Fear God: Part 1

Who fears God?

“A wise man feareth, and departeth from evil: but the fool rageth [OT 5674 abar – transgress], and is
confident.” (Proverbs 14:16).

 A wise man.
 Through fearing God, the wise man departs from evil. “6 By mercy and truth iniquity is
purged: and by the fear of the Lord men depart from evil.” (Proverbs 16:6).
Therefore, “The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom; and before honour is humility.”
(Proverbs 15:33). Meanwhile “fools make a mock [OT 3887 luwts - scoff, deride] at sin” (Proverbs 14:
9) for “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.” (Ps 14:3). “23 It is as sport to a fool to do
mischief: but a man of understanding hath wisdom.” (Proverbs 10:23). Fools are therefore evil men
“12…that speaketh froward things; 13 Who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of
darkness; 14 Who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the frowardness of the wicked; 15 Whose ways are
crooked, and they froward in their paths.” (Proverbs 2:12-15). The fool is therefore the opposite of a
wise man and says clearly that “He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely,
he shall be delivered.” (Prov 28:26). But the wise man trusts in the Lord. By trusting God the wise
man walks in God’s specified ways.

What were the specifications of the charges of God’s covenant with ancient Israel?

“35…the LORD had made a covenant, and charged them, saying, Ye shall not fear other gods, nor
bow yourselves to them, nor serve them, nor sacrifice to them: 36 But the LORD, who brought you
up out of the land of Egypt with great power and a stretched out arm, him shall ye fear, and him
shall ye worship, and to him shall ye do sacrifice. 37 And the statutes, and the ordinances, and the
law, and the commandment, which he wrote for you, ye shall observe to do for evermore; and ye
shall not fear other gods. 38 And the covenant that I have made with you ye shall not forget; neither
shall ye fear other gods. 39 But the LORD your God ye shall fear; and he shall deliver you out of the
hand of all your enemies.” (2 Kings 17: 35-39). Thus ancient Israel had been charged with only
fearing God and none other gods. The injunction to fear God was to them an injunction ‘not to fear
other gods’. This meant ancient Israel was to

 Bow only before the true one God

 Serve only this one true God
 To sacrifice to the one true God
 Worship the only one true God, their deliverer
 Do always God’s law, commandments, statutes and judgments.
 Not copy the other nations in the way they worshipped their gods.