Grades K-4 Ask…(4)

What does it mean when it says

I will try to answer these two questions together because they have a lot to do with each other.

The word terrible in Psalm 47 means “fearful.” In other words, the Bible is saying that we must “fear” the Lord for He is “fearful.”

There are two different ways we can fear the Lord. One way is like a slave. As you probably know, long ago people used to own slaves who helped them on farms. Many slaves didn’t love their owners, but did their work only because they were afraid of being punished if they didn’t do what the slave-owner said they had to do. I hope, boys and girls, that you do not act this way very often towards your Mom and Dad, but are ready to help your parents when they ask you. But if you do something naughty, and you are more afraid that your Dad might spank you than you are sad because you have hurt him, we call this “slavish” fear.

When the Bible says here that “the Lord is terrible,” David is talking especially about how God acts to His enemies. His enemies are people who don’t like the Lord and only have a slavish fear of Him. That’s the way we all are by nature, boys and girls. We don’t love the Lord as we should, do we?

But the Lord can give us new hearts and make us love Him. Then we still “fear” the Lord, but in a very different way. Then we “fear” the Lord not so much because of “slavish” fear, but because of “childlike” fear. You see, you can be afraid of your Dad or Mom when you are naughty, but you can also have a childlike fear for them. This means that you respect and love them, and want to please them. It means that you desire to obey them because God wants to use your Dad and Mom to teach you many things. God wants your Dad and Mom to teach you about true religion in the Bible and how you need a new heart. He also wants them to help you grow up, and show you what you may do and may not do. So you come to fear your parents as a boy or girl should. This is a little bit of what I mean when I say childlike fear.

But let me give you an example. Say your Mother tells you to pick up your toys twice in one day, but you forget. Later your Dad tells you, but you get busy with something else. Of course, you are doing wrong. But when your Dad or Mom become upset with you for not picking up your toys, you might feel hurt and upset, too. If you are upset only because you are afraid of a spanking, that is what we call slavish fear. Everybody who has a conscience that speaks has that kind of fear for God. But if you are upset because you are sad you have hurt your Mom or Dad whom you love so much, this is a deeper kind of fear which we call childlike fear.

When we receive a new heart, we may still have some slavish fear for God, for God is “fearful” and He hates sin. But most of all we will have childlike fear because we love God and want to please Him.

Dear boys and girls, do you have childlike fear towards your parents and towards God? To have childlike fear means to value the “smiles and frowns” of God more than the “smiles and frowns” of other people. Ask your Dad or Mom to explain this to you.

And please pray every day: “Lord, help me to have a childlike fear for Thee, for Thou art a great God who dost hate sin with a terrible hatred, but Thou also art a great God to help those who fear Thee in love.”

Why did Jesus have to get baptized?

Not because He Himself sinned. Yet it is true that baptism has to do with a need for having sins washed away. The answer to this question is that Jesus got baptized for the sake of His people. He had to bear their sins and take their place as guilty sinners before God (2 Cor. 5:21).

Jesus’ baptism is just one more way the Bible teaches that Jesus is a perfect and complete Savior for His people. It shows how He obeys the law and bears the punishment of sin for His people. And only in this way can God not be angry with His people, who are all sinners in themselves.

Oh, boys and girls, I hope that you too may need and find such a rich Savior for such a poor sinner as each of us is! Bring all your sins to God and ask God to wash you clean, to baptize you with the water of His Spirit in the Lord Jesus Christ who was baptized for all His people.

What does “omnipotent” mean?

Omnipotent comes from two words: omni, which means “everywhere,” and potent, which means “powerful.” So omnipotent means to be “everywhere-powerful,” that is, all powerful, almighty.

Only God is omnipotent. Some people may be powerful. Angels may even be more powerful. We know that Satan is more powerful than we are. But no one is all-powerful except God.

Dear boys and girls, I hope this is or becomes a wonderful comfort for you. It is comforting for God’s people. Do you know why? Because it means that everything is in God’s hand. Our own hearts, other people, sin and Satan can all be powerful enemies, but the Lord rules everything. Oh, what a precious truth that the Lord is in control!

Last month I heard a minister read a Bible chapter. Before he read it, he said, “This chapter, Psalm 99, was John Calvin’s favorite chapter in the whole Bible.” After he read the first three words of the chapter — “The LORD reigneth” — he stopped and said, “You know, if God’s people and servants could believe this more often, it would save them so many problems and worries.”

Dear children, the LORD reigns. That means, He rules. He is omnipotent, almighty. He is almighty also to help you with any problems you have. Bring all your cares to the Lord. Ask the Almighty God to help you in everything you do and everywhere you go—at home, at school, and at church.

Forward questions intended for this department to: Rev. J.R. Beeke, 2115 Romence St. N.E., Grand Rapids, Ml 49503. Questions will be published anonymously.

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