Do you fear God?

March 5, 2016

Fear God (Eccl 12:13-12:14)

“This is the end of the matter.

All has been heard.

Fear God!

Keep his commandments!

That is the whole duty of everyone.

God will bring every deed into judgment,

Including every secret thing,

Whether good or evil.”

The final message is a call to fear God. The deed is done. This is the end. Everything has been heard. Fear God! Obey his commandments! That is the whole purpose of life, the duty of everyone. God will judge everything, even secret things. He will decide whether it was good or evil. So ends the message of Qoheleth and this epilogue writer.

February 2, 2016

Fear of Yahweh (Prov 19:23-19:25)

“The fear of Yahweh is life indeed.

Filled with the fear of Yahweh,

One rests secure.

Filled with the fear of Yahweh,

One suffers no harm.

The lazy person buries a hand in the dish.

He will not even bring it back to the mouth.

Strike a scoffer.

The simple will learn prudence.

Reprove the intelligent.

They will gain knowledge.”

The fear of God is life itself. If you fear Yahweh, you will always be secure and suffer no harm. Some people are so lazy they do not even feed themselves, but let her hands stay on the dish buried in their food. The simple can learn prudence. The intelligent can gain knowledge. Everything stems from the fear of Yahweh.

January 24, 2016

Fear of Yahweh (Prov 14:26-14:27)

“In the fear of Yahweh

One has strong confidence.

One’s children will have a refuge.

The fear of Yahweh

Is a fountain of life.

Thus one may avoid the snares of death.”

The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. Thus, those who fear God have a strong confidence that their children will be fine. This fear of God is a refuge, the fountain, or the source of all life. If you have fear of Yahweh, you will avoid the snares of death.

January 1, 2016

The beginning of knowledge (Prov 1:7-1:7)

“The fear of Yahweh

Is the beginning of knowledge.

Fools despise wisdom.

Fools despise instruction.”

This is the famous saying about the fact that all knowledge, wisdom, and instruction begins with the fear of Yahweh. Unlike a natural curiosity, this fear of God is the starting point for all wisdom. Fools are the ones who despise wisdom and any kind of instruction. Generally speaking, the fools are people who behave badly.

October 31, 2015

The power of God (Ps 76:7-76:9)

“But you indeed are awesome!

Who can stand before you?

When once your anger is roused?

From the heavens

You uttered judgment.

The earth feared.

The earth was still.

God rose up to establish judgment.

He wanted to save all the oppressed of the earth.”

Selah

God was awesome! No one could stand before him once his anger was aroused. From heaven he uttered his judgment. Thus the earth feared and was still. God established his judgment. He wanted to save all the oppressed of the earth. This section ends with the musical interlude meditative pause of Selah.