Since I don’t have the time right now to do a systematic exegetical exploration into the Bible’s treatment of the fear of the Lord (which is what I would like to do), what I think I’ll do in the meantime is to point out passages from my devotions that touch on this subject. I’ll just briefly comment on what each passage seems to emphasize in particular.

Job 28

In this chapter, Job compares the search for wisdom with the way mankind is able to uncover and dig up every other kind of treasure. But he says that wisdom cannot be found in this way. He concludes that it is only God himself, who made and knows all things that is able to uncover the source of wisdom.

Verses 23-28 read:

23 “God understands the way to it,
and he knows its place.
24 For he looks to the ends of the earth
and sees everything under the heavens.
25 When he gave to the wind its weight
and apportioned the waters by measure,
26 when he made a decree for the rain
and a way for the lightning of the thunder,
27 then he saw it and declared it;
he established it, and searched it out.
28 And he said to man,
‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom,
and to turn away from evil is understanding.’”

Here, as in many places in the Scriptures, the fear of the Lord is equated with wisdom and also contrasted with its opposite - evil. Notice that this passage points out that this wisdom, which is found in the fear of the Lord, can only be obtained directly from Him, and not through the usual methods of human inquiry. Specifically, it is found in what he says to man.

Isaiah 50

This chapter continues the description of the Servant of the LORD, who will deliver Israel. The servant is speaking, comparing the sufferings that he endures from his enemies with the power and sovereignty of the YHWH, who has determined to redeem His people.

In verse 10 he says,

Who among you fears the Lord
and obeys the voice of his servant?
Let him who walks in darkness
and has no light
trust in the name of the Lord
and rely on his God.

This passage describes the fear of the Lord as trust and obedience in the face of other threats and dangers. It is not merely a fear that God will punish you if you are disobedient, rather it is itself the trust and reliance upon God that comes from a knowledge of his power, sovereignty, and love for his people.

Verse 11 contrasts this fear of the Lord with those who trust in their own devices and wisdom:

Behold, all you who kindle a fire,
who equip yourselves with burning torches!
Walk by the light of your fire,
and by the torches that you have kindled!
This you have from my hand:
you shall lie down in torment.

Finally, an illustration of fear as it is described in the Bible occurred to me the other day. It comes from the M. Night Shyamalan movie Unbreakable. The main character has just figured out that he possesses superhuman strength and is testing it out by doing some bench presses in his basement. His young son is watching him as he adds more and more weight to the bar. The only youtube clip I could find is really bad quality, but I think it still gets the point across. Watch the expression on the boy’s face as he starts to see just how powerful his father is, and watch how he backs away from him a little bit.

src=”http://img.youtube.com/vi/6dKqDevrFF4/0.jpg” alt=”YouTube Preview Image” />

From the rest of the movie it is clear that he is very close to his father. But what he sees puts a proper fear of his father in him, such that he is not afraid of other things in the world. This is the kind of fear that the Bible talks about.

Other posts of the series

1. The Fear of the LORD in Job -
2. Quotes from "The Fear of God" by John Murray -
3. Fear-of-the-LORD exemplified in 2 Chronicles 20:1-12 -
4. Fear -
5. Fear -
6. Fear -
7. Fear -
8. Fear (This post)
9. Fear -
10. Fear -