Teaching Notes

The Fear of the Lord

Leviticus 19:31-34 (The Message)

 "Don't dabble in the occult or traffic with mediums; you'll pollute your souls. I am God, your God. "Show respect to the aged; honor the presence of an elder; fear your God. I am God.

Notes: The Levitical Law called for the children of God to obey that which he handed down to them.  They were the laws they lived by. There were many Laws but the way the people were to remember them was to continually repeat them and say them pass them on so that those coming behind would also understand them.  This was the "Oral Tradition".  The word was passed on orally from one generation to the next.

Question: What does it mean to fear God?

Answer: It is not the same way we think about fear as in being afraid of something and running from it.  It means to reverence or respect God.  The children of Israel were told to flee from anything that was not in line with God.  No other worship should take the place of God.  While you might say we are not worshipping idols today.  But if you allow your music, friends, relationships or habits to be more important than God then you have made that a "mini-god" and placed it in the place that God should hold.  So in this scripture the lesson is to show respect to those that are your elders and you do this because you fear (respect or are in awe) God. You should want to please God so much that you desire to seek excellence for him.  It is excellence that God displays through you, not a excellence of your own.  This will be something you seek only if you fear the Lord.

Prayer: Lord, today help me to show my reverence, respect and love for you.  Help me to do so by following after those things which are important to you.  It is important to you for me to respect my elders, help me to do so.  Help me to love them, even if they are not so loving to me.