FEAR THE LORD
Monday 30/5/2022
Suggested Hymns: G. H. B. 61, 83
Devotional Reading: Ps. 112:1-10
Topic For Adults: Blessed Is The Man Who Fears The Lord
Topic For Youths: The Fear Of The Lord Is The Beginning Of Wisdom
Topic For Intermediates: The Fear Of The Lord Is To Hate Evil
Lesson Scriptures: Gen. 4:1-11; 39:1-12; Exo. 5:1-5, Rom. 1:28-32;
Dan. 3:12-25, Neh. 5:14-19; Ps. 112:1-10.
MEMORY VERSE
“The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; pride and arrogance and the evil way and the perverse mouth I hate” (Proverbs 8:13) NKJV.
MEANING OF THE FEAR OF THE LORD
Proverbs 8:1-13
Many people tremble when there is thunder and lightning and shout the name of Jesus. This is not the fear of the Lord. Some people are terrified when there is an accident or when something terrible happens, and they begin to call upon the name of the Lord. This is not the fear of the Lord. The fear of the Lord means to love, honour and respect God. If you fear the Lord, you will not like to offend Him or to do contrary to His commandments. The fear of the Lord is also to live in awe of His power and sovereignty. To fear the Lord means to run away from sin. A person who fears God will hate sin with perfect hatred.
Point of Emphasis: To fear the Lord is to hate sin.
Prayer Point: Father, help me to hate sin with perfect hatred.
Reading The Bible Through in a Year: Morning: Heb. 13; Evening: Eccl. 4-6
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BACKGROUND
Wickedness, violence, corruption, abortion, murder, kidnapping, rape, ritual killing, eating of human flesh and drinking of human blood and all kinds of sins and evils are being perpetrated with reckless abandon in the society today because of lack of the fear of the Lord. If people fear the Lord according to the Scripture, they will not be sinning there will be peace, progress and joy. The will of God will be done.
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NOTES ON THE LESSON
PART 1: LIFESTYLES THAT PORTRAY LACK OF THE FEAR OF THE LORD - GEN. 4:1-11; EXO. 5:1-5; ROM. 1:28-32
According to the passages above and many more not quoted because of space, there are clear manifestations of lifestyles devoid of the fear of the Lord. Cain became envious and killed his brother in spite of God’s warning. Pharaoh became swollen-headed and stubborn and refused to allow the children of Israel to go and serve the Lord. He and his people paid dearly for this, as they eventually perished in the Red Sea (Exo. 14:21-31).
In Rom. 1:28-32, we can see clearly, the lifestyles that show lack of the fear of the Lord. Those who live contrary to the words of God do not fear the Lord. Those who live sinful lives do not fear the Lord. The thieves, fornicators, adulterers, adulteresses, abortionists, armed robbers, kidnappers, students who are involved in examination malpractices, the corrupt officials and those who embezzle public money don’t have the fear of God in their hearts.
Examine yourself if you still indulge in sin or you still disobey known instructions and commandments of God. You need to repent and have a change of heart because the judgment of God is imminent on those who disrespect Him in anyway.
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PART 2: LIFESTYLES THAT PORTRAY THE FEAR OF THE LORD - GEN. 39:1-12; DAN. 3:12-25; NEH. 5:14-19
Jesus said “therefore by their fruits you will know them” (Matt. 7:20). Whoever fears the Lord will be recognised through his or her lifestyle. In spite of the sinful and persistent sexual temptation from Potiphar’s wife, Joseph did not sleep with the woman. He resisted the temptation. He said among other things “…how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?”. Joseph resisted the temptation because he feared the Lord. Whoever fears the Lord will resist and run away from sin regardless of the pressure.
The three Hebrews; Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to worship the golden image which Nebuchadnezzar had set up in spite of the threat of the burning fiery furnace. They said among other things “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. But if not, let it be known to you O King, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the golden image which you have set up” (Daniel 3:16-18).
They demonstrated their loyalty to God because they feared the Lord. Whoever has the fear of the Lord will be loyal to God and will not succumb to the temptation of serving and worshipping the gods of wood, sex, money, football, masquerade, alcohol, drug and so on.
For fear of the Lord, Nehemiah, unlike the governors before him did not lay unnecessary burden upon the people of Israel while rebuilding the wall after they had returned from captivity (Neh. 5:15). Leaders who have the fear of the Lord will not lay unnecessary burden on the people they lead.
PART 3: BLESSINGS OF FEARING THE LORD - PS. 112:1-10; PROV. 1:7
There are several promises for those who fear the Lord. If we fear the Lord, we can confidently claim these promises and blessings. Here are some of them which we need to meditate on and claim.
Those who fear the Lord:
1. are assured of angelic protection (Ps. 34:7);
2. command God’s continual attention (Ps. 33:18);
3. access His provision (Ps. 34:9, Ps. 111:5);
4. receive God’s great mercy (Ps. 103:11);
5. have their heart desires granted (Ps. 145:19);
6. are endowed with wisdom and understanding (Prov. 9:10-11);
7. are confident (Prov. 14:26-27);
8. have peace of mind (Prov. 15:16);
9. are made rich, honoured and filled with life (Prov. 22:4);
10. are given clear direction (Ps. 25:12);
11. have a good reward for their labour (Matt. 16:27).
I encourage everyone of us to cultivate the fear of the Lord in our daily living and relationships. We can then boldly claim the above promises and many more.
CONCLUSION
To fear the Lord should be a very easy way of life ready to enjoy the abundant blessings and benefit embedded in it, but unfortunately, the force dwelling in man runs contrary. The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom to be prosperous, to be secured, to be healthy and eventually be in heaven with God eternally.
It should be noted, that in this age of information, knowledge is plentiful but wisdom is scarce. Since the fear of Lord is the beginning of wisdom, adhere to godly wisdom which the Bible offers.
QUESTIONS
1. Going by the week’s lesson, what does it mean to fear the Lord?
2. Mention some of the marks of lack of the fear of the Lord.
3. Mention some people in the Bible who feared the Lord and some of the people who did not have the fear of the Lord.
4. Mention some of the benefits which accrue to those who fear the Lord.
5. What steps will you take to demonstrate the fear of the Lord?
DO HAVE A BLESSED DAY
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