Teaching Notes

The Fear of the Lord

Deuteronomy 4:10 (The Message)

That day when you stood before God, your God, at Horeb, God said to me, "Assemble the people in my presence to listen to my words so that they will learn to fear me in holy fear for as long as they live on the land, and then they will teach these same words to their children"

Notes: When the people of God stood before him they listened to the word of God and the word helped them to learn to fear the Lord.  They learned through listening to the word of God to reverence him.  It is through the word of God that we are taught the ways of God.

Question: What do you think it means by "holy fear"?

Answer: This holy fear is that reverence we have been speaking about.  That is the desire to show an attitude of deep respect for God.  They learned to reverence him not only for themselves but also so they could go and tell others about God.  Did you know that the Bible talks about how people are saved, it is through the hearing of the word of God.  God's word not only saves us, but our reading it is very necessary so that we can grow.  As we grow in our understanding, we also grow in our respect (awe) of who God is.

Prayer: Lord today, help me to reverence you or show holy fear for who you are.  Help me to listen to what your word is speaking to my spirit so that I can learn to respect you even more.