Why FEAR the LORD?

by Patte Smith on Thursday, April 19, 2012 at 10:55pm ·

I will make an everlasting covenant with them
that I will not turn away from them,
to do them good;
and I will put the fear of Me in their hearts
 so that they will not turn away from Me.
~ Jeremiah 32:40

"but I will put My fear in their hearts;" which is not naturally in the hearts of men; and, where it is, it is put there by the grace of God, and as a blessing of the covenant. It appears in those who are brought to a true sight of sin, in their humble sense of themselves, and dependence on the Lord; and in a reverent affection for Him: and in a true and spiritual worship of Him; and which is a security from a final and total apostasy from Him, as follows:

"that they shall not depart from Me;"

Not but that they may and do sin against God; and there may be a partial departure from Jim in those that truly fear Him; but not a wicked, final, and total one: the fear of God influences them to cleave close unto Him; and the power of God keeps them from departing from Him, from His doctrines, worship... and a profession of his name.

~ John Gill

The fear of God brings temporal and eternal benefits:

1. “The secret of the Lord is for those who fear Him, and He will make them know His covenant” (Ps. 25:14).

2. “The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him, and rescues them” (Ps. 34:7).

3. “The Lord has compassion on those who fear Him” (Ps. 103:13).

4. “The Lord favors those who fear Him” (Ps. 147:11).

5. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Prov. 1:7; 9:10).

6. “The fear of the Lord prolongs life” (Prov. 10:27).

7. “The fear of the Lord leads to life, that one may sleep satisfied, untouched by evil” (Prov. 19:23).

8. “The reward of humility and the fear of the Lord are riches, honor and life” (Prov. 22:4).

9. As David says to the Lord,
“How great is Your goodness, which You have stored up for those who fear You” (Ps. 31:19).

Clearly, fearing God is to your great advantage.

~ Daryl Wingerd
The Importance of Fearing the God You Love


The remarkable thing about God
is that when you fear Him,
you fear nothing else,
whereas if you do not fear God,
you fear everything else.
~ Oswald Chambers