is fixed, my heart is fixed.” (Psa. 57:7; 108:1; 112:7) We have before us a prayer against the distraction and division of the heart.”

This “fear” of which David speaks is not the sort of fear that is cast out by “perfect love.” It is true that there are some men today who pretend to explain the depth of love by saying it will take away the fear of the Lord — but this is not at all the case. John the Beloved speaks of that “perfect love,” and does not at all associate it with the personal fear we have for our Lord. He refers the matter of fear, in the passage just quoted from, to the subject of the judgment, and shame that shall be eminent there if we have not lived becomingly of our profession in Christ Jesus; “Herein is love made perfect, THAT WE MAY HAVE BOLDNESS IN THE DAY OF JUDGMENT: because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth our fear, because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.” (I John 4:17-18) That “perfect love” for the Father, that is “shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us” (Rom. 5:5), will remove from our hearts the fear of shame and reproach before the “judgment seat of Christ,” before which we must “all appear” (2 Cor. 5:10)”

When, therefore, we speak of uniting the heart to fear the Lord, we are not speaking of that fear which “hath torment”; nor of that fear which causes us to be in great consternation concerning the outcome of judgment. We are rather speaking of that wholesome fear which moves the heart of man to stand in awe, and “sin not” (Psa. 4:4); which forbids the heart to wallow in the lusts of the flesh because there is a very real cognizance of the wrath of God “which is revealed against all unrighteousness.” (Rom. 1:18) This is elsewhere referred to as “godly fear” (Heb. 12:28), and is certainly not to be considered apart from “fear and trembling,” a most necessary facet of demonstrable salvation. (Phil. 2:12-13) It was evidenced in the heart of Moses, when he stood before the Lord and said himself of that occasion: “I exceedingly fear and quake.” (Heb. 12:21) While we [perhaps] have not come unto such a physical demonstration of God as to cause the flesh to tremble, we have most assuredly been given to see, through the revelation of God, enough of our Lord to show what a sharp contrast there is between Him and us — and that is sufficient to induce “godly fear” within the heart of God’s child. Do not be alarmed if such be the case with you. Our Lord Jesus Christ Himself possessed this fear while He journeyed in this world. It is said of Him: “Who in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto Him that was able to save Him from death, and was heard IN THAT HE FEARED. (Heb. 5:7) Blessed experience, then, is this for us, that we may so “have the mind of Christ” on this matter of fearing God!”

God has enjoined this fear upon His people; and thus it is not to be considered as a light thing. If you do not possess a satisfactory measure of it (and one certainly ought to fear and quake if he thinks he does not), then you are to pray and fellowship with David in His request for a united heart to fear the name of the Lord. See how strongly the Lord speaks on this matter: “FEAR GOD…” (1 Peter 2:17); “… let us perfect holiness in the FEAR OF GOD …” (2 Cor. 7:1); “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 body and soul in hell” (Matt. 10:28); “O, FEAR THE LORD, ye His saints” (Psa. 34:9); “… Be not highminded, BUT FEAR” (Rom. 11:20); “Let us therefore FEAR …” (Heb. 4:1) Ought not these to stimulate the heart, and jar it from its complacency to see the necessity of fearing the Lord. Oh, that men and women might be stirred up within to beseech the Lord for a godly fear to so grip their heart as to cause them to “tremble at His Word.” (Isa. 66:2) … We are men, subordinate to God, in His hands, subject to His will, ruled by His providence and Sovereignty! That, once seen, will cause the fear of the Lord to be more of a reality in your heart. The reason men have little fear for God is simply because they have seen little of Him, and “where there is no vision, the people perish.” (Prov. 29:18)”

God has stated that certain privileges and benefits belong to those that fear Him, and an understanding of them will most assuredly bring rejoicing to that soul buffeted by Satan with doubt. Hear the Word of the Lord; “… yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before Him.” How surely do you know that? Has not Satan tried to turn you from this truth. Put him to flight! Resist him with this truth of the Holy Spirit! It shall “surely” be well with those that fear the Lord! Lay hold of that, and treasure the fear the Lord has given you for Himself! Is it not said of the Lord that the “fear of the Lord shall be his treasure” (Isa. 33:6) —and is it not so? What a blessed thing to possess that spiritual commodity which guarantees that all shall go well with you! What have you to fear under such circumstances? God speaks to those that fear Him in these words: “… who art thou that shouldest be afraid of man that shall die, and of the son of man which shall be made as grass.” (Isa. 51:12) Aye, let the Lord be your “dread and your fear.” (Isa. 8:13)”

Hear the Lord, now, as He speaks concerning those that fear Him: “The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him, and He will show them His covenant.” (Psa. 34:7) Hallelujah! There is a truth that warms the heart and soothes the soul weary with wrestling against spiritual powers! God leaves His secret in the hearts and consciences of those that fear Him; i.e. He communicates to them the blessed “mystery of the faith,” and gives them that sweet communion with Himself that none know save those to whom it is revealed. That “secret” is actually the communion of the Holy Ghost (2 Cor. 13: 14) ; it is that blessed and intimate relationship with Deity wherein is communicated to the heart of the believer the magnitude and loveliness of the Lord. Oh, how precious is this, to know Him “whom to know is life.” (John 17:3) This is the real opening of the covenant — that covenant of which is it said: “I will put my laws in their minds, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people: and they shall not teach every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord, for they shall all know me, from the least to the greatest. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.” (Heb. 8:10-12) Now, God reveals the depth and breadth of that most precious covenant to those that fear Him, i. e., He reveals His own work toward His own people — blessed thought! Has the covenant been revealed to you? Or do you spend time searching after it meaning in the labyrinth of theology and systematic analysis?”

Now, the Lord honors those that fear Him. They are the “apple of His eye,” and He guards them with great jealousy. None may harm or get through to His people except they be given permission from the Lord Himself (as was the case with Satan’s assault against Job). It is witnessed by the Holy Ghost that “the angel of the Lord encamps about him that fears His name, and delivereth him.” Now, that is personal, praise God! The angel of the Lord pitches camp about “him” — not “them”! I need personal protection, because Satan engages in personal assaults. How is it that the Lord so blesses those that fear Him? It is because He honors His own work; for the fear of the Lord is the work of the Lord. Did He not say, “I WILL PUT MY FEAR INTO THEIR HEARTS, and they shall not depart from me.” To these God makes Himself a “refuge” and thus secures them safely from the overthrow of that “prince of the power of the air,” who viciously stalks about as “a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” (1 Peter 5:8)”

In the fear of the Lord, therefore, “there is confidence,” as testified that wise Solomon. Those that fear the Lord God in truth have access to great promises, and they are urged by the Spirit of truth to live in cognizance of them. If you feel as though you are weak, without strength, and unable to meet the grievous situations that confront you, then here is a promise for you: “Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear Him. For He knows our frame; He remembereth that we are but dust.” (Psa. 103:13-14) This is not meant to pacify the sinner in his sin, nor it it to be considered a means for alleviating the disgust that comes within one’s own soul because of unwilling inconsistencies. (Rom. 7:14-25) Rather, this is meant to comfort the hearts of those that have come to realize to a significant measure the frailty of man; how that he is in truth the son of a worm, and thoroughly incapable of grappling with the situation of life within his own strength. He has been given to see that without Jesus he can “do nothing” (John 15:5); that of himself he is impotent concerning “well doing.””

The theology of our day appears to look down upon the person that entertains a genuine and trembling fear of God, thinking that he is “unlearned,” and basically ignorant of those higher principles of the Christian life (as they are wont to call them) which relieve the heart of such juvenile fear. But, how different does the Lord speak, “The fear of the Lord, THAT IS WISDOM.” (Job 28:28) The truth, then, is that a person is not truly wise (i.e., adept in the exercise of spiritual gifts, and the appropriation of the divine blessing) until he has been found within that sphere of “godly fear.” (Heb. 12:28) The “fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” (Psa. 111:10) One may not hope to properly handle the truth or the administration of “sound doctrine” until he has been brought to fear the Lord, and to “tremble at His word.””

We live in a day of pseudo-intellectuality; a day when rudimentary knowledge is inflated with pride, and paraded before the simple as great knowledge. The apprehension of knowledge is considered vital in our schools, and thus efforts are endlessly being expended to make students, and people in general, knowledgeable as they have never been before. But what has been the end of all this? Basically people are ignorant. Foolishness and ignorance is flaunted before our faces on every hand.”

People of all ages are found engaging in actions, words, and thoughts, that are confessedly meaningless and without real significance. Why? There is no fear of God before their eyes. This is the beginning point of knowledge; fearing the Lord God of heaven and earth. This is His earth; His by right of creation, by right of maintenance, by right of providence! Men who would dare to claim it for their own are usurpers in every sense of the word, and they shall not go unpunished. If we are to properly know of things relative to this domain, then we must first come to fear the Ruler of this domain.”

That wise man Solomon, endowed with the special gift of discernment and wisdom from the Lord, observed : “The fear of the Lord is CLEAN …” (Prov. 19:9) What can this mean, but that in “godly fear” there is nothing that can contaminate; nothing that may defile a spirit; nothing that may render one unfit to stand before the presence of the Lord with “exceeding joy.” (Jude 24) There are fears that will “spot” the soul, namely “the fear of man,” which is appropriately termed “a snare.” (Prov. 29:25) But, rather than ensnaring, the “fear of the Lord” liberates; it truly “tendeth to life,” (Prov. 14:27) and has nought within it that will darken or color your relationship to the Lord! It is, within the saint, as a cleansing stream that, flowing through the soul, purifies and sanctifies it unto the Lord. Its purity is seen in the fact that “the fear of the Lord is to depart from evil.” (Prov. 8:13) This heavenly sent fear mixes with evil like oil with water; it is an admixture, and immediately repels any evil or wickedness that comes its way. It is the spiritual wax of the soul, and refuses to have the dirtied water of iniquity (Job 15:16) mingle themselves with its lustrous finish! Praise the Lord for this “clean” fear of the Lord, so precious is it to the believer.”

(The Word of Truth)”

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