King Solomon’s Mines – Part 17

by | Mar 9, 2023 | 2013 | 0 comments

What is the theme, motto and key thought of the book of Proverbs? What is the very heart of our walk with God revealed to us in the book of Proverbs?

The Fear of the Lord.

If we condensed the whole book of Proverbs into one verse which would it be? Proverbs 1:7.  The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; but fools despise wisdom and instruction. Proverbs 9:10 says something similar: The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. The “fear of the Lord” is the most basic truth in the book of Proverbs. Unless we have the “fear of the Lord” we will not have any wisdom, knowledge or understanding.

What is the fear of the Lord?  It sounds like a contradiction. On the one hand God is love and yet we are told to fear him. Does that mean God is intimidating, scary and terrifying?  How can I have a relationship with someone I’m afraid of?

Reverence, respect, wonder

The first line of Proverbs 1:7 is a little difficult to understand, since fear is not part of what we usually think of when we think of God. The word translated “fear” in many versions of the Bible comes from the Hebrew word yirah which has a range of meaning. Sometimes it refers to the fear we feel in anticipation of some danger or pain, but it can also mean “awe” or “reverence.” So which translation of fear should we use in verse 7?  The context is important. The meaning of “fear” in this instance is suggested in the second verse: fools despise wisdom and instruction. The key word is “despise” which also means to hold in contempt and to hold as insignificant. It can also be used to describe someone who is quarrelsome, stubborn, proud and believes his way of thinking is right (Proverbs14:3;12:15). “It is a word of contempt and relational aloofness. It is the arrogance of being above instruction, too smart for it, too good for it, too busy for it.”1  C.S.Lewis describes this kind of attitude perfectly:

In God you come up against something which is in every respect immeasurably superior to yourself. Unless you know God as that – and, therefore, know yourself as nothing in comparison – you do not know God at all. As long as you are proud, you cannot know God.   A proud man is always looking down on things and people; and, of course, as long as you are looking down, you cannot see something that is above you.” 2

The fear of the Lord in this verse is not a cringing terror before the Lord as though God were an angry tyrant. The word “fear” here means “reverence” and “awe”. “Reverence” means intense respect, to give honour to. Unfortunately the word “awe” has been devalued today – anything, even if only mildly surprising, is called “awesome”. But “awe” is a beautiful Bible word. It includes the idea of wonder, amazement, mystery, astonishment, gratitude, admiration and even worship. It means to stand speechless. It is when you come upon something which you have never experienced before and do not have the immediate mental process nor words to explain.

Breathtaking

It reminds me of the feeling I experienced when I saw the Grand Canyon for the first time. Nothing could prepare me for the sense of awe as I saw something of the grandeur of God’s beauty laid out before me. “Grand” is an understatement. Adjectives like glorious, exalted, overwhelming, mesmerizing, spellbinding, awesome only begin to describe THE canyon. I was left speechless as I looked down from the rim to the mighty river flowing through the centre more than a kilometer below me. The beauty and vibrant colours of the rocks, and the wide variety of plant and animal life combined took my breath away. No part of the canyon is ever duplicated. Its colours, although many and complex at any instant, changed with the descending sun. I had never seen anything like this before. In a strange way I also felt a little afraid – because I felt so tiny and insignificant.

This is the type of awe that is contained in this word fear. But this awe is not only about God’s creation. Stand in awe of a being who is so completely comprehensively, supremely and totally sufficient; who always has been, is now and always will be so perfect. Everything about God should fill our minds with awe and supreme admiration and respect. Because of grace and mercy and his infinite and unconditional love for us, you and I have been included into the arms and heart of God. Isn’t it amazing that Jesus humbled himself and died for you and me and if you were the only person alive he would have still died for you? He is your personal saviour. He loves you not only because you are here, but also you are here because he loved you into existence. All of God’s creation is awesome yet you are the subject and focus of the conversation of the Trinity in scriptures like Psalm 8. As we frail, faulty humans look and ponder about these things there’s nothing we can do except to shout a holy “Wow!”

“I have seen the Lord”

St Augustine was an early Christian theologian who wrote much on the awesome wonders of God. One of his great works is entitled The City of God. On his deathbed, surrounded by his closest friends, he stopped breathing and a wonderful sense of peace filled the room.  Suddenly his eyes reopened, and with his face aglow he declared to those in the room, “I have seen the Lord.  All I have written is but straw.” Then he left for his eternal home.  

Proverbs1:7 and 9:10 also reveal to us that this fear of the Lord is the “beginning” of knowledge and wisdom. That means that wisdom and knowledge are solidly based on the fear of God. It is the necessary foundation for us to handle our daily lives – of everything we do and say. As a lake is formed and composed of an upstream spring’s supply (Proverbs 14:27), so too is the fear of the Lord the starting point. When you are in awe for and respect God for who he is, your wisdom and knowledge become wider and deeper. Without the fear of the Lord we deprive ourselves of the treasures of God’s wisdom and knowledge. It is like having an army without a general or a body without a head. I like the way the Message Bible translates verse 7: “Start with GOD—the first step in learning is bowing down to GOD”.  

In the classic children’s book The Wind in the Willows two of the main characters Rat and Mole go looking for the baby otter and stumble into the presence of God.

Suddenly the Mole felt a great Awe upon him, an awe that turned his muscles to water, bowed his head, and rooted his feet to the ground.  It was no panic terror – indeed, he felt wonderfully at peace and happy….
“Rat!: he found breath to whisper, shaking, “Are you afraid?”
“Afraid?” murmured the Rat, his eyes shining with unutterable love.
“Afraid! Of Him? O, never, never! And yet – and yet – O, Mole, I am afraid!”
Then the two animals, couching to the earth, bowed their heads and did worship.
If you would like to experience God with that humility, if you would like to have a fear of the Lord, the good news is that you can.  But don’t try and work it up.  Ask God to work this awe and reverence in you (Philippians 2:12-13). Pray for it daily. Meditate on the wonders of God. God and his creation are awesome. The fear of God is our reaction when we clearly see God for who he is and realise the vast difference that exists between us and God. He will take your breath away!  

1 I am indebted to Raymond Ortlund for this comment and other ideas from his book “Proverbs”.
2  C.S Lewis, Mere Christianity p.96

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