Bulletin Articles
Proverbs 9:10 - Part 1
Proverbs 9:10 – Part 1
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”
This verse teaches us that the foundation for true wisdom is from the fear of God. Any other types of learning are not in accordance with Godly wisdom. Many have given their opinion of what those words mean in this context, so let’s look at what the scriptures teach.
Before you can understand this, you must know who God is. Genesis 1 tells us He’s the creator of the heavens and the earth, creator of light, water, the oceans and seas, the dry ground we walk on. The plants and trees, and all living creatures. God revealed to Job His omnipotence in Job 38-41. There is no one like Him. No one can compare to Him. All other gods are inferior to Him. I think when you can understand this about God, you can learn how to have the “fear of the Lord.”
So, should we fear God? Yes. There are many passages that talk about this. To name a few… Leviticus 25:17 - Therefore you shall not oppress one another, but you shall fear your God; for I am the Lord your God.
Psalm 111:10 – The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; A good understanding have all those who do His commandments. His praise endures forever.
Proverbs 14:26-27 - In the fear of the Lord there is strong confidence, And His children will have a place of refuge. 27 The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, To turn one away from the snares of death.
And Jesus taught this in Matthew 10:28 - And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
Now fearing God doesn’t mean that the very thought of Him makes you tremble and fall on your knees. That’s not healthy living in fear all the time. If you think about a child, and the fear they might have towards their father. It’s a fear of their presence, and in some cases, a fear of misbehaving in their presence. As you mature as a Christian, I think that fear can involve three things… fear, love, and reverence.
We fear Him because of His power and might. Think of His control over storms, nature, and life. Think of the ten plagues. Mankind has no chance of defeating His strength. The many examples in scripture that tell of His might can cause us to fear Him.
We show reverence to Him because He’s the only god that ever was, is, and will be. We recognize that He is watching and evaluating everything we say, do, and think. If we were in His direct presence, I think it would cause us to show respect to God, as it does a servant to their master.
Fear can also develop into a love for Him. Think of what He’s done for us. Think of the beauty that can be found in Him. Not only in his creations, but in His word. We love Him because He loved us first, and gave His son to us, and for all the blessings He’s given us. 1 John 4:9-10 - In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. 10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
