Tuesday: Fear God and Give Glory to Him
After talking about the proclamation of the “everlasting gospel” to all the world, the first angel’s message then expands on this message. As we proclaim the “everlasting gospel”, we must include the truths that are part of this gospel message for this time. In other words, “present truth” for the last days also includes Revelation 14:7.
Read Revelation 14:7. What does it mean to fear God and to give Him glory? How are we to do that? How do these concepts fit in with the gospel?
To fear God and to give Him glory are not unrelated concepts. If we truly fear God in the biblical sense, we will give glory to Him. One should lead directly to the other.
Read the following texts. How do they help us understand what it means to “fear God” and how that relates to giving glory to Him? Gen. 22:12, Exod. 20:20, Job 1:9, Eccles. 12:13, Matt. 5:16.
In these verses above, the idea of fearing God was linked to obeying Him, and when we obey God, when we do what is right, we bring glory to Him. Though it is often said that to fear God is to be in awe of God and to reverence Him, it should go deeper than that. We are told to fear God. We are fallen. We are sinners. We are beings who deserve death. Who hasn’t at moments faced the startling realization of the evil of their deeds and what they would deserve at the hands of a just and righteous God for those deeds? This is the fear of God. And it is the fear that drives us first to the Cross for forgiveness, and second to claim the power of God to cleanse us from the evil that, if it were not for the Cross, would cause us to lose our souls (see Matt. 10:28).
| What has been your own experience with fearing God? How could a good dose of this fear be good for us spiritually and help us take more seriously our faith and what God asks of us? |
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Daniel and his friends - we fear God therefore we would not bow down to the idol
Face of Moses was radiant with the glory of God because he had spent time with him.
Angels each with six wings: with two wings they covered their feet, with two wings they covered their faces, and with two wings flying calling to each other:
Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty
We can acknowledge him now as the thief did at the cross be accepted in him.
God grant me the wisdom to fear God and glorify your name.
Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.
I love this concept of how the fear of God drives us to the cross. We must first recognize our sinfulness before we can appreciate Christ’s sacrifice. Many people believe that they don’t need a Savior because they assume that since they follow the laws here on earth they are justified before God. His standards are so much higher than ours. When we realize how far we have fallen short of His perfection then we will cling to the cross and our hearts will overflow with love to God the Father and to our Savior Jesus Christ who cleanses us from all unrighteousness..
"Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, but love from the Lord is its completion."
May the fear of God drives us all to His love! We are so distant that when we get close to God we must be thrilled, because His pureness is the total opposite of our dirty nature! But in hiding in the merits of Jesus we can be saved from God's mighty power! Through Jesus we get to stand before God without being vanished at all...
The call to "fear God" and "give glory to Him" is what Jesus preached during His earthly ministry when saying "Repent ye, and believe the Gospel".
Sinners can only be saved if saved from sin and sinning, and in this God is glorified, for the gospel is "the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes". Believes what? "Repent [turn away from sin] and believe the gospel[power of God to save, by sanctifying the repentant sinner through His Word and Spirit]".
So this believing is shown by feeding on the word of God(instead of the husks of earthly wisdom) and receiving the Spirit, by surrendering the entire life to the will of God, which we must learn of by personal effort(Eph 5:17, Prov 2:1-5, Ps 119:11, etc). If we draw near to God, He will draw near to us, which includes resisting the devil(Jas 4:7,8). If we don't actively resist the devil as Jesus did ("It is written..."), we will never draw nigh to God.
Christian duty is clearly marked out in God's Word for any willing to follow it.
8 Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you [g]considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and [h]shuns evil?”
9 So Satan answered the LORD and said, “Does Job fear God for nothing?
How does satan uses the word fear?
Job is afraid if he did not worship you, he would lose everything.
How God does use the word fear?
The fear of Job stems from knowing God and the character of God.
He is my ambassador representing me on this earth.
There begins the battle in the life of Job.
When I read the story, Job’s question is I know but I don’t understand what is happening to me.
When his friends taunt him, he falls back on God.
Interestingly when God begins to talk Job’s answer to God is
Job 40:4 & 5
3 Then Job answered the LORD and said:
4 “Behold, I am vile;
What shall I answer You?
I lay my hand over my mouth.
5 Once I have spoken, but I will not answer;
Yes, twice, but I will proceed no further.”
Job 42: 1 - 4
Then Job answered the LORD and said:
2 “I know that You can do everything,
And that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You.
3 You asked, ‘Who is this who hides counsel without knowledge?’
Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand,
Things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.
4 Listen, please, and let me speak;
You said, ‘I will question you, and you shall answer Me.’
5 “I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear,
But now my eye sees You.
6 Therefore I abhor[a] myself,
And repent in dust and ashes.”
5 “I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear,
But now my eye sees You.
6 Therefore I abhor[a] myself,
And repent in dust and ashes.”
This would be the nature of everyone who believes in God to fear him and glorify him.
Why am I called Christian? It is because Christ is in me. Therefore I represent the character of God.
The story ends with God being triumphant.
Thank you, Newbegin, for encouraging us to explore the nature of the "fear" that we are to have for God. Clearly, in the case of job and other Old Testament patriarchs, this did not mean being afraid of God. Quite the contrary, Job had such full confidence and trust in God that he not only declared his confidence that he would meet his Creator face to face in the resurrection, but he also had enough trust to dare to argue with God. But in the end, he acknowledges that God is far greater and more awe-inspiring than even he imagined, and he "repented" in dust and ashes. Job 42:1-6 Still, Job shows no signs of being afraid of God.
I believe we have difficulty understanding true awe today because the word has been so misused - as in a trip was "awesome" because we enjoyed it. It would be well for us to examine more closely the attitude of those who walked close to God in days long gone because they are true examples of what it means to "fear God."
In response to the first question at the end of today's lesson, I used to have a fear of God like is described in the last paragraph of the lesson. I have since come to see that this description is likely closer to how Satan would like me to view God than the actual reality.
I now have a view of God that draws me to be in awe of Him and want to 'obey' Him more than ever before - and more than I ever thought was possible! This has been inspired by appreciation of the depths of His compassion and the awareness that it is sin itself that will destroy me, not God.
Yes, God is just and righteous. But this is not the retributive type of justice that we humans are so used to - which is also actually Satan's style of justice. In contrast, I would describe God's justice and righteousness as redemptive-restorative - restoring back to what ought to be for abundant life.
I would propose that a "good dose" of the type of fear proposed does more harm than good. I would also suggest that fear-based faith is not healthy.
Phil, I think we are somewhat in agreement. If we read the bold faced title of the page."Fear God and Give Him the Glory" and think about that alone, we begin to wonder, what about me? Do I think about fear in the correct context? How comforting are all the text about the saving Grace of Jesus, when I consider the judgment that we all face? We know our own faults and how imperfect we are, but dismiss it with other more immediate concerns. Satan is always ready and more than willing to condemn us. Those comforting text are the answers that we need to dwell on, especially when we are not totally certain of our destiny.
I agree with Phil. If I am 'driven' to the cross through 'phobeo' it defeats Christ's mission. Perfect love drives out fear. I find it difficult to think that I will be able to glorify God from every fibre in my body because I fear Him, or more correctly, because I am scared of Him or the consequences of my sins.
The SDA Commentary on this verse implies as Phil has stated, that we come to God in awe and reverence of the amazing act of salvation. When I have 'a proper dose' of this kind of awe and reverence for God I can associate myself with the statement made in the lesson.
I don't see the question as stated to be implying the "wrong" type of fear. It seems to be stated in a way to leave this interpretation to the reader. It will depend upon one's experience with and understanding of God won't it? The Bible comes across in the same manner in most instances where the fear of the Lord is spoken of.
Do you recall where Jesus bid His listeners: "Don't fear those who kill the body but are not able to kill the soul; rather, fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell."? Same word (phobeo) in both uses.
I believe that our understanding of fear will evolve as we repent and become converted.
Robert
I agree with your last sentence. This has been (and continues to be) my experience.
"There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear:" 1 John 4:18.
This is the result of the sanctifying process Peter outlines in 2 Pe 1:5-7 isn't it?
I agree Phil. Satan would love nothing more than for us to be afraid of our Abba Father, Whose love for us can only be measured by how far He would go to save us (John 3:16).
Fear (as in terror) and love are not compatible (2 Timothy 1:7; 1 John 4:18).
It is interesting how god tested Abrahams' faith and had Abraham take his son Isaac and offer him as a sacrifice and all the time it was just a test to Abraham and it was not until Abraham had his son on the altar ready to plunge a knife into his son to kill him on that altar that god then told Abraham not to follow through with that test but instead to take the ram that was caught by its horns nearby and offer that animal instead of his son for the sacrifice. So, in what way does god test our faith like he did Abraham and then tell us to not follow through with it now in these last days in our obedience to him?
A very good thought Pete.
We are being tested by God every day through the decisions we make. The little girl or boy that chooses to obey their teacher, rather than following the crowd in order to become one of the cool kids. That college student or young adult that chooses to set an example by not defiling their bodies with alcohol and other immortal living. That adult worker that make the choice to decline a promotion rather than to disobey God. These are only a few tests that God uses to bring us closer to Him. Every test (or decision we make) should draw us closer to Him; as continual failures will draw us further and further away from Him. Be blessed!
Yes, Toni Keith, but my point is that God tested Abraham to do something that those of the surrounding nations were already doing in Sacrificing their children and going through with the act of killing them and letting them bleed to death for their sacrificing of them but then God stops Abraham as he is just about to plunge that knife into his sons' heart.
In other words, it would be today like going as far as to join the crowd to defile our bodies with alcohol and taking the glass of wine or beer and then just setting it back down and saying to the crowd, "no I have changed my mind about drinking this alcoholic beverage because God is only testing me to see how far I will go with this." But in our case, God does not stop me from drinking that beer or wine, it is up to me to not even be in that crowd at all (with God's help of course.)
No matter what wrong my dad has done, I will never stop to love him and respect him as my father. I will always remember his words and his caring ways. What more when our Heavenly Father has done nothing wrong and loves us so much that He sent His only begotten Son to die on the cross for our sin. The only feeling I have for my Heavenly Father is Something of ‘in awe of’...
Meaning: stand in awe of. Respect and revere someone or something, experience a feeling of solemn wonder, as in All of us are in awe of his many achievements. This expression dates from about a.d. 1000 and originally meant “fear something or someone.” Later awe came to mean “dread mingled with respect,” and eventually it signified reverence alone.
My auntie said to me once... only God can be truly ‘awesome’.
what do you reckon the author means by "a good dose of this fear" could there be a bad dose for the fear of God? If so, please do enlighten me. Thanks
Mulemba, I would call this type of fear, the type of fear that is mentioned in Revelation 14:7, and means to worship God who is Holy and deserving of our praise,glorification, and reverence.
Fear has it's place in life.
It is a good thing we are capable of fear. It is safest in times of danger that our fears should be excited. The road of sin is a seriously dangerous route filled with ruin and destruction. And yes, God will totally destroy that route and all who persist in travelling on it.
Fear-- sense the danger.
On the other hand, we should not fear that the Lord will not hear us when we pray. No, we should not fear that God's hand isn't outstretched to save us, for we are invited to approach the throne of grace, even with boldness. His ear is always open. We should not fear that the Lord is unable to save. He is able to save to the uttermost.
So what does it mean to "fear God"?
Scripture says: " fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, we should come short of it."
A healthy dose of fear that we shall fail to do our duty and bring dishonor to our Lord and Savior, is a good thing.
Fear God and give glory to Him. We either give glory to Him by co-operating with Him in our actions and lives, or we dishonor Him by our impatience, uncontrolled tongue, and ungodly actions.
We may fear in regard to ourselves and our abilities to remain true, but never, never fear in regard to the ability of the Lord to save us. It is this very fear that drives us to depend ever more upon Christ.
But even here, be watchful for the Devil will try to turn a "healthy fear" into a destructive fear. A fear that God has given up on you, a fear that drives you into the darkness of doubt and unbelief and you draw away from the only One Who can save you. NEVER fear that Christ will reject you when you come to Him in repentance and faith in His redeeming love and grace. It is His longing and will to save you! He loves you!
We don't want a "dark fear" of hopelessness, but we do need a healthy fear, to watch ourselves, lest we sin against so good a God. A fear that drives us to Christ, as our strength, guide and constant companion on the road of righteousness. A fear that keeps our eyes on Him, lest we loose sight of Him, even for a little while.
Fear God and give glory to Him!
well put!