The Beginning of Wisdom

I've often been recognized for the insight God has given me. I have often recognized this insight in myself. To be honest, I've taken pride in the fact that God opens his Word to me so clearly, and gives me the ability to see practical applications to my life, as well as the ability to pass my knowledge on to others. And though it's true, it's not something I've done for myself. It truly is a gift from God.

I don't say this to boast. On the contrary, I've recently been struck with how little wisdom and knowledge I truly have. I had a moment with God in my Bible study and prayer time yesterday that made me feel like I had been blind my whole life. I love those moments, don't you? I love that they can happen anywhere, at any time. You don't need to be at church, or at a conference with lots of flashing lights and a room full of energy. God meets us just as willingly in our bedrooms, sitting rooms, studies, porches, yards, etc. Anywhere we are, God is too. 

But that's a discussion for another day. Today, I want to go over the new beginning of wisdom that I discovered in my quiet time yesterday. And of course, it has its origins in "the fear of the Lord".

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. "
Proverbs 9:10 NIV

For context, I was reading in Exodus about the plagues God inflicted on Egypt. I was watching the different reactions of Pharaoh and his officials. While Pharaoh was hardening his heart, he was gradually being cowed. At first, he was treating God like an inferior being. Pharaoh believed he himself was a god, and a powerful one at that. But as things progressed, he gradually started treating God like an equal, and was negotiating with him like he would with another head of state. Finally, he started treating God like a superior. When requesting that Moses appeal to God to remove the plague of the hail in Exodus 9, Pharaoh uses the phrase, "I have sinned" for the first time (Exodus 9:27). This phrase implies Pharaoh's acknowledgement of God's authority over him. Not to the point of a true change of heart and change of ways, but it was certainly a change from the man who said, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey him and let Israel go?” (Exodus 5:2).

Pharaoh's officials, too, had learned to respect God's authority and power. First it was the magicians, who, when God did something they couldn't replicate, told Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God.” (Exodus 8:19). Then, when God warned Pharaoh of the incoming plague of hail, some of his officials listened to the warning, and took the steps God had laid out to preserve the lives of their servants and livestock:

"'Give an order now to bring your livestock and everything you have in the field to a place of shelter, because the hail will fall on every person and animal that has not been brought in and is still out in the field, and they will die.’ Those officials of Pharaoh who feared the word of the Lord hurried to bring their slaves and their livestock inside. But those who ignored the word of the Lord left their slaves and livestock in the field."

Exodus 9:19-21 (emphasis mine)

Through these plagues, God was teaching the Egyptians the fear of the Lord. One thing in particular, that God said to Pharaoh, stood out to me: "For by now I could have stretched out my hand and struck you and your people with a plague that would have wiped you off the earth." (Exodus 9:15).

In that one sentence, I found something that I've lost: the fear of the Lord. This is kind of ironic to me, because for a long time now God has been working with me to not be motivated by guilt or fear. But that fear I've been avoiding, and that God has been bringing me away from, is the fear of punishment. Like 1 John 4:18 says, "There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love."

Because of our faith in Jesus, we have no need to be afraid of God's punishment. We are free to love him, and to serve him out of that love. However, may it never enter our minds that God is not God. He is the only reason we are alive. We cannot turn one hair on our heads white or black. He sustains us, cares for us, and gives us purpose in his plan. So we need to acknowledge him as sovereign, and keep him on the throne of our hearts. That is the fear of the Lord that I truly discovered for the first time yesterday.

I wrote down what I was learning, and gave God a chance to expound on it. Here's what we said:

Me (notes on what I just read): "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." Proverbs 9:10.

A part of faith is acknowledging that we cannot keep ourselves alive. We cannot earn God's mercy. He is sovereign, and there is no hope without him. Yet, he himself has given us hope. He has given us ample proof that he keeps his promises, and then he gave us the promise of eternal life, to anyone who puts their faith in his Son, Jesus. He raised Jesus from the dead to prove that he has authority to give us that life. So there's no point in trying to earn brownie points from God. There's no chance he could ever owe us anything.

(Here, I start addressing God directly):It never occurred to me that the fear of the Lord could be such a comforting thing. For me, the greatest comfort is knowing that to not try and earn anything special is actually an act of wisdom. Instead, being humble and completely reliant on your grace is better than earning favor through something as cheap and worthless as good works and religious observances.

At the same time, though, I cannot take your grace for granted. I shouldn't willingly act in a way that betrays the law you've placed in my heart. For you who gives mercy has the authority and right to take it away, and no one could dispute it.

God: I oppose the proud. Those who are so in love with themselves and their sin that they harden themselves against my rebuke. 

But I give grace to the humble. I have given you my Spirit to keep your heart soft before me, and to advocate for mercy on your behalf. That's why it's so important to turn to me when you sin. To do otherwise is to turn away. There is no fixing yourself. To try makes you an idol in your own heart. And there's no ignoring sin, either. To ignore it is to indulge it, and to indulge in sin is an act of all-out rebellion. Death is the end of that road. Death, pain, and loneliness are the only consequences of sin. But I am a good Gardener. I know the wheat from the tares of your heart. I know what brings you life, and what sucks you dry. So leave me in charge of your little garden. For I am God, but I am also your loving Abba. I care for you. I love you. I give my life for you. So follow me on the road that leads to life. It is a road where you may be struck down, but will not be destroyed. You may experience pain and fear, but you'll never have to face them alone. So always, always, turn to me with your sin. Don't let fear stop you, for I have chosen you to receive my mercy and grace.

So, the basic concept I've learned is this: There is no hope for me except Jesus, but in Jesus my hope is complete. Yes, God is worthy of being feared, but since he has chosen to grant me mercy, I do not have to let my fear keep me from approaching him, even in my sin.

'For the word of God is alive and active.
Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow;
it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.
Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.'
Hebrews 4:12-16

That's everything I have on the fear of the Lord. However, one thing that is also comforting to think about is that this awesome God we serve is on our side. We don't have to read the plagues of Exodus from the perspective of the Egyptians. We get to read them from the perspective of Israel, who got to sit back and watch as God answered their prayers for deliverance in a mighty and unforgettable way. This is the God who is always with us. This is the God who brought us salvation, and who is always available to talk about the smallest details of our lives. That's where David got the faith to face a giant. That's where Isaiah, Jeremiah, and the other prophets got the voice to speak out against sin, when sin was celebrated by those around them. That's where Daniel, Mordecai, and others got the courage to set themselves apart from the culture around them, and to instead pursue God even in a place of exile. With God on our side, we can face armies, rivers, oceans, fires, famine, plague, wickedness, and darkness without fear. For our fear of the Lord assures our hearts that nothing can stand in his way.