The Fear of the Lord
I'm sure that just about everyone is familiar with the lyrics to a song by the music group 'MercyMe', "Surrounded by Your glory, what will my heart feel? Will I dance for You, Jesus, or in awe of You be still? Will I stand in Your presence, or to my knees will I fall? Will I sing hallelujah? Will I be able to speak at all? I can only imagine."
C.S. Lewis wrote of the paradox of the love and fear elicited by the presence of God. He wrote, "Perfect love, we know, casts out fear. But so do several other things - ignorance, alcohol, passion, presumption, and stupidity. It is very desirable that we should all advance to that perfection of love in which we shall fear no longer; but it is very undesirable, until we have reached that stage, that we should allow any inferior agent to cast out our fear."
We know that God is a loving God. God is a gracious God. When we come to a real understanding of what we deserve vs. what God has and is giving us - we praise him for His great mercy. But I think there's another aspect of God's character that we sometimes tend to neglect...
I. God is Holy
We use that term 'holy', we sing 'Holy, holy, holy' - but do we always take the time to think about what that truly means? 'Holy' is the chief word used to describe God's character, but the definition of 'holy' is actually kind of hard to pin down. In the Old Testament, the term meant, 'exalted or worthy of complete devotion as One perfect in goodness and righteousness,' 'whole, complete', but it also means 'a sacred place or thing, consecrated, dedicated, hallowed, set apart'.
But it's not like we can define it by comparison to something else because it's completely different; God is completely different from everything else we can know. The term 'Holy' is uniquely reserved for God and for those things that God defines as 'holy'. We throw the term around pretty loosely, 'holy cow', 'holy smoke' and many other more crass variations. But the term 'holy' is not something we should take lightly.
One of the first examples we see recorded regarding this term 'holy' is found in the story of Moses and the burning bush. When Moses saw this manifestation of God's power - he was instructed in Exodus 3:5 (NIV)...
"Do not come any closer," God said. "Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground."
When God was commanding Moses here - He wasn't being mean, it was actually a warning - a warning to not approach what is holy in an irreverent way. We learn from this that 'holy' is to be respected, given reverence; something to taken seriously. Now, in this account, Moses complied and even hid his face out of fear of God, out of fear of God's holiness. Moses respected the fact that God is Holy - and I want to understand, that in scripture, there were clear and serious results of...
A. Ignoring that fact
After Moses became the leader of the Israelites - we read that God then appointed Moses' brother Aaron and his sons to be set apart as priests to serve the people. God laid out a very detailed and specific plan for how He wanted things to be done, how the priests were to be dressed, how they were to prepare and offer sacrifices, everything just as God commanded. But then we find this passage in Leviticus 10:1-3 (NIV)
Aaron's sons Nadab and Abihu took their censers, put fire in them and added incense; and they offered unauthorized fire before the LORD, contrary to his command. (2) So fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed them, and they died before the LORD. (3) Moses then said to Aaron, "This is what the LORD spoke of when he said: 'Among those who approach me I will show myself holy; in the sight of all the people I will be honored.'" Aaron remained silent.
These two men died because they approached God in a way that did not honor Him. They disobeyed God, a Holy God, and as a result, God burned them up. That's pretty serious.
And we find another account where God's commands were not completely honored in 2 Samuel. God had commanded His people how they were to treat the Ark of the Covenant, exactly how it should be carried and that it should not be touched. And we find in 2 Samuel 6:5-7 (NIV)...
David and the whole house of Israel were celebrating with all their might before the LORD, with songs and with harps, lyres, tambourines, sistrums and cymbals. (6) When they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark of God, because the oxen stumbled. (7) The Lord's anger burned against Uzzah because of his irreverent act; therefore God struck him down and he died there beside the ark of God.
This man Uzzah touched the Ark, and God struck him dead. This man may even have been trying to help since the ox had stumbled - but God did not allow His 'holiness' to be ignored. God didn't tolerate disobedience for any reason or excuse.
Now, people could say, about both of these accounts - two men burned up, another struck dead - that's awful, horrific. Couldn't God have chosen to give them all 'second chances' to obey? Couldn't He have just given them warnings rather than killing them? God certainly appears to be pretty callous in these stories, almost mean and uncaring.
And I'm not going to pretend I fully understand why God chose to make His point about His holiness theway He did. From our perspective - it seems like God didn't care about these men's lives. But - and I really don't say this flippantly, ...but when a Holy God is disobeyed...
B. What do we expect?
Each of these men had seen God's incredible power firsthand. They had been warned - by God Himself - and they still approached God's holiness, against God's commands - they did not respect or revere God's Holy power. I am not saying they got what they deserved - not what I'm saying - but did they expect they could approach an all powerful, Holy God with a casual attitude, against His commands, and not have any consequences?
Most of us understand that electricity can be dangerous. I have a healthy fear of electricity. It's not that I avoid electricity or panic at the site of an outlet or light socket. However, if I had a couple of live, un-insulated high voltage power lines - if I asked you to hold one in each of your bare hands - would you feel comfortable doing that?
If I went ahead and did that - would I have a right to be surprised when I got electrocuted? Would I have a right to blame the electricity? If I don't approach high voltage the proper way, if I don't approach it with respect, with a healthy fear - of course, I will be hurt.
Now obviously, God is not some 'inanimate force' who couldn't control His power like electricity. He could have chosen to restrain His power. However, God specifically, repeatedly warned the men in the stories we just read of approaching His power, His glory, His holiness - and they disobeyed Him with tragic consequences. The Psalmist wrote... (Psalms 111:10 NIV)
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise.
Of course, the accounts we read were from the Old Testament, but the concept of God's fearful holiness also continues in the New Testament as well. The New Testament Greek word used comes from the idea of 'an awful, dreadful thing'. There's something many of us may have lost in our understanding of God. God is a gracious, merciful, loving God - but He is also Holy. I liked this quote I found...
"God is not to be coddled or possessed or used. He is to be feared - God is not safe. God is not manageable. His ways are not your ways, his thoughts not your thoughts. He does not follow your rationalizations. It is important to realize that fear means fear. Even though it is reverential fear and even though you also love and trust God, you can not remove the word 'fear' or the element of terror, trepidation, alarm, or dread. You cannot simply collapse fear into faith or love. Fear is a crucial element of the believer's personal response to the living God. Subtract fear from a Christian's response to God and what remains is a faithless Christian."
We don't always enjoy taking about 'fearing God'. But when you truly start to understand who the Creator of the Universe is, when you start to comprehend His Almighty power, His complete 'holiness' - you will understand this awe, this trepidation, this fear before God. Especially when you understand that...
II. God demands obedience
Now someone who doesn't know God might think this is a bit egomaniacal, arrogant even. Why would a 'loving God' create mankind and then expect them to fear Him? - It's not arrogant for God to expect us to fear Him - it's a gracious and loving warning. If we even attempted to look on God's face we would instantly die because of His immense power. Our bodies weren't designed to handle that kind of power. Personally, I'd want to be warned about something like that.
While some might reject a God who is all powerful and should be feared - I understand that a God small enough for me to not fear isn't big enough to save me from myself. It says this in 1 Peter 1:14-16 (NIV)
As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. (15) But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; (16) for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy."
God demands our obedience, but many times we try to 'tame' God. We develop this idea of a grandfatherly old gentlemen sitting on a cloud, the 'big guy upstairs', this non-threatening, loving God who watches over us and smiles. And when we disobey, He chuckles, wags His finger and says, 'Don't make me come down there!
That's not a Holy God. That's not an all powerful God. And honestly, worshipping a God like that seems pretty unimportant, even irrelevant. If our image of God seems 'nice' or 'safe'- have we become...
A. Too familiar?
Too familiar... with a holy God? Are you too familiar with who you think God is? And we see the consequences of a society that has become too familiar, a society that ignores God's Holiness and no longer fears Him. We have those who choose to mold God into who they want Him to be. We have those who choose to refer to God in the feminine - as she - despite the fact that God revealed Himself as 'God the Father'.
We have those who no longer fear God and ignore God's design when He created us male and female. They reject gender and sex as simply constructs of society and claim gender is a fluid choice. - And please don't see this as me, somehow pronouncing judgment - as if I have any authority. I'm simply pointing out truth, and warning, that this rejection of God's design is an offense to a Holy God.
And of course - it's easier to see this sort of 'familiarity', this lack of fear and respect in others' lives than it is in our own. - If I don't read God's Word on a regular basis, His Word revealed to us that instructs us on how to live, how to gain His favor and blessing, how to please Him and spend eternity with Him, rather than Hell - If I don't read God's Word - what does that say about my level of respect for God?
If I don't spend regular time with God in prayer - the privilege He has given us, to come to Him through His Son, Jesus - to take our burdens to Him, to ask for forgiveness, for strength - if I don't take the time to pray - what does that say about my love for God?
If I neglect worshiping God - either in person or online - what does that say about my respect for God's Church? If I know what God has asked or commanded - but I ignore it, or choose to directly disobey Him because I just don't feel like it and I'll just deal with the consequences - what does that say about my fear of God's Holiness?
If, as a nation, we reject God's values, we deny His authority, we govern in direct opposition to what God has said is sacred - what does that say about our fear of God's power? We've become too comfortable with sin - that which is in direct disobedience to God's Will. And there are always consequences to sin, personally and corporately.
Certainly God deals with sin today drastically differently than He did in the Old Testament. He doesn't usually send out 'consuming fire' or strike people dead for treating 'holy things' as common. But we serve the same God today who revealed Himself to His creation all the way back in the Genesis account. God deals with sin differently, but do we really think He feels any differently about it? What He once killed over - is He now 'cool with it'?
God never wanted His creation to be separated from His perfect Holiness because of sin - because of disobedience. And that's why He came in the person of Jesus...
B. God's solution
We've all probably talked to people who have joked about not coming to Church because they think the roof might cave in on them. Now that might have been a valid excuse back in the Old Testament - but everything changed with Jesus. Before Jesus, we would have had to have been perfect to even think about approaching God's Holiness and power. But... (Ephesians 3:12 NIV)
In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.
Somehow, God took all of His holiness, His perfection, His complete power and managed to squeeze it all into flesh. God became man! God did the impossible! He took what was holy, and through the power of Christ made it possible to cover over our sin, to cover our imperfection. So now, God's Holy power - rather than destroying us and burning us up - now Jesus not only allows us to be in God's presence, but even to have God's power live in us - God's Holy Spirit. The writer of Hebrews says... (Hebrews 10:19-22 NIV)
Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, (20) by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, (21) and since we have a great priest over the house of God, (22) let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.
What was once impossible - to have this personal relationship with a holy God - is now possible, but only through Jesus. We should never take sin lightly, but now we don't have to be condemned by that sin - we don't have to suffer under the weight of the guilt of sin! Somehow, by the power of Jesus' holiness, He shields us from the power of God's holy perfection so that we can enter into God's Holy presence. We read this last verse just last week... (John 14:6 NIV)
Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
So What?
Don't take for granted the privilege we enjoy, of coming into God's presence through Jesus. Don't grow too casual about God's holiness. Don't forget to honor, respect and fear God in your life this week. Don't take the grace we have through Jesus and use it as an excuse to neglect our obedience to God and the job we have of sharing His love with someone else.
Perhaps the best way of not getting too familiar with God's Holiness is to get more familiar with Jesus - this week - read your Bible, pray and talk to someone about Jesus.