As we continue our project of reading and studying our way through the Bible in two years, we are presently in the book of Proverbs. You’ll notice throughout your reading of Proverbs an emphasis or focus on the fear of the Lord and wisdom.
I collected the references emphasizing the fear of the Lord and found they describe the impact on the life of one who fears God. Correlating this information into an outline would look like this: The fear of the Lord impacts our mental, moral and material dimensions of life.
In the mental dimension of life the fear of the Lord leads to knowledge, understanding and wisdom. This ultimately leads to the knowledge of the Holy One.
The moral dimension is twofold. First, one who walks uprightly demonstrates a healthy fear of God. And one who fears God will hate and avoid evil and pursue righteousness.
The material dimension involves the following: It’s like a fountain of life, suggesting fullness, purpose, and extension of life. You will run from the snare of death. There is also protection, like a fortress that is a refuge even for children in the family. The peace and rest that accompany contentment is enjoyed with confidence of being able to overcome trouble. Often there’s material blessing enjoyed by those who fear the Lord. And the person who respects God will generally be honored and respected by others, even if they don’t agree with your life commitment.
Does it pay to revere the Lord? You better believe it!
