The Fear of the Lord

The biblical word for Fear  (H3374). appears 45 times and most all these times is referring to the fear of the Lord. This is not the same word as, I "FEAR" that bear or I "FEAR" death etc...

The fear H3374 of the Lord. By definition is...
Fear, terror, awesome or terrifying thing.
Fear (of God) respect, reverence, piety. 

Piety: 1. Reverence to God or devout fulfillment of religious obligation. 

So then... what are our religious obligations?

Psalm 111:7-10
The works of his hands are verity and judgment; all his commandments are sure.
They stand fast for ever and ever, and are done in truth and uprightness.
He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant for ever: holy and reverend is his name.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.

Psalm 112:1
Praise ye the Lord. Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, that delighteth greatly in his commandments.

All His commandments are sure for ever and ever. (So are they done away with?) It also says the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom... the beginning mind you, not the completion of fulfillment. So if the fear of the Lord requires that we devoutly fulfill our religious obligations... How many truly fear the Lord?



Ecclesiastes 12:13
Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

The age old question... "What is the meaning of life?


Deut. 10:12-13
And now, Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul,
To keep the commandments of the Lord, and his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good?

 Deut. 6:2
Now these are the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments, which the Lord your God commanded to teach you, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go to possess it:
That thou mightest fear the Lord thy God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son's son, all the days of thy life; and that thy days may be prolonged.
Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as the Lord God of thy fathers hath promised thee, in the land that floweth with milk and honey. 

Mic. 6:8
Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?



The fear of the Lord also requires that we "Walk humbly (or meekly) with our God

The hebrew word for Meek/humble  (H6035)  By definition is poor, humble, afflicted, meek, humble, lowly.  Commonly with the added notion of a lowly, pious,(note the presence of piety once more) and modest mind, which prefers to bear injuries rather than return them.

Just to restate... "Which prefers to BEAR an injury rather than return.

Num. 12:3 in speaking of Moses it uses H6035 twice, side by side. Denoting an exclamatory statement.

Moses was wrongly spoken against by Arron and Miriam and would have been well within his rights to defend himself... however he said nothing.  This is where it calls him, "The humblest of all men." (Quite a standard to set!) 

We see Moses was in the right because God, then calls Arron and Miriam out to the tabernacle and rebukes them for their behavior.  


Looking at Moses, most of what the bible tells us of him is him trying to make sure all Israel was keeping the commandments/covenant.

Mathew 5:5 "Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth." 
         Inherit G2816 is to acquire by lot, obtain or receive as a possession.
          Earth G1093 is simply earth or ground but it also says, by way of eminence the Chosen Land. (Israel)

Considering Moses was to lead Israel to inherit the promise land I find that very interesting.

Also noteworthy is Psalm 25:9 " The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way."

Now... lets talk motives? Why do we keep the law? Because it gains us salvation? Of course not. Salvation comes by grace through faith.

See James 2:14-26

Verse 20 says, "But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?" 
So in order to remain under grace we must maintain a living faith through works. Faith caries the the idea of ascent to the covenant. (The works that must follow to keep it alive)


So we can conclude that we should keep the law not only out of fear of punishment, love for God, duty, etc... But to remain under grace and have a living faith. Also to obtain the fear of the Lord and the beginning of wisdom and to fullfil our religious obligations and duty to Him. Not to look good, seem holly, or "buy" our way into heaven. That is the wrong motive.

We can keep the letter of the law. (Honor our parents verbally and socially etc...) But if we harbor malice in our heart towards them we have missed the spirit of the law and our efforts are meaningless.  If we keep the letter and not the spirit we are not truly keeping anything at all.

So to fear the Lord is to obey His word and his commandments with meekness, rather taking harm dealt instead dealing harm out.