Fuller Fear
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge. Proverbs 1:7 NASB
Fear – Last year (October 2, 2011) we examined Moses Luzzatto’s insight into the meaning of yirat adonai (YHWH). Ira Stone commented on Luzzatto’s examination. It’s worth reading again:
“It should by now be clear that the term yirat Ha-Shem [yirat adonai] cannot simply be translated as “fear of God.” Rather, yirat ha-Shem is wisdom as expressed in worship . . . Nor is it any better understood simply as awe, a tactic that contemporary English speakers often take. Instead, I understand yirat ha-Shem as the overwhelming weight we take on when we recognize the infinite nature of our responsibility for others; ahavah is the infinite potential for joy we experience by our choices to implement the yetzer ha-tov. . . . our relationship to God is a living rather than a thinking relationship. It is not speculation on the being of God, or even on how we can speculate about God, that claims the attention of Jewish intellectual effort. Rather, it is living in the mode of God as we have experienced it in both our personal and communal histories.”[1]
Today’s Word spends a lot of time and effort thinking about God. In that respect, even though Today’s Word takes a decidedly Hebraic approach to exegesis, it is no different than the work of Christian theology. Christian theology is, by definition, thinking about God. It is the work of analyzing the text, drawing rational conclusions, postulating theories about the nature and character of God and His demands on His creation. I have often pointed out that there is no declared Jewish systematic theology. You might have thought that this is because the Hebraic world operates on some other logic, that it stems from a completely different paradigm. While that it true for the Hebraic idea of how the world works and what God demands of us, both Greek and Hebrew thought share the same logical framework. This means that Luzzatto’s insight is even more crucial for it is far too easy to simply slide over into an Hebraic mentality without grasping that Man from a biblical perspective is not what he thinks but what he does. The fundamental reason that there is no Jewish systematic theology is not because Jews do not have a well-articulated rational framework for understanding God, but rather because Judaism is ultimately about living in the experience of God. In fact, a summary picture of the Bible is that it is first and foremost a book about how to live under God’s direction. How to think about God is a far-distant second.
Once we grasp this incredible shift, we realize that Torah is a way of life, a voluntarily-adopted code of conduct that embraces every aspect of ordinary human living. Crucial to this view of Torah is the biblical truth that I am responsible! I am responsible to God, to others and, finally, to myself. In very practical terms, the fear of God is the infinite weight of our responsibility for others. No man comes into the world without this weight, although many have tried to avoid it or deflect it. But the biblical Man knows that carrying the weight of responsibility for others is the fear of the Lord. And it doesn’t really matter what you think about it. It only matters that you do something about it!
Topical Index: fear of the Lord, yirat adonai, responsibility, logic, systematic theology, Proverbs 1:7
[1] Ira Stone commentary to Moses Luzzatto, Mesillat Yesharim, pp. 10-11.
Be doers of the word, not hearers only. Understanding the Bible from a Hebrew perspective, allowing myself to come under the guidance of the Torah, has fundamentally changed my life. I always knew there was something that needed to be done, but no amount of studying through “Christian” churches, doctrinal or otherwise, has given such a clear description of what is expected. Looking back, most places and groups of people that I have studied with deny the law, but make up their own set of “rules” instead. Just going back to doing what the Torah says has made my life so much simpler and honestly removed so much guilt from me I can’t begin to tell tell you.
Yes. I especially appreciate what you said about replacing God’s law, but still having their own set of ‘Christian rules’. I think almost everyone holds the line somewhere, and makes an effort to do so.
Hebraic thought compared to the Greek mindset is such a big difference. I’m so thankful, not only to know my Yeshua, 38 yrs ago, called from darkness, out of Catholic church…….yet, now, i’m so thankful to beginning to see those missing puzzle pieces, so many things are clearing up! Torah for us! His Feasts and food! I must say though that, He has always been faithful and in His word, I knew what it meant to Walk in Yeshua, to be obedient, to live In Him, not self! I had the Ruach, I read 1John, and James n Romans. I’m so thankful to read afresh with Hebraic TRUTH! He woke my husband and our family up! Yet, there was no excuse, really, to say I had no idea about Faith, Obedience and to walk on the Rock, or in his LIght…Sooo I have had confessing to do, regret n asking my Abba for forgiveness. Now, I still need To walk in Obedience…so beautiful to know Torah is for us and the beauty of all we are learning! He is sooo wonderful! thanks to Skip for these daily words!
I agree. It does not matter (at all) what I think. What matters (only) is what God says. What matters only is “God has said.” What carries great weight is: “thus saith the LORD” – the “end” of all authority is: “the living, eternal, unchanging Word(s) of God.” (Isaiah 40.6-8)
When our (not so great) grandparents where tempted (tested) in the Garden, both of them failed miserably and because of the craft and subtlety of the Serpent, did not listen intently nor remember what God did say, (“Don’t eat the fruit!). Both of them did not obey (please notice,- no finger-pointing here)- both of them failed to remember the very words of their Creator-Mentor-Friend, and instead were “caught-up in the same web of temptation, the same deadly drugs that exists unto this very day,- the LSD of Lucifer, – Lust, Sin and Death.
First, they (both) saw the fruit- and it was pleasing unto the eye. King David looked out of the palace window and saw Bathsheba- and said to his sorry self,- “looking good!”- He also proceeded past step 1- He “saw” the “potential fruit”, and then when lust conceived…- then sin, then ultimately death.
Let’s pull over and park right here- and right now. May I remind us all- “we walk by faith and NOT by sight?” Have we (all) been doing a little “sight-seeing” trip lately? Brother- I “see it- “I”- want it. I don’t only want it- I crave it- and (best of all!)- “I” deserve it!! – Oh yeah baby- bring it- bring it to “ME”. After all, (haven’t you heard?)- it’s all about “me.”
Or…–(listen again…)- NOT
It is NOT- (I repeat..) NOT about “me.” Nor is it about what “I” want. It is, my friends- what He wants and what He says. Listen to my words when “I” say (also)- “LISTEN TO HIM.” – and- “whatever He Says- do it.”
Why? (it’s always a good thing to ask why..) Always. Why should I obey my drill sergeant? He, my friends is the one who has “authority” over me. I am the private- he is the drill sergeant. Why (tell me why) should I obey my parents? They are the ones who have authority over me.
What about my boss at work? He (or she) is the one who has authority over me.
Listen, listen again to my words- The Word of the LORD has authority over me. I do what God says- (why?) because the word of God has authority (great authority) over me.
But wait!…- there is more. (no- we’re not done yet!)- The best part of all is this..- WHO is the (living) Word of God? (Revelation 19.13)
and now- I wait for your reply…
For faith, dear friends, is our right-response to what God says. – And what is our right-response to what God has said? -Ask Adam and Eve- they know the answer. So did Samuel when he said- “to obey is better than sacrifice and to heed/qashab/listen/to incline (ears), attend than the fat of lambs. (1 Samuel 15.22)
~ If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear ~ (Mark 4.23)
God has spoken. ~ and today, if you will hear His voice, harden not your hearts ~
(Again),- it is written..-but are we listening?
~ God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, fas in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, by whom also He made the worlds; Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high:having become so much better than the messengers, as He did inherit a more excellent name than they. For unto which of the angels said He at any time, “Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee?” And again, “I will be to Him a Father, and He shall be to me a Son?” And of the angels He said, “Who makes his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire. But to the Son He said, “Your throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom.”
(Hebrews 1.1-8)
~ Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” (Genesis 3.1)
Adam? Adam? Step up to the plate Adam. Answer him. Answer, please. Do you have an answer? Did God really say that? “Agree with thine adversary quickly”- Answer Adam. Answer in the affirmative- amen! YES. Yes, G-did say- “don’t eat the fruit.” -Thank you for reminding us- obedience is critical, for Who was the most obedient Man ever to have lived? ONE who never disobeyed, ONE who never sinned? Only ONE I can think of. Only ONE I know about.. Only ONE Perfect Man ever to have lived..- but (praise God) -I know this Man. I know Him personally, yet I have never met Him, – but I will, – and face-to-face.
~ Now we see but a poor reflection…then we shall see face to face ~ (1 Corinthians 13:12)
Face to face with Christ, my Savior,
Face to face—what will it be,
When with rapture I behold Him,
Jesus Christ Who died for me?
Face to face I shall behold Him,
Far beyond the starry sky;
Face to face in all His glory,
I shall see Him by and by!
Only faintly now I see Him,
With the darkened veil between,
But a blessed Day is coming,
When His glory shall be seen.
What rejoicing in His presence,
When are banished grief and pain;
When the crooked ways are straightened,
And the dark things shall be plain.
Face to face—oh, blissful moment!
Face to face—to see and know;
Face to face with my Redeemer,
Jesus Christ Who loves me so.
Face to face I shall behold Him,
Far beyond the starry sky;
face to Face in all His glory,
I shall see Him by and by!
~ But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the LORD, are changed (and are being changed) into the same image -from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the LORD ~
(2 Corinthians 3.18)
Carl, its very good that you bring the hymns back, I’ve been missing them and they are always a blessing. You have a real gift for choosing the right one to go so well with your expressions of adoration.
I always ponder those saints gone on before, and wonder at the processes that brought this deep and purified faith up from their tried souls.
Sister Dorothy – these are the very same “processes” (the process of sanctification) that God is performing in every blood-bought believer today. I do love the hymns, (especially the “old” ones)- they have stood the test of time.
“I am responsible! I am responsible to God, to others and, finally, to myself.”
Amen