NOTES for Pro 14:27

²⁷The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death.

We are used to connect fear only with the negative sensations. Fear does our life unbearable, fear binds by hands and feet, paralyzes all our initiative, because of fear people commit suicide, led by fear people kill others. Fear is one of the most terrible consequences of the fall, the half of death. And suddenly it is said here that fear is a fountain of life, departing from the snares of death. Maybe, it is about another fear here?

Yes, there is a precision here: God's fear. In what this fear distinguishes itself, why it helps to live? All our fears are dismiss that will happen (or against us will be done) something bad with us. From that rises paralysis or something worst again, indeed, "fear has big eyes". The main biblical Revelation is that, God is good, He is love. That is why we can await only good from Him. The fear of the Lord doesn’t consist of the fact that something bad will happen to us, if we do something or don’t do it, but rather, if we do something not as it should be, then nothing good will come true to us. And it is already completely a different thing! It frees, and doesn’t enslave, it leads to the plenitude of life. Besides, since God is almighty, we shouldn’t be afraid of all the rest. And once again - in it there is life and freedom.

Aren’t we afraid of God quite as we are afraid of the thunderstorm or fire? Do we really believe in God's goodness?

Other notes

For Pro 14:27

²⁷The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death.

We are used to connecting fear only with negative sensations. Fear makes our life unbearable, binds us hand and foot, paralyzes every initiative; because of fear people end their lives by suicide, and driven by fear, they kill others. Fear is one of the most terrible consequences of the fall, almost death. And suddenly it is said that fear is a source of life, turning one away from the snares of death. Could this be speaking of another kind of fear?

Yes, there is a clarification here: the fear of the Lord. How is it different, and why does it help one live? All our fears are the dread that something bad will happen to us (or be done to us). From this comes paralysis or something still worse, for "fear has big eyes." But the main biblical Revelation consists in the fact that God is good, He is love. Therefore only good can be expected from Him. The fear of the Lord is not that if we do or fail to do something, things will go badly for us, but that if we act wrongly, something good will not happen. And that is an entirely different matter. It frees rather than enslaves; it leads to fullness of life. More than that, since God is almighty, there is no need to fear anything else. And in this again are life and freedom.

But does it not happen to us that we fear even God as if He were a thunderstorm or a fire? Do we really believe in the goodness of God?

Readings for 22 April 2021

NOTES for Pro 14:27

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Readings for 22 April 2021

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