Proverbs 1:7, 23, 29-31

Proverbs 1:7, 23, 29-31 (7) The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction. ... (23) Turn at my rebuke; Surely I will pour out my spirit on you; I will make my words known to you. ... (29) Because they hated knowledge And did not choose the fear of the LORD, (30) They would have none of my counsel And despised my every rebuke. (31) Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their own way, And be filled to the full with their own fancies.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.

A while back I stood a few hundred feet from the base of a dam with the spill gates partially open. The water was gushing with thunderous power, surging with blasts of spray and the incredibly deep and powerful pounding of sound seemed to change the very rhythm of my heart. At first I was amazed but as the sound and pressure of the water pressed against me I found it fearful. I realized I was completely powerless and small and insignificant compared to the incredible power of that water that was rushing forward.

To fear God, is to see God as He is. It is to feel the power of His presence and to be blinded by His brilliance! In the Bible, when people met the Almighty God in one way or another, they were humiliated and prostrated before Him. Somewhat like that huge display of the power of water at the dam, God is so very much more powerful, inconceivably more powerful! He is the Only and All, the God of the Universe, the One who created all things and is the Self-Existent One, the I AM!

When the disciples who were with Jesus at His transfiguration heard the voice of God from the cloud magnifying Jesus, they fell on their faces and were greatly afraid. (Mat 17:5-7)

When the angel, with a countenance like lightning and snow, came and rolled back the stone of Jesus' tomb after Jesus had resurrected, the guards shook for fear and became like dead men. (Mat 28:4)

When John saw Jesus in heaven, with eyes as flames of fire and his countenance was shining like the sun, and he fell on his face before Him, there was Godly fear in him. (Rev 1:12-17)

To fear God is to see Him as He is: Perfect, Almighty, all powerful, all permeating, all shining, all knowing, Patient, Just, all Loving, the God of Grace and Mercy, and so many more indescribable qualities! God is Incredible, Brilliant, and Consuming Light and where His light is, darkness cannot be. To come before Him in a sinful state is to be destroyed, for He is a consuming fire. To fear God is to come before Him broken, humble, with a contrite heart, and in desperate need of forgiveness, willing to accept whatever He is willing to give.

When Isaiah had a vision of God on His throne, he cried out "Woe is me, for I am undone!" This is Godly fear.

Isaiah 6:1-5 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. (2) Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. (3) And one cried to another and said: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory!" (4) And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke. (5) So I said: "Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, The LORD of hosts."

Before one can begin to learn the wisdom and knowledge of God, One must come to an understanding of His power and love, to fear Him with awe-striking, revelating, soul shaking reverence, to know that you are undone before Him. Once that relationship has been established, the relationship where you realize that God is Everything and you are nothing, the relationship based on your humility and need and on God's unfathomable depth and wisdom, then your heart may be ready to hear the knowledge of God.

We cannot come to an understanding of Him, either through the spirit or His Word until we have humbled ourselves and submitted ourselves to Him, completely. This is the foundation of faith, that we put our trust in God, in His person and in the Person of Jesus Christ, whom He gave to pay the price for our blatant, selfish, unfearful and ignorant sin.

May God humble us today and may we fear and honor and glorify Him for He alone is God and He alone is worthy of all praise! May we agree with Job, "Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him..." (Job 13:15a)