Fear Him!

(John MacDuff)   LISTEN to audio!  Download audio

(You will find it helpful to listen to the audio above, as you read the text below.)

"Who would not fear You, O King of nations!" Jeremiah 10:7

How reasonable it is that this glorious Being whose greatness is unsearchable, should be regarded with feelings of the profoundest reverence. It is indeed, His due—and as such He claims it from all His creatures.

"Concerning the sinfulness of the wicked: There is no fear of God before his eyes!" Psalm 36:1. To have no fear of God before our eyes, is at once the greatest injustice, and the most unutterable folly! All who have the impudence to lift up their puny arms in rebellion against Him—are engaged in a conflict, which, if persisted in, is sure to terminate in their utter destruction!

Reader, think of His incomprehensible greatness and majesty. Think of Him as the high and lofty One who inhabits eternity. . .
  the heavens His throne,
  the earth His footstool,
  the light His garment,
  the clouds His chariot,
  the thunder His voice!
Viewing Him thus—it will be impossible for you to treat Him with indifference, far less with scornful disdain. If you are only brought in some measure to realize the fact of God's greatness and majesty—you cannot fail to acknowledge that He is greatly to be feared, and to be held in reverence by all His creatures.

Just so, with all the other attributes of His nature.

Who can think of His power so mighty, so irresistible—a power that is able to crush us into atoms with infinitely greater ease than we can tread the crawling worm beneath our feet—and not fear Him?

Who can think of His knowledge, nothing being hidden from His omniscient glance, the darkness of midnight and the splendor of noon, being altogether alike to Him—and not fear Him?

Who can think of the terrors of His avenging justice—and not fear Him? Especially as when He proclaims from His exalted throne,
"There is no God other than Me.
 I am the one who kills and gives life.
 I am the one who wounds and heals.
 No one delivers from My power.
 As surely as I live, when I sharpen my flashing sword and begin to carry out justice, I will bring vengeance on My enemies and repay those who hate Me!" Deuteronomy 32:39-41

Our God is truly a consuming fire! It is most befitting for us, to regard Him with a reverence and godly fear.

It is not those who can deprive us of our present life, whom we should so much dread. Limited and of brief duration, is the power of all mortal foes at best.

"Do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after the killing of the body, has power to throw you into Hell. Yes, I tell you, fear Him!" Luke 12:4-5