{"id":44938,"date":"2020-10-31T21:18:40","date_gmt":"2020-10-31T18:18:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wingulamashahidi.org\/?p=44938"},"modified":"2025-05-08T23:03:03","modified_gmt":"2025-05-08T20:03:03","slug":"what-is-the-fear-of-the-lord-ephesians-521-2-samuel-233","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wingulamashahidi.org\/en\/2020\/10\/31\/what-is-the-fear-of-the-lord-ephesians-521-2-samuel-233\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is the Fear of the Lord? (Ephesians 5:21; 2 Samuel 23:3)"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The <\/span>term <\/span>“<\/span>fear”<\/span><\/strong> in <\/span>Scripture <\/span>often <\/span>refers <\/span>not <\/span>simply <\/span>to <\/span>being <\/span>afraid, <\/span>but <\/span>to <\/span>a <\/span>deep <\/span>reverence, <\/span>awe, <\/span>and <\/span>respect<\/span><\/strong> for <\/span>God’s <\/span>holiness, <\/span>power, <\/span>and <\/span>authority. <\/span>This <\/span>is <\/span>especially <\/span>true <\/span>when <\/span>we <\/span>encounter <\/span>phrases <\/span>like <\/span>“<\/span>the <\/span>fear <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>Lord”<\/span><\/strong>\u2014<\/span>it <\/span>signifies <\/span>a <\/span>heart <\/span>posture <\/span>that <\/span>acknowledges <\/span>who <\/span>God <\/span>truly <\/span>is <\/span>and <\/span>responds <\/span>with <\/span>humility, <\/span>obedience, <\/span>and <\/span>worship.<\/span><\/p>\n

Let\u2019s <\/span>explore <\/span>what <\/span>this <\/span>means <\/span>using <\/span>several <\/span>passages <\/span>from <\/span>the <\/span>Bible.<\/span><\/p>\n

1. <\/span>Ephesians <\/span>5:<\/span>21 (<\/span>NIV)<\/span><\/strong><\/h4>\n
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“<\/span>Submit <\/span>to <\/span>one <\/span>another <\/span>out <\/span>of <\/span>reverence <\/span>for <\/span>Christ.”<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Here, <\/span>the <\/span>Apostle <\/span>Paul <\/span>calls <\/span>believers <\/span>to <\/span>mutual <\/span>submission\u2014<\/span>not <\/span>from <\/span>compulsion, <\/span>but <\/span>from <\/span>a <\/span>shared <\/span>fear (<\/span>or <\/span>reverence)<\/span><\/strong> for <\/span>Christ. <\/span>This <\/span>fear <\/span>isn\u2019t <\/span>terror, <\/span>but <\/span>rather <\/span>awe <\/span>of <\/span>Christ’s <\/span>lordship <\/span>that <\/span>leads <\/span>us <\/span>to <\/span>treat <\/span>others <\/span>with <\/span>respect <\/span>and <\/span>humility.<\/span><\/p>\n

2. <\/span>2 <\/span>Samuel <\/span>23:<\/span>3 (<\/span>NIV)<\/span><\/strong><\/h4>\n
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“<\/span>The <\/span>God <\/span>of <\/span>Israel <\/span>spoke, <\/span>the <\/span>Rock <\/span>of <\/span>Israel <\/span>said <\/span>to <\/span>me: \u2018<\/span>When <\/span>one <\/span>rules <\/span>over <\/span>people <\/span>in <\/span>righteousness, <\/span>when <\/span>he <\/span>rules <\/span>in <\/span>the <\/span>fear <\/span>of <\/span>God…\u2019\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

In <\/span>this <\/span>verse, <\/span>the “<\/span>fear <\/span>of <\/span>God” <\/span>is <\/span>presented <\/span>as <\/span>a <\/span>necessary <\/span>quality <\/span>for <\/span>righteous <\/span>leadership. <\/span>It <\/span>implies <\/span>governing <\/span>with <\/span>integrity, <\/span>justice, <\/span>and <\/span>a <\/span>constant <\/span>awareness <\/span>of <\/span>being <\/span>accountable <\/span>to <\/span>God.<\/span><\/p>\n

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The <\/span>Fear <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>Lord <\/span>in <\/span>the <\/span>Early <\/span>Church<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n

Acts <\/span>9:<\/span>31 (<\/span>NIV)<\/span><\/strong><\/h4>\n
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“<\/span>Then <\/span>the <\/span>church <\/span>throughout <\/span>Judea, <\/span>Galilee <\/span>and <\/span>Samaria <\/span>enjoyed <\/span>a <\/span>time <\/span>of <\/span>peace <\/span>and <\/span>was <\/span>strengthened. <\/span>Living <\/span>in <\/span>the <\/span>fear <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>Lord <\/span>and <\/span>encouraged <\/span>by <\/span>the <\/span>Holy <\/span>Spirit, <\/span>it <\/span>increased <\/span>in <\/span>numbers.”<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The <\/span>early <\/span>Church <\/span>thrived <\/span>spiritually <\/span>and <\/span>numerically <\/span>as <\/span>believers <\/span>lived <\/span>in <\/span>the <\/span>fear <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>Lord<\/span><\/strong>. <\/span>Their <\/span>reverence <\/span>for <\/span>God <\/span>fostered <\/span>unity, <\/span>obedience, <\/span>and <\/span>spiritual <\/span>growth, <\/span>all <\/span>while <\/span>being <\/span>empowered <\/span>by <\/span>the <\/span>Holy <\/span>Spirit.<\/span><\/p>\n

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The <\/span>Fear <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>Lord <\/span>Brings <\/span>Worship <\/span>and <\/span>Obedience<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n

Hebrews <\/span>12:<\/span>28 (<\/span>NIV)<\/span><\/strong><\/h4>\n
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“<\/span>Therefore, <\/span>since <\/span>we <\/span>are <\/span>receiving <\/span>a <\/span>kingdom <\/span>that <\/span>cannot <\/span>be <\/span>shaken, <\/span>let <\/span>us <\/span>be <\/span>thankful, <\/span>and <\/span>so <\/span>worship <\/span>God <\/span>acceptably <\/span>with <\/span>reverence <\/span>and <\/span>awe.”<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Here, \u201c<\/span>reverence <\/span>and <\/span>awe\u201d <\/span>are <\/span>equivalent <\/span>to <\/span>the <\/span>fear <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>Lord. <\/span>Our <\/span>worship <\/span>should <\/span>not <\/span>be <\/span>casual <\/span>or <\/span>thoughtless, <\/span>but <\/span>should <\/span>stem <\/span>from <\/span>gratitude <\/span>and <\/span>recognition <\/span>of <\/span>God’s <\/span>unshakable <\/span>majesty.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Fear <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>Lord <\/span>Prevents <\/span>Sin<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n

Without <\/span>the <\/span>fear <\/span>of <\/span>God <\/span>in <\/span>our <\/span>hearts, <\/span>we <\/span>become <\/span>prone <\/span>to <\/span>sin\u2014<\/span>whether <\/span>lying, <\/span>stealing, <\/span>sexual <\/span>immorality, <\/span>or <\/span>worse. <\/span>A <\/span>person <\/span>who <\/span>does <\/span>not <\/span>fear <\/span>God <\/span>will <\/span>live <\/span>without <\/span>boundaries. <\/span>But <\/span>when <\/span>the <\/span>fear <\/span>of <\/span>God <\/span>dwells <\/span>within <\/span>us, <\/span>we <\/span>are <\/span>cautious <\/span>not <\/span>to <\/span>displease <\/span>Him, <\/span>knowing <\/span>He <\/span>is <\/span>a <\/span>righteous <\/span>judge <\/span>who <\/span>sees <\/span>all <\/span>and <\/span>will <\/span>hold <\/span>us <\/span>accountable.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jeremiah <\/span>5:<\/span>22-<\/span>24 (<\/span>NIV)<\/span><\/strong><\/h4>\n
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“<\/span>Should <\/span>you <\/span>not <\/span>fear <\/span>me?\u201d <\/span>declares <\/span>the <\/span>Lord. \u201c<\/span>Should <\/span>you <\/span>not <\/span>tremble <\/span>in <\/span>my <\/span>presence?… <\/span>But <\/span>these <\/span>people <\/span>have <\/span>stubborn <\/span>and <\/span>rebellious <\/span>hearts; <\/span>they <\/span>have <\/span>turned <\/span>aside <\/span>and <\/span>gone <\/span>away. <\/span>They <\/span>do <\/span>not <\/span>say <\/span>to <\/span>themselves, \u2018<\/span>Let <\/span>us <\/span>fear <\/span>the <\/span>Lord <\/span>our <\/span>God, <\/span>who <\/span>gives <\/span>autumn <\/span>and <\/span>spring <\/span>rains <\/span>in <\/span>season, <\/span>who <\/span>assures <\/span>us <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>regular <\/span>weeks <\/span>of <\/span>harvest.\u2019”<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

These <\/span>verses <\/span>show <\/span>God’s <\/span>disappointment <\/span>in <\/span>a <\/span>people <\/span>who <\/span>have <\/span>lost <\/span>their <\/span>fear <\/span>of <\/span>Him. <\/span>Despite <\/span>His <\/span>providence, <\/span>they <\/span>rebel. <\/span>This <\/span>warns <\/span>us <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>danger <\/span>of <\/span>taking <\/span>God\u2019s <\/span>mercy <\/span>and <\/span>power <\/span>lightly.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Other <\/span>Supporting <\/span>Scriptures<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n