Fearing God Wrongly

Fear (יִרְאַ֣ת) of the LORD is the foundation of wisdom. Knowledge of the Holy One results in good judgment. (Proverbs 9:10 NLT)

The fear (יִרְאַ֣ת) of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. (Proverbs 9:10 NIV)

Fear (יִרְאַ֣ת) can be reverential fear (a form of worship) or the terror or frightening feeling that something bad or even death may come.

Many fear God with the fear of a tyrant. They do not understand the action of God, but they dared not question Him. Their excuse is they fear the Lord.

This is wrong. Present your doubts. Question Him. You can ask nicely. Or you can scold Him about your perceived injustice. This one thing I know. My God will tolerate all your insults (He died on the cross) and will answer your questions and doubts if you are truly sincere in wanting to know the answers.

Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. (Philippians 2:6-8 KJV)

Job questioned God. He said he did no wrong and God punished him for nothing. God approved of Job's questions and answered him. But God was angry with Job's friends, who insisted that Job must had sinned because God was punishing him.

After the LORD had spoken these words to Job, He said to Eliphaz the Temanite, "My wrath is kindled against you and your two friends. For you have not spoken about Me accurately, as My servant Job has. (Job 42:7 BSB)

When you refuse to question God by giving the excuse that you fear Him, essentially you are saying this:

1. I am right.
2. God is wrong.
3. But I have no choice but to accept it because He is the boss.

Of course you will say, "No, I accept His action because He knows best and I fear God." Whatever it is, examine your own heart. Please, do not fear God as you fear a tyrant. You are saying God is an unreasonable tyrant. This is blasphemy.

There are things that are clearly God's secret. And it should be clear that these are God's secret, not an excuse to fear God as a tyrant. But there are those that He reveal to us. We know the glory of God from those He revealed.

The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, so that we may follow all the words of this law. (Deuteronomy 29:29 BSB)