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Let’s begin by reading Proverbs 1:1-7 and 9:10:

Proverbs 1:1-7 The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel: ² for attaining wisdom and discipline; for understanding words of insight; ³ for acquiring a disciplined and prudent life, doing what is right and just and fair; ⁴ for giving prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the young-- ⁵ let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance-- ⁶ for understanding proverbs and parables, the sayings and riddles of the wise. ⁷ The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.

Proverbs 9:10 "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

This summer we are doing a series on the Book of Proverbs which I have entitled “The way of wisdom.” There are many decisions we face in this life where the rules do not apply, where the Bible may not have the answer as to what to do. Who should I marry? Should I take this job or not? Should we have another child? All of these questions are not necessarily moral questions, but questions that demand wisdom.

One of the things I shared last week is that the Book of Proverbs speaks of wisdom not as a shortcut but as a path. It isn’t something where you can learn the right techniques and you will always make wise, godly decisions, but as you walk with the Lord and make good choices and wise decisions, he makes you into a person of wisdom.

This morning I want to focus on a phrase that shows up throughout the book of Proverbs, the wisdom literature, and other parts of the Bible as well. Usually this phrase is described as the place where wisdom begins, and it is the Fear of the Lord. Consider these verses:

Proverbs 9:10 "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

Job 28:28 And he said to man, 'The fear of the Lord-- that is wisdom, and to shun evil is understanding.'"

Psalm 111:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. ¹⁴ For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. According to a number of Proverbs that speak of the fear of the Lord, it is something that adds length to life, turns a man from the snares of death, leads to life, brings wealth and honor and life; it is the key to the rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; and the Lord confides in those who fear him. Great promises, all of these. So what does it mean to fear the Lord, and why is it that crucial?

The first thing to recognize is that it does not mean to be scared of God. Consider these verses:

1 John 4:16-19 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. ¹⁷ In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. ¹⁸ There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. ¹⁹ We love because he first loved us.

Deuteronomy 10:12-13 And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, ¹³ and to observe the LORD's commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good?

Psalm 130:4 But with you there is forgiveness; therefore you are feared.

Those who know the Lord and know His love do not need to be afraid of him, for perfect love drives out fear. There is no fear of judgment or punishment. So if fear of the Lord does not mean being afraid of Him, what does it mean?

1) The first thing is that it means to recognize his deity and what He has done; to reverence, esteem him above all things, be in awe of him. It means to know that He is omnipotent – he knows what is best. He is the judge, and will bring everything into the light of His judgment eventually. He is holy. And it’s not just to know this in your head but to KNOW it to the depths of who you are, just like to fear something is not to be afraid intellectually but to feel that fear to the depths of who you are.

Think about our meeting here in this sanctuary. Do we come with proper respect, recognizing that the God of the universe wants to meet with us? Why would God come to a place where He is not respected? We want to come here in reverence, to create a sanctuary where He can be given the respect He deserves. Live your lives and create a place that gives him the respect he deserves.

2) The second thing it means to fear the Lord is this: Think about your greatest fears – rejection; failure; humiliation; conflict; your children going wild; your husband leaving you; whatever your deepest fear that strikes anxiety in the pit of your stomach. When you pay attention to that, you will understand what your heart is most after. What do you most fear losing? Your reputation? Your kids? A relationship? Whatever it is that you fear the most, that is your functional god, your idol, the one thing that really defines you and gives you value. You may be saved, but your real God is your reputation, or people’s opinion of you, or perhaps a relationship you have.

To fear the Lord is to come to a place where He is the thing you fear losing the most; it’s to be in a place where you would give up your reputation, your family, your friends, anything before you lose Him. Consider these two examples:

Genesis 22:9-12 When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. ¹⁰ Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. ¹¹ But the angel of the LORD called out to him from heaven, "Abraham! Abraham!" "Here I am," he replied. ¹² "Do not lay a hand on the boy," he said. "Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son."

Job 1:8-11 Then the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil." ⁹ "Does Job fear God for nothing?" Satan replied. ¹⁰ "Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. ¹¹ But stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face."

Both Abraham and Job displayed their fear of the Lord because they were willing to give up everything else or endure anything that was brought their way but refused to give up on God, refused to lose Him or disobey Him. To fear the Lord is to reach that place where everything else can go, but you will cling to Him and obey Him.

This is the beginning of wisdom. As long as something else is your functional God, you will make decisions with that as your God, that thing telling you what to do. You will make decisions out of fear of rejection, fear of conflict, fear of failure. You will continually make unwise decisions because you don’t want to lose those things that are most important to you, instead of making wise decisions because all you really want is God.

Take a moment and do this: Look at every area of your life and ask yourself these two questions: Like Abraham with Isaac, are you willing to do whatever God says about this area whether you agree with it or not? And like Job, are you willing to accept anything that God sends in this area whether you understand it or not?

If not, then He is not your god in that area – something else is. Until you can reach a place where everything else can go but you will not give up God, you do not really fear the Lord, and you will continue to make unwise decisions.

The wisest thing you can do is to allow him to have his way; after all, he is infinitely wiser than you are. But you can not do that until you fear the Lord above all things

So how do you get there?

Like many other things in the faith, you get there by repenting & believing. When you allow God to shine the light on the things that you fear the most, the things that your heart is the most after, you discover what your true gods are, what your idols are, what you are placing above God. The first way to become someone who fears the Lord is to repent of those things that you have placed above Him – to turn from them to God. And you will likely have to do this again and again for as long as you live.

The second thing you need to do is to turn to faith in God. You need to know Him, as it says in Proverbs 9:10 – not just know about God, but know Him, to have a relationship with Him.

Proverbs 16:6 says “Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for; through the fear of the LORD a man avoids evil.” Even though we all have our idols, the things we have put above God, that sin can be atoned for through love and faithfulness. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, did not entrust himself to man, it says in John 2:24, because he knew what was in man. He did not care what people thought of him, but only feared the Lord. But even though he trusted completely in the Father, on the cross he was abandoned by the Father, so that all of us who were far from God could be brought near; all of us who were idolators could be forgiven and brought into a relationship with God and know that He will never abandon us.

And, now, as it says in Romans 8:15-18 – “For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." ¹⁶ The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. ¹⁷ Now if we are children, then we are heirs-- heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. ¹⁸ I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.”

We do not have the spirit of fear, but a spirit of sonship, knowing that all of God’s promises are given to us in Christ Jesus. Therefore, as Paul writes in Philippians 2:12-13, “Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed-- not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence-- continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, ¹³ for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.”

Work out your salvation with fear and trembling. You have saved by grace, and now apply that gospel truth to every aspect of your life until you truly desire the Lord above all other things and become wise.

Father, teach us what it means to fear the Lord. Teach us to have the proper respect for you. Bring us to a place where there is nothing we would esteem above you. Amen.