Learning to Fear

 Introduction

Did you know our love for God can be defined as obeying His law? The Church has taught this for many years, however for those who may not be familiar with this concept it best is explained in John chapter 14. Please turn to John 14 and we’ll begin in verse 15:

Jhn 14:15  "If you love Me, keep My commandments.

Verse 21:

Jhn 14:21  He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him."

Verses 23 and 24: 

Jhn 14:23  Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.

Jhn 14:24  He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father's who sent Me.

There are more passages in Scripture, both in the Old and New Testaments, which further elaborate on this concept. One of the more well-known passages is likely 1 John 5:3, where there the first sentence states:

1Jn 5:3  For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments.

These verses consistently use terms for love that emphasize covenant loyalty and obedience, not mere emotion. Jesus and the apostles reinforce that genuine love for God is proven and expressed through obedient behavior. 

If our love for God can be defined by our obedience, then our love for Him no longer is only comprised of a fleeting emotion that can waver and change over time. It is a specifically defined and measurable behavior. This idea poses an interesting question: Have you ever considered that there may be other things mentioned in Scripture that we would instinctively regard as an emotion but can be defined as a behavior?

Please turn to Deuteronomy chapter 4 and we will read verses 7 – 10:

Deu 4:7  "For what great nation is there that has God so near to it, as the LORD our God is to us, for whatever reason we may call upon Him?

Deu 4:8  And what great nation is there that has such statutes and righteous judgments as are in all this law which I set before you this day?

Deu 4:9  Only take heed to yourself, and diligently keep yourself, lest you forget the things your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. And teach them to your children and your grandchildren,

Deu 4:10  especially concerning the day you stood before the LORD your God in Horeb, when the LORD said to me, 'Gather the people to Me, and I will let them hear My words, that they may learn to fear Me all the days they live on the earth, and that they may teach their children.'

Moses instructed the Children of Israel to learn to fear the Lord. Is fearing the Lord simply an emotion that we are to have toward God or is there more to it? 

For the remainder of this sermon, I will present the fundamental thesis that the fear of the Lord may also be a specifically defined and measurable behavior, similarly to how we just saw that loving the Lord is. We will investigate this concept more thoroughly by addressing the following questions:

What is the fear of the Lord?

Why does God want us to Fear Him?

Why must it be learned?

How do we learn it?

How does this relate to the Feast of Tabernacles?

What is the fear of the Lord?

First, let’s explore what the fear of the Lord is. 

 

The word fear can be a verb or noun. The verb form is simply the noun in a state of action. For instance, fear, reverence or awe is a noun, while “to be in fear,” or “to stand in awe” are the verbs.

In the New Testament, two words are translated to fear when used in reference to God. 

Phobos (Strong’s G5401), which is also the name of one of the moons of Mars, means fear or terror. Don’t turn here, but I will read an example of this word in use in Luke 7:16.

Luk 7:16  Then fear came upon all, and they glorified God, saying, "A great prophet has risen up among us"; and, "God has visited His people."

Phobeō (Strong’s G5399) means to be frightened or alarmed. Jesus is recorded as using this word in Matthew 10:28. Again, don’t turn here as I’ll simply read the scripture to you.

Mat 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.

In the Old Testament, Yārē’ (Strong’s H3373) is the most common verb used for both ordinary fear and the reverential fear of God. An example of this type of fear is expressed by God, speaking to Abraham in Genesis 22:12. 

Gen 22:12  And He said, "Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me."

Pāḥad (Strong’s H6343) means dread, terror, sudden fear or alarm. This word usually carries a stronger sense of terror or dread, although it can occasionally be used in relation to God. An example of this fear can be found in Psalms 119:120 where David records:

Psa 119:120  My flesh trembles for fear of You, And I am afraid of Your judgments.

Then Môrāʾ (Strong’s H4172) indicates fear, terror, reverence, or the object of fear. This word often emphasizes the object that produces fear or the reverence due to God. An example of this word in use is in Isaiah 8:13. As in the previous examples, I will just read this verse directly to you.

Isa 8:13  The LORD of hosts, Him you shall hallow; Let Him be your fear, And let Him be your dread.

Yirʾāh (Strong’s H3374) means a fearful thing or deed. This is the noun form most often used in the phrase “the fear of the Lord.” An example of this is in Psalms 111:10. This one I would like you to turn to. That’s Psalms 111:10.

Psa 111:10  The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; A good understanding have all those who do His commandments. […]

All of these examples show the range of meaning—from reverential awe and obedient respect to a more intense sense of dread or terror. In the positive biblical sense of “fearing the Lord,” the dominant idea is deep reverence that leads to obedience, trust, and worship.

Psalms 111:10 also happens to be the first building block to our thesis that the “fear of the Lord” may be a specifically defined and measurable behavior. Next, please turn to the first chapter of Proverbs and we’ll read verse 7:

Pro 1:7  The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Now we will review Proverbs chapter 15, verses 32 and 33:

Pro 15:32  He who disdains instruction despises his own soul, But he who heeds rebuke gets understanding.

Pro 15:33  The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom, […]

These verses beg the question: what exactly is this wisdom that the fear of the Lord provides us the ability to attain? The answer to this can be found in Deuteronomy chapter 4. We will read verses 5 and 6, where Moses is providing instructions to the children of Israel prior to their taking possession of the Promised Land.

Deu 4:5  "Surely I have taught you statutes and judgments, just as the LORD my God commanded me, that you should act according to them in the land which you go to possess.

Deu 4:6  Therefore be careful to observe them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all these statutes, and say, 'Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.'

According to Moses, our wisdom and understanding, or wisdom and knowledge if you will, are God’s statutes and judgements. That is, God’s law—His commandments. Notice that this is our wisdom, not the world’s wisdom, and this wisdom sets us apart from the world.

Putting these passages together—that the fear of the Lord is the foundation and instruction of wisdom, and that true wisdom is God’s law—we can confidently conclude that the fear of the Lord is the instruction of God’s law. This indicates that learning the fear of the Lord is the process of learning God’s law.

Therefore, the fear of the Lord is not just the emotional state of fear or reverence, but the definition has expanded to include the act of learning God’s law. 

Why does God want us to fear Him?

This leads into our next question: why does God want us to fear Him? 

God wants us to be intimately familiar with His law, but is there a clear scriptural explanation? Let’s start in Deuteronomy chapter 5, verse 29:

Deu 5:29  Oh, that they had such a heart in them that they would fear Me and always keep all My commandments, that it might be well with them and with their children forever!

This theme is continued in the chapter 6, verse 24:

Deu 6:24  And the LORD commanded us to observe all these statutes, to fear the LORD our God, for our good always, that He might preserve us alive, as it is this day.

A few chapters later in Deuteronomy 10 in verses 12 – 13, the same theme is continued:

Deu 10:12  "And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul,

Deu 10:13  and to keep the commandments of the LORD and His statutes which I command you today for your good?

Clearly, the purpose of fearing the Lord is so that we will not turn from Him, resulting in our and our children’s good, preserving us from destruction. Jeremiah emphasized the same two-fold reasons in Jeremiah 32:38 – 41:

Jer 32:38  They shall be My people, and I will be their God;

Jer 32:39  then I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear Me forever, for the good of them and their children after them.

Jer 32:40  And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from doing them good; but I will put My fear in their hearts so that they will not depart from Me.

Jer 32:41  Yes, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will assuredly plant them in this land, with all My heart and with all My soul.'

There are broader benefits also listed, such as in Proverbs 19:23. 

Pro 19:23  The fear of the LORD leads to life, And he who has it will abide in satisfaction; He will not be visited with evil.

Also, Proverbs 14:26 – 27:

Pro 14:26  In the fear of the LORD there is strong confidence, And His children will have a place of refuge.

Pro 14:27  The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, To turn one away from the snares of death.

In summary, Scripture repeatedly states that God desires us to fear Him for our lasting good, so that we may be preserved, prosper, remain faithful, receive His intimate counsel, and walk in true life and wisdom. The fear of the Lord is never presented as something God demands for His own benefit, but always as a gift that protects and blesses His people.

Why Must it be Learned?

Our third main question is why must the fear of the Lord be learned?

First and foremost, God gives us a choice in the matter as we read in Proverbs 1:29 – 33: 

Pro 1:29  Because they hated knowledge And did not choose the fear of the LORD,

Pro 1:30  They would have none of my counsel And despised my every rebuke.

Pro 1:31  Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their own way, And be filled to the full with their own fancies.

Pro 1:32  For the turning away of the simple will slay them, And the complacency of fools will destroy them;

Pro 1:33  But whoever listens to me will dwell safely, And will be secure, without fear of evil."

So, we clearly have a choice in the matter as stated in verse 29, but God is very clear on the outcome of not choosing to fear Him. We are highly favored to be in the position of willingly being able to make this life sustaining choice.

But we come back to the question of “why must it be learned?” 

The answer will seem obvious once you read it in Deuteronomy chapter 5 verse 1. This chapter, of course, is the repetition of the Ten Commandments originally recorded in Exodus. 

Deu 5:1  And Moses called all Israel, and said to them: "Hear, O Israel, the statutes and judgments which I speak in your hearing today, that you may learn them and be careful to observe them.

We must learn the fear of the Lord – learn His statutes and judgments – so we can observe them. In the case of ancient Israel, they had to rely on the verbal reading of law. In our case, we have the written version and can study it, in addition to many other modern platforms which provide access to explanations of God’s way of life.

Learning to fear the Lord is a process of teaching and learning. God Himself is the Teacher, instructing us through His Word and by His Spirit, while we are the students. As we receive and learn His statutes and judgments, we are wise to apply these teachings to the situations we face in daily life.

Please turn to Psalms 25 where we will read verses 12 – 14:

Psa 25:12  Who is the man that fears the LORD? Him shall He teach in the way He chooses.

Psa 25:13  He himself shall dwell in prosperity, And his descendants shall inherit the earth.

Psa 25:14  The secret of the LORD is with those who fear Him, And He will show them His covenant.

How do we learn it?

The next question to answer is how do we learn it? Is there a scriptural recipe for learning the fear of the Lord?

It would seem obvious that regular Bible study and church attendance are major ingredients to learning it. But what further instruction does God’s Word provide? Please turn to Proverbs chapter 2. We will read verses 1 – 5:

Pro 2:1  My son, if you receive my words, And treasure my commands within you,

Pro 2:2  So that you incline your ear to wisdom, And apply your heart to understanding;

Pro 2:3  Yes, if you cry out for discernment, And lift up your voice for understanding,

Pro 2:4  If you seek her as silver, And search for her as for hidden treasures;

Pro 2:5  Then you will understand the fear of the LORD, And find the knowledge of God.

These instructions begin with a warm, personal invitation: “My son.” The first step is to receive – to take hold of or accept – the words that are offered and then to treasure or store them carefully inside. This is not casual listening; it is deliberate, valued acceptance of God’s instruction as something precious to be kept close.

Receiving the words leads to focused attention. “Incline your ear” means actively turning toward wisdom and giving it careful hearing. “Apply your heart” means directing the center of your will, thoughts, and desires toward understanding. Wisdom is not absorbed passively; the whole person must lean in.

Then the intensity increases as the seeker is not only listening but crying out or calling for help, lifting the voice for discernment and understanding. This is earnest, vocal, wholehearted pursuit—almost desperation for insight. Surface interest is not enough; the heart must long for it.

The search then becomes determined and persistent. Wisdom is to be sought with the same energy and single-minded effort a person would use to dig for silver or hunt for buried treasure. It is to search thoroughly. It requires diligence, time, and priority—treating God’s wisdom as more valuable than material riches.

When these conditions are met, the promised result follows. The seeker will understand the fear of the LORD and will find the knowledge of God.

In short, the path is progressive: receive and treasure God’s words, then lean in with ear and heart, then cry out earnestly – presumably in prayer – and then search diligently like a treasure hunter. The outcome is not merely intellectual information but a living understanding of the fear of the Lord and genuine knowledge of God.

How Does This Relate to the Feast of Tabernacles?

So, you may be wondering what all this has to do with the Feast of Tabernacles; whether this message has any pertinence for today, and I assure you it does. 

Let’s make the connection by turning to Deuteronomy chapter 31, where we will read verses 9 – 13:

Deu 31:9  So Moses wrote this law and delivered it to the priests, the sons of Levi, who bore the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and to all the elders of Israel.

Deu 31:10  And Moses commanded them, saying: "At the end of every seven years, at the appointed time in the year of release, at the Feast of Tabernacles,

Deu 31:11  when all Israel comes to appear before the LORD your God in the place which He chooses, you shall read this law before all Israel in their hearing.

Deu 31:12  Gather the people together, men and women and little ones, and the stranger who is within your gates, that they may hear and that they may learn to fear the LORD your God and carefully observe all the words of this law,

Deu 31:13  and that their children, who have not known it, may hear and learn to fear the LORD your God as long as you live in the land which you cross the Jordan to possess."

Deuteronomy chapter 14 also makes this connection, so let’s turn there and read verses 22 and 23.

Deu 14:22  "You shall truly tithe all the increase of your grain that the field produces year by year.

Deu 14:23  And you shall eat before the LORD your God, in the place where He chooses to make His name abide, the tithe of your grain and your new wine and your oil, of the firstborn of your herds and your flocks, that you may learn to fear the LORD your God always.

I wondered about these passages over the years. The instruction to learn to fear the Lord appears to be incompatible with the emotional experience that we should have here. It seems harsh. Somber. How can we learn to fear God when He is being so generous and kind to us? He pours out such abundance and tells us to enjoy it, but do we somehow need to be careful and not allow our hearts to soar?

However, with our understanding that learning the fear of the Lord can be defined from Scripture as learning His statutes and judgments, we can now fully reconcile what is meant here.  

A practical example of this being carried out is recorded in Nehamiah chapter 8, if you will turn there please. Nehamiah chapter and we will read verses 13 – 18:

Neh 8:13  Now on the second day the heads of the fathers' houses of all the people, with the priests and Levites, were gathered to Ezra the scribe, in order to understand the words of the Law.

Neh 8:14  And they found written in the Law, which the LORD had commanded by Moses, that the children of Israel should dwell in booths during the feast of the seventh month,

Neh 8:15  and that they should announce and proclaim in all their cities and in Jerusalem, saying, "Go out to the mountain, and bring olive branches, branches of oil trees, myrtle branches, palm branches, and branches of leafy trees, to make booths, as it is written."

Neh 8:16  Then the people went out and brought them and made themselves booths, each one on the roof of his house, or in their courtyards or the courts of the house of God, and in the open square of the Water Gate and in the open square of the Gate of Ephraim.

Neh 8:17  So the whole assembly of those who had returned from the captivity made booths and sat under the booths; for since the days of Joshua the son of Nun until that day the children of Israel had not done so. And there was very great gladness.

Neh 8:18  Also day by day, from the first day until the last day, he read from the Book of the Law of God. And they kept the feast seven days; and on the eighth day there was a sacred assembly, according to the prescribed manner.

The Feast is a time when we receive intensive, daily instruction from Scripture, in addition to any personal Bible study we may perform, for eight days. We are exposed to approximately two months’ worth of ministerial instruction in a little more than a week’s amount of time. So being instructed from Scripture during the Feast is, by definition, the very act of learning to fear the Lord. 

Conclusion

To conclude, we learned that the fear of the Lord is the foundation and instruction of wisdom, and that true wisdom is God’s commandments, leading to the conclusion that the fear of the Lord is the instruction of God’s law. Also, indicating that learning the fear of the Lord is the process of learning God’s law.

We learned that God wants us to learn to fear Him because it is for our good and will preserve us alive, and so we can teach them to our children.

Then, we saw that the way to learn to fear the Lord is to receive His Words, treasure His commands, incline our ears to them and apply our heart to them, pray for discernment, and to seek it diligently. 

We then read passages which gave us the insight that our presence here at the Feast of Tabernacles is, in practice, learning to fear the Lord.

So, we have answered the question about whether there are other elements of our relationship with God that we think of as emotions that are actually demonstrated by our behavior. We started with the example of love. Now we know that having proper godly fear may also be demonstrated by our behavior.

Solomon came to understand this insight as we can read in Ecclesiastes chapter 12, verse 13:

Ecc 12:13  Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man's all.

Another way to think of it is this: The fear of God is knowing His law, and the love of God is keeping it.