Fear of Yahweh

December 27, 2016

The everlasting covenant (Jer 32:40-32:41)

“I will make

An everlasting covenant

With them.

I will never draw back

From doing good

To them.

I will put the fear of me

In their hearts.

Thus they may not turn

From me.

I will rejoice

In doing good

To them.

I will plant them

In this land

In faithfulness,

With all my heart,

With all my soul.”

Yahweh was going to make an everlasting covenant with the new returnees from the exile. He was not going to stop doing good for them. They would have the fear of Yahweh in their hearts, so that they would never turn away from him again. Yahweh would rejoice in helping them. He wanted to plant them in this land of faithfulness with all his heart and soul. In other words, Yahweh was giving himself to the returning exiles to the Promised Land.

February 28, 2016

The search for wisdom (Eccl 7:23-7:25)

“All this I have tested by wisdom.

I said.

‘I will be wise.’

But it was far from me.

It is far off.

It is deep.

It is very deep.

Who can find it out?

I turned my mind to know it.

I turned my mind to search it out.

I turned to seek wisdom.

I turned to seek the sum of things.

I know that wickedness is folly.

I know that foolishness is madness.”

Qoheleth was tested by wisdom. He wanted to be wise, but it was far away and too deep for him. He wanted to know who was able to find wisdom. Unlike the psalms, where the beginning of wisdom was simply fear of Yahweh, Qoheleth has a hard time finding wisdom, since he does not make the connection here with the fear of God. He wanted to know about wisdom and calculations. He knew that wickedness and foolishness were folly and madness.

February 9, 2016

Have hope (Prov 23:17-23:19)

“Do not let your heart envy sinners.

But always continue in the fear of Yahweh.

Surely there is a future.

Your hope will not be cut off.

Hear!

My child!

Be wise!

Direct your mind in the way.”

Do not be envious of sinners. You should continue with your fear of Yahweh all the time. There will be a future, so always have hope. Hear and be wise. Keep your mind on the right way, the straight path.

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 7, 2016

Blessings of Yahweh (Prov 10:22-10:29)

“The blessing of Yahweh makes us rich.

Bur he adds no sorrow with it.

Doing wrong is like sport to a fool.

But wise conduct is pleasure to a man of understanding.

What the wicked dread will come upon them.

But the desire of the righteous will be granted them.

When the tempest passes,

The wicked are no more.

But the righteous are established forever.

Like vinegar to the teeth,

Like smoke to the eyes,

So are the lazy to their employers.

The fear of Yahweh prolongs life.

But the years of the wicked will be short.

The hope of the righteous one ends in gladness.

But the expectation of the wicked ones comes to nothing.

The way of Yahweh is a stronghold for the upright.

But the way of Yahweh is destruction for the evildoers.”

Yahweh has an important impact on our lives. The blessings of Yahweh make us rich with no sorrow. Fools do wrong things as if it was some kind of sport. On the other hand, the understanding people take pleasure in wise conduct. Whatever the wicked fear, it will happen to them. However, the righteous will be granted their wishes. After a storm, the wicked will no longer exist, but the righteous are established forever. Lazy people are like vinegar to your teeth or smoke to your eyes. The fear of Yahweh will prolong your life so that the wicked will have a short life. Righteous hope ends in gladness, while wicked expectations come to nothing. Yahweh’s way is a stronghold for the upright, but destruction for the evildoers.

January 6, 2016

Scoffers (Prov 9:7-9:12)

“Whoever corrects a scoffer wins abuse.

Whoever rebukes the wicked gets hurt.

A scoffer who is rebuked,

Will only hate you.

The wise man,

When rebuked,

Will love you.

Give instruction to the wise.

They will become wiser still.

Teach the righteous,

They will gain in learning.

The fear of Yahweh

Is the beginning of wisdom.

The knowledge of the Holy One is insight.

By me,

Your days will be multiplied.

By me,

Years will be added to your life.

If you are wise,

You are wise for yourself.

If you scoff,

You alone will bear it.”

If you mock or deride people as scoffers, there is no sense in rebuking you. You will only get hurt and abused because you are as if rebuking a wicked person. They will hate you. On the other hand, if you give instruction to the wise ones, they will become wiser still. If you teach the righteous, they will gain in learning. The beginning of wisdom is the fear of Yahweh. The knowledge of the Holy One leads to insight. Wisdom will multiple your days and years. If you are wise, it will go well with you. If you are a scoffer or cynic, you will bear the whole burden alone.

July 22, 2015

Only God has wisdom (Job 28:23-28:28)

“God understands the way to it.

He knows its place.

He looks to the ends of the earth.

He sees everything under the heavens.

He gave to the wind its weight.

He meted out the waters by measure.

He made a decree for the rain.

He made a way for the thunderbolt.

Then he saw it.

He declared it.

He established it.

He searched it out.

He said to humankind.

‘Truly

The fear of Yahweh,

That is wisdom.

To depart from evil is understanding.’”

Now we have the answer to this puzzle about wisdom. God is the answer. Fear of Yahweh is true wisdom, an Israelite description of God. Separating from evil is true wisdom. God understands where wisdom is and how to find it. He goes to the ends of the flat earth. He sees everything under the heavens. He knows all things. He knows the weight of the wind and the measure of water. He is in charge of the rain and the thunderbolts. Finally, he reveals it to all human mortals. Fear of the Lord Yahweh is true wisdom so that you depart from evil.