The Fear of the LORD

The Fear of the LORD is the beginning of Wisdom.  (Psalm 111:10 and Proverbs 9:10)


Today I want to discuss the topic of reverence in Biblical terms, “The Fear of the LORD.”
We live in an era where the very concept of reverence is misconstrued to non-existent.  Our present culture barely acknowledges the idea of "Honour our Fathers and Mothers," let alone our Elders, and those who are in positions of authority above us.  We mock such “Traditions,” and like to see ourselves as privileged individuals expressing our individuality.


We walk about with crass attitudes and chips on our shoulders, thinking that humility is defined by holding a door open, or allowing another driver to enter the lane in front of us.  The concepts of respect are so distorted, that we have no idea what the premise even means anymore.


The question is, how does this reflect upon our relationship with the LORD?
The Shema teaches us to Love the LORD our God with All our Heart, Strength, Mind and Soul, and to Love our Neighbour as ourselves, but without respect for one another, how can we honour God?


Do we simply bow our heads in honour, to respect the symbol of a tradition, or do we really understand why we even do the things that we do?  Why do we close our eyes when we pray, why do we get down on our knees, or lay prostrate on the floor?  OR do we even do any of this anymore?


Now, some of you may actually do these things.  I’m not questioning your actions, I’m questioning our hearts.  – Ritual or Genuine expression of reverence? 


We join together at Chaverim to Kehielah (to Congregate), in Union to Celebrate, to Worship, and to Praise the LORD.  We have a Tradition, and we honour this Tradition each week, as we take the Torah Scroll from the Ark, remove its covering, and parade it around the room.  It is a joy to us.  We respect the Tradition, by symbolically touching the scroll, and then drawing the Word of God to our Lips.


The question that I pose and I pose this for myself, even more than I ask it of you, “Am I honouring the Tradition, or genuinely revering The Word of God?”  These are questions that we must ask ourselves here at Chaverim Mashiach.


Rav Sha’ul (Paul) teaches us that we should examine ourselves:


“Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Messiah Yeshua is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test?” 2 Corinthians 13:5 


Don’t get me wrong.  I LOVE this tradition.  I love it because this is a part of my heritage.  This is a part of OUR heritage, Jew and Gentile alike.  This is something that WE, as the Kehielah of God, had lost through millennia, due to Replacement Theology and Anti-Semitism.  Now, today, here in this Room, we Celebrate the Torah, just like our ancestors did in days of old.  “THIS IS THE WORD OF GOD!”  Amen?


Some may come and see this as an expression of Legalism.  Some may come and see this as a Dog and Pony Show, but let me tell you, this is a part of what Our LORD, Yeshua, did in His Synagogues  thousands of years ago.  Yes, He too celebrated the Word that He Gave to us.  Yes, you heard me, if you believe that He is LORD, then you understand that it was Him that had given us the Torah – "The Word of God" -  in the first place.  Therefore, Messiah Yeshua did come to celebrate His Word with us, His Simcha Torah!


In fact, He is the Word become Flesh and dwelt among us.  He is not the “Old Testament,” but  He was, and is and will always be the Covenant to Our People.  He is the Brit Hadasha – The New or Renewed Covenant spoken of in Jeremiah 31:31.  He is the Law in our Hearts.  He came to teach us Torah properly, and we must respect, honour, and revere His teaching about The Law, The Word of God.


Today, it is taught in the Churches that, “Now, we can Boldly enter into the Throne Room of God.”
“The Old Testament is done, the vale has been torn, and now we can simply walk into the Holy of Holies, through the Blood of Christ.”


This comes from a verse in Hebrews. 


“Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:16


This is interpreted to mean, that because of Christ, the Protocols of The Old Testament are done away with.  We no longer need a Priest to stand between ourselves and God.  Christ has removed this protocol, and now therefore, we may approach without hesitation.  Amen?


Some boldly agree... Some hesitate.


Well, let me tell you that I do agree that we may boldly come unto the throne of grace as the Scripture states, but I would caution you to not misconstrue the Throne of Grace, with God’s Throne Room in general.  The LORD YHVH is still God, and with this position comes respect, honour, reverence and protocol.


Let me explain further:


A couple weeks ago, we celebrated the Feast of Ester, Purim.  During this Holiday, we read from the Miggilah of Ester, and we enjoy the celebration with our families as the story was read, and we made a lot of noise when we heard the name “Haman.”  ???  (Booo!!!)
However, in the midst of the story, Ester is challenged with a dilemma.  She is coaxed by her uncle Mordechi (Yeah!!!) to enter into the King’s Throne Room, and plead on behalf of the Jewish People, so that Haman’s (Booo!!!) plan is thwarted.  In the discussion, Ester explains that if she goes in without being summoned by the King, this would be a breach of protocol, and she would be killed.  Ester was forced to exercise her Faith, that the King loved her enough that when she entered into the Throne Room, that the King, knowing the consequences, would follow the Protocol of Grace, and hold out his sceptre to her.  Once Ester would touch the sceptre, she was welcome to approach the Throne and plead her case.  As we know the story, King Ahesarus does extent the sceptre of Grace, and Ester is able to plead her case before the King, and we know the how the story goes.


However, the point is that By Faith, she approached the King in humility, knowing the consequences, nonetheless also knowing that she had acquired the King’s Love, that he would extend the Grace.  Ester did not approach the King’s Throne Room with haughtiness, nor arrogance.  She did not enter with an assuming attitude of privilege and presumptuous right.  Simply, by her honourable relationship with her husband, the King, she followed protocol and so did he.


Does this mean that protocol was not in place?  Of course it was, and therefore we must recognise this Fact, when approaching even the Throne of Grace.  These protocols of respect and reverence are still in place, even if you are in relationship with God.  However, if you are NOT in relationship with God, He still welcomes you to come in and reason with Him, if your heart is in the right place. 


You are welcome to COME as you are, just do not STAY as you are.  Come to receive Grace, Healing, Redemption, and Proper Instruction.  You may feel, because of your Sinful Behaviour and Wayward Past, that you are not worthy to approach His Thrown, but He does want you to come to Him.  This is why He provided a means to approach Him in the first place.  Just do it with respect and remember WHOM you are approaching. 


This is why it is appropriate to express to one another that “God wants you to come to Him.”  This was the whole point of what Yeshua accomplished on the Cross, but we still need to acknowledge the Fear of the LORD.


Moses was given a special dispensation that he could approach the LORD, in the Tent of Meeting, but even with that, Moses Feared the LORD.  Now Moses was not a Priest per se, nor was he “Aaronic.”  Moses was a Prophet, and in as much, he was given a special privilege from the King (YHVH) to approach without request.  Even Aaron, The Cohen Gadol (The High Priest), did not have this full privilege.


Now, at least Moses was a Levite, which in and of itself, gave him special access to the Tabernacle within the context of The Law.  However, Joshua was an Ephriamite, but the Scriptures tell us that he remained within the Tent of Meeting, and never left. 


“And the LORD spoke unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. And he would return into the camp; but his minister Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the Tent.” Genesis 33:11


If you recall the Midrash discussion from a few weeks ago, Joshua was also on or near the mountain with Moses, during the incident with the Golden Calf.  Joshua also had special dispensation before the LORD, and in fact when the authority was passed over to him, Joshua stands with Moses in the Tent of Meeting before the presence of the LORD.  Nevertheless, Joshua Feared the LORD in all his interactions with HaShem.


Well, you could say that, “That’s the OLD TESTAMENT, we now live in the New Testament, and we can all boldly go before the LORD any time that we want." 


Let me tell you that you didn’t have to be a Prophet or a Priest to speak with the LORD, even within the context of “The Old Testament.”  We could speak and have a relationship with him, all throughout the History of the Word of God.  This idea never changed.  This is exactly WHAT He wanted all along!  What has changed is that “for a time,” God has allowed His People to wander, all the while He has promised to bring them back.  In this time (“of the Gentile”) opportunity has been given to the rest of the world to experience this relationship.  Nevertheless, in their wandering, God’s Chosen People have preserved some of the Traditions of Reverence and the Fear of the LORD, but in other ways they are far from Him.  The time is coming and becoming shorter, and we can all feel it, He is preparing us for that time.  Amen?


All the same, be it far from Christians to point the finger at the so-called “Legalism,” of the Jews, when the Church itself is so saturated with this attitude of privilege.  We, as Believers, should be taking note of how Our Brethren in the Flesh conduct themselves regarding the things of God.  There are protocols of Reverence in place to train us for the times that are coming when we WILL dwell, once again, in His Presence.  We must prepare and be ready for the coming day.  We must learn again, how to Fear the LORD.


Although, we should not be misdirected by Rabbinical Mitzvoth and "Extra-Biblical" interpretations of The Law, but we should embrace the ideas behind the Spirit of applied Reverence towards God.  We must be aware of whom the LORD is, and what business we have in associating ourselves with His Devine Presence.  Therefore, come let us learn together what it means to Fear The LORD.


If we need to approach the throne of grace, we should simply be aware that He is Just and willing to forgive us, if we repent (T’shuva – Turn away) from our behaviour.  However, if we return to our habitual and sinful behaviour, then we must look towards the protocols of consequence.


Let us set the record straight today, The Fear of the LORD is not simply “An Old Testament Concept.”  Let’s have a look at this topic as addressed within the Writings of The New Testament.


“Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven.” Acts 2:5 – Regarding the Jews gathered in Jerusalem for Shavuot (Pentecost).


“He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly.”  Regarding Cornelius the 1st Biblically recorded Gentile to join the Messianic movement of Yeshua.  Acts 10:2


“Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers.”  Acts 9:31


And there are many others within the Book of Acts:


In fact, it is said that Luke himself was a “God Fearer” or “Righteous Gentile,” before he went through ritual conversion, and became recognized as “A Jew.”


But even within Doctrine, the concept is there:


“Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade men. What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to your conscience.” 2 Corinthians 5:11


“Submit to one another out of reverence for Messiah.”  Ephesians 5:21


“It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”  Hebrews 10:31


I’ll say it again, “The Fear of the LORD is the beginning of Wisdom.”


Should we be afraid of the LORD?  His very presence is a consuming fire that no man can stand in his presence and live, therefore I’d say yes.  However, we should not be afraid of the LORD, because He has provided a protocol to approach Him with – Yeshua our Messiah!  Amen?


BUT – There is still a protocol in place.  No man comes to the Father, but by Him, Yeshua Our LORD.  He is The Way, The Truth, and The Life.


OK Then, now let’s look back to the Foundation, “The Scriptures,” to get a better understanding of what taught us HOW to fear the LORD in the first place.


This Week’s Parasha is “Vayikra.”  This is the first parasha of Leviticus, and we have just begun the 3rd book of Moses.


The first section of Leviticus is about the process of the Mishkan or Tabernacle regarding Offerings.  Here, we learn that there are specific protocols for atonement and response to respective sins, in the method of sacrifice. 


Let me read from Leviticus 1:1-13


1 And the LORD called unto Moses, and spoke unto him out of the tent of meeting, saying:
2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them: When any man of you bringeth an offering unto the LORD, ye shall bring your offering of the cattle, even of the herd or of the flock.
3 If his offering be a burnt-offering of the herd, he shall offer it a male without blemish; he shall bring it to the door of the tent of meeting, that he may be accepted before the LORD.
4 And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the burnt-offering; and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him.
5 And he shall kill the bullock before the LORD; and Aaron's sons, the priests, shall present the blood, and dash the blood round about against the altar that is at the door of the tent of meeting.
6 And he shall flay the burnt-offering, and cut it into its pieces.
7 And the sons of Aaron the priest shall put fire upon the altar, and lay wood in order upon the fire.
8 And Aaron's sons, the priests, shall lay the pieces, and the head, and the suet, in order upon the wood that is on the fire which is upon the altar;
9 but its inwards and its legs shall he wash with water; and the priest shall make the whole smoke on the altar, for a burnt-offering, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD. {S}
10 And if his offering be of the flock, whether of the sheep, or of the goats, for a burnt-offering, he shall offer it a male without blemish.
11 And he shall kill it on the side of the altar northward before the LORD; and Aaron's sons, the priests, shall dash its blood against the altar round about.
12 And he shall cut it into its pieces; and the priest shall lay them, with its head and its suet, in order on the wood that is on the fire which is upon the altar.
13 But the inwards and the legs shall he wash with water; and the priest shall offer the whole, and make it smoke upon the altar; it is a burnt-offering, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.


Not very specific is it?  This is how the LORD commanded it to be done, who are we to tell Him what He meant? 


Daniel, are you telling us that we need to go out and start sacrificing Animals, like in the Old Testament?  No.  We do not have a Temple, and another Order of Sacrifice has been implemented.  Yeshua has paid that price.  The point is that we must follow the prescription that God gives us, and not just make it up as we go along.


Does a protocol of conduct mean that we can do whatever we want, or could it mean, “The LORD understands the intent of my heart, and then therefore it doesn’t really matter if I do it right?”
With this attitude, you may as well accept the fact that “There are many ways to Heaven,” in spite of what Yeshua taught that, “[He is] the way, the truth and the Life, and [that] no man comes to the Father, but by [Him.]”  John 14:6  Is this not what we tell an Unbeliever, or Seeker who asks us this question or makes this statement?


What you are telling them, in essence, when you quote this verse is that, in spite of Our Good Works, and Good Intentions, God has provided A WAY to approach Him, and there is no other way.  Yeshua, the Messiah, is His Protocol of Conduct.  If you Love Him, Obey Him.  His Words – His Ways.


Following His Instruction (His Torah) and Living the Shema, is Loving Him with All your heart, all your mind, and all your strength.  By declaring that you do not need to do it His way, is denying the fact that He is God.  We are not God.  This is how it works; He makes the rules that govern the universe, and we figure out how they work, and then live within the parameters of this reality.  Deal with it.


I’m not telling you that you need to believe, because I say so, or Pastor so and so says so, or Rabbi what’s his name says so.  I’m telling you to seek the Scriptures, and develop that relationship with His Word, so that YOU KNOW SO. 


Let’s have another look at what The Foundation, “The Scriptures,” teach about The Fear of the LORD.
The first time that the term appears is in reference to the Gentiles hearing the Words of the LORD through Moses:


20 Those officials of Pharaoh who feared the word of the LORD hurried to bring their slaves and their livestock inside. 21 But those who ignored the word of the LORD left their slaves and livestock in the field.  Exodus 9:20-21


Then we see the term used in reference to the Israelite:


And when the Israelites saw the mighty hand of the LORD displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared the LORD and put their trust in him and in Moses his servant. Exodus 14:31


Here’s something from Vayikra the book that we have just begun again for this year:


“Do not take advantage of each other, but fear your God. I am the LORD your God.” Leviticus 25:17
"Do not take advantage of each other…"  What is he saying in essence?  “Love your Neighbour.”


Love the LORD your God and Love your Neighbour as yourself, for all Law and the Prophets (All Scripture) lay upon these two Mitzvoth.  This is the very essence of who we are as Believers.


“Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD.” Psalm 34:11
“Then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God.” Proverbs 2:5


I could go on all afternoon, because this is a central theme of our Faith:


“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”  Proverbs 9:10


“The fear of the LORD adds length to life, but the years of the wicked are cut short.”  Proverbs 10:27
“The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, turning a person from the snares of death.”  Proverbs 14:17


It continues on, and on.  It’s even within a Messianic Prophesy that we read each Shabbat here at Chaverim:


“The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him— the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the LORD and he will delight in the fear of the LORD. He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears;”
Isaiah 11:2-3


Let’s leave this off with a profound teaching that Yeshua gave us:


“Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.”  Matthew 10:28


This means that we should be more concerned with the Fear of the LORD, than we are with the Fear of Man.


In a couple weeks, in Parasha Shemini, we are going to experience a tragic event recorded in Biblical History.  The Sons of Aaron, Nadab and Abihu will make an irrevocable mistake in missing the mark by not adhereing to the specific nature of the LORD’s protocol. 


1 And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took each of them his censer, and put fire therein, and laid incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which He had not commanded them. 2 And there came forth fire from before the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD.


If you think for a second that this is an “Old Testament” God, think again.  The LORD tells us that He is the same Yesterday, Today, and Forever.  “I Change Not” says the LORD.  Malachi 3:6


This is the very Nature of His Name “YHVH” – “Who was, Who is, and Who is to come!”  He is eternal.




I’m going to leave you with a story from the New Testament:


1 Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. 2 With his wife’s full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles’ feet.
3 Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? 4 Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied just to human beings but to God.”
5 When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened. 6 Then some young men came forward, wrapped up his body, and carried him out and buried him.
7 About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8 Peter asked her, “Tell me, is this the price you and Ananias got for the land?”
“Yes,” she said, “that is the price.”
9 Peter said to her, “How could you conspire to test the Spirit of the Lord? Listen! The feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also.”
10 At that moment she fell down at his feet and died. Then the young men came in and, finding her dead, carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11 Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events.


Chaverim, we must seek the LORD, and Fear Him, which simply means that THIS is not a game.  We are not “Playing Church,” we are Living it.  This Community has an obligation, and a great opportunity to serve this City that we have been gathered together for this purpose.  Place your Trust in Him that He is able to deliver us to where He wants us to be.  Let that Fear of the True Nature of Who He is, guide us into all righteousness.  Amen?


Let’s Pray ---