For this is what you asked of the Lord your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly when you said, “Let us not hear the voice of the Lord our God nor see this great fire anymore, or we will die.” (Deuteronomy:18:16)
The people of Israel were scared of approaching GOD unlike Moses did. The reason being they had "the fear of GOD" but not in the right sense. They were scared that they may die if they draw closer to GOD. If they indeed really had the fear of GOD, they wouldn't have pushed Aaron into making the golden calf while Moses was away meeting with GOD. In short, the real "fear of GOD" isn't about running away from GOD but drawing closer to Him and not to lose Him. The real fear of GOD isn't about striving for a sinless life fearing GOD's punishment but the fear of living a life without Him.
I couldn't think of anyone better than Joseph who demonstrated the fear of GOD in a best possible way, in a real time scenario. Let's read Genesis:39:6-9 "Now Joseph was well-built and handsome, and after a while his master’s wife took notice of Joseph and said, “Come to bed with me!” But he refused. “With me in charge,” he told her, “my master does not concern himself with anything in the house; everything he owns he has entrusted to my care. No one is greater in this house than I am. My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?”. Joseph refuses to give in to the temptation that arises in the form of his master's wife. The reason he gives for not accepting the lady's advances is that he couldn't do such a wicked thing against GOD! Hold on, did he get that wrong after narrating everything that his master had done for him, shouldn't he say he couldn't do such a wicked thing against his master? Joseph knew that the promotion and success he had attained in an alien nation couldn't have happened without the Lord being with him. The very thought of yielding to sin and losing GOD's presence in his life scared him to death. Now that is what the real "fear of GOD" is all about!
Fear of GOD is not running away from His presence feeling unworthy but the absence of His presence. That's why David cried out in Psalms:51:11 "Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me."
Blessings!
The people of Israel were scared of approaching GOD unlike Moses did. The reason being they had "the fear of GOD" but not in the right sense. They were scared that they may die if they draw closer to GOD. If they indeed really had the fear of GOD, they wouldn't have pushed Aaron into making the golden calf while Moses was away meeting with GOD. In short, the real "fear of GOD" isn't about running away from GOD but drawing closer to Him and not to lose Him. The real fear of GOD isn't about striving for a sinless life fearing GOD's punishment but the fear of living a life without Him.
I couldn't think of anyone better than Joseph who demonstrated the fear of GOD in a best possible way, in a real time scenario. Let's read Genesis:39:6-9 "Now Joseph was well-built and handsome, and after a while his master’s wife took notice of Joseph and said, “Come to bed with me!” But he refused. “With me in charge,” he told her, “my master does not concern himself with anything in the house; everything he owns he has entrusted to my care. No one is greater in this house than I am. My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?”. Joseph refuses to give in to the temptation that arises in the form of his master's wife. The reason he gives for not accepting the lady's advances is that he couldn't do such a wicked thing against GOD! Hold on, did he get that wrong after narrating everything that his master had done for him, shouldn't he say he couldn't do such a wicked thing against his master? Joseph knew that the promotion and success he had attained in an alien nation couldn't have happened without the Lord being with him. The very thought of yielding to sin and losing GOD's presence in his life scared him to death. Now that is what the real "fear of GOD" is all about!
Fear of GOD is not running away from His presence feeling unworthy but the absence of His presence. That's why David cried out in Psalms:51:11 "Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me."
Blessings!
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