Proverbs 23:13 exhorts: “Do not let your heart envy sinners, but be zealous for the fear of the LORD all the day.”
The unnamed writer of Psalm 119, who expresses his day-long love for the law of God (Verse 97), describes himself as God’s servant who is “devoted to fearing You” [God or the LORD] (Verse 38).
For a long time many “Christian” preachers and teachers have taught that Jesus Christ came to bring a message of hope and love, not a message of fear. They would often base their belief on their understanding of 1 John 4:18 – “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.” And the Bible verse they love and promote and have memorized is John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
So, where does that leave the people who are zealous for and devoted to the fear of the LORD?
Israel’s third king Solomon [after Saul and David] is presumed to have written the above-quoted proverb. I might add that it was while Solomon remained faithful to the God of Israel that he was zealous for the fear of the LORD all the day, and did not let his heart envy sinners. For a while he thus remained faithful and obedient to God and His laws. He understood, as we should, that “the fear of the LORD” leads one to depart from evil (Proverbs 16:6), and to do good or what is right, according to the law of God.
But, sadly, the royal history of Israel records that King Solomon later forsook the God of Israel. And why? Because he allowed himself to be swayed by his many foreign wives into worshiping their idols. In fact, he built temples or worship places for their idols or gods and sacrificed to them. As a result, the kingdom of Israel became torn. The greater bulk of Israel (ten tribes) broke away from the “house of David.” Thus, in the days of Solomon’s son Rehoboam, the split-up left him and the rest of Solomon’s descendants with just the tribe of Judah, plus the tribe of Levi and a portion of the tribes of Benjamin and Simeon (1 Kings 11:9-13; 12:1-20). [See: God’s Kingdom and Israel.]
Quoting Psalm 36:1, the apostle Paul wrote about the people of his day, as he well might have written about our present time: “There is no fear of God before their eyes” (Romans 13:18). It is mighty significant that God’s word specifies where the fear of God is located: “before their eyes.” Neuroscientists have discovered that the frontal lobe of the brain is where our memories are stored, and our reasoning and decision-making take place. [See: thehighestofthemountains.com, article “Engineered for Human Life.”]
The American author of the said website, a mechanical and former spacecraft engineer and a neuroscientist and expert computer scientist going by the name “Adon,” presents some rather technical explanations about the biochemical factors that go into having the fear of God that help to suppress sinful thoughts or desires, such as looking at pornography or fantasizing about illicit sexual acts.
Psalm 86:11 ought to be our prayer too: “Unite my heart to fear Thy [God’s] name.” Then, let’s claim God’s promise: “God takes pleasure in them that fear Him” (Psalm 147:11). “The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life”(Proverbs 14:27). “The LORD pities them that fear Him” (Psalm 103:11). “And His mercy is on those who fear Him from generation to generation” (Luke 1:50). “By humility and fear of the LORD are riches and honor and life” (Proverbs 22:4). “But in every nation whoever fears Him [God] and works righteousness is accepted of Him” (Acts 10:35).
To help you understand better how the fear and love of God work together, see: Can We Fear and Love God at the Same Time? and The Four Dimensions of Christ’s Love.
May God help all of us to be zealous for and devoted to the fear of the LORD all the day!
Pedro R. Meléndez, Jr.
20122024/21122024