Many people react negatively to the idea that they should fear God. They believe that God is loving, kind, and gentle (which He is). They emphasize that for the Christian, God's wrath against his sin has already been taken by Christ on his behalf, So is Solomon's advice good only for the unbeliever or for people in Old Testament times? No, because Solomon is speaking of the need for all men to fear God and because the call to fear God is emphasized in the New Testament as well.
What does it mean to fear God? People who have irrational phobias - fear of heights, small places, crowds, elevators, telephones, water, darkness, or bugs - often seek out psychological help to overcome their unnatural and debilitating fears. The fear of God, though, is not an irrational emotion. It makes logical sense when you understand the facts about who God is and what He is like.
The biblical concept of the fear of the Lord involves a recognition of the power, greatness, authority, and holiness of God. It is a healthy fear. It means we respect Him, shudder at the thought of His judgment against our sin, hold Him in awe, reverence Him, recognize Him as absolute Lord, and honor Him. The right kind of fear, the fear of the Lord, drives us to the Lord - not away from Him!
What are some biblical examples? Many men and women in Scripture are described as those who feared the Lord. Others were specifically challenged to fear Him. Here are a few examples.
* Abraham demonstrated his fear of the Lord when he offered Isaac to Him (Gen. 22:12).
* The Egyptian midwives who refused to kill the male Hebrew babies feared God (Ex. 1:21).
* Job was recognized as an outstanding example of a person who feared God (Job 1,2).
* King David encouraged all believers to fear the Lord and enjoy His favor (Ps. 34:7,9,10).
* The virtuous wife of Proverbs 31 was praised as a woman who feared the Lord (v.30).
* Some people listening to Jesus were challenged to fear God's ability to cast them into hell (Luke 12:5).
* Cornelius was a man who feared God and received the gospel gladly (Acts 10:22-48).
* Paul told the Philippians to "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling" (Phil. 2:12).
* Peter encouraged believers to live in the fear of the Lord (1 Pet. 1:17) .
* Those who will inhabit heaven will be those who fear the Lord (Rev. 19:5).
Why does God want us to fear Him? As Solomon said, fearing and obeying God is the whole purpose of life. When we fear, reverence, and honor the Lord, we show that we recognize Him for all that He is. We therefore stand in the proper relationship to Him as a creature before the Creator. To fear the Lord shows that we take Him seriously and we desire to please Him with all that we do and say. It demonstrates that we realize we are accountable to Him for how we use every minute of every day.
A fear of God will cause a nonbeliever to seek forgiveness of sin through Christ. And fear of the Lord will cause a believer to produce the fruits of faith and to be commended at the judgment seat of Christ (2 Cor. 5:9,10; 7:1,11).
How is fear related to worship? Fear of the Lord and worship are closely related. In Ecclesiastes 5:1-7, Solomon discussed going to the house of God. Verse 2 states, "Do not be rash with your mouth, and let not your heart utter anything hastily before God. For God is in heaven, and you are on earth; therefore let your words be few." And then in verse 7 he adds, "For in the multitude of dreams and many words there is also vanity. But fear God." A proper attitude toward the Lord, therefore, is essential to meaningful worship of Him.
Does anyone fear God today? In a letter we received at Radio Bible Class, one woman wrote, "What do people do who do not trust in God? I have never understood that. l need Him every hour of every day. They do too, but why can't they know?" She understands what it means to stand in awe and humility before the Lord. She recognizes her dependence on Him. She is concerned that she live for Him.
Many of us today, however, don't have the same attitude. Some people are outright atheists. Others are outwardly religious - at least they go to church every week. A vast number of men and women profess to believe in God but give Him little if any recognition throughout the day. Though claiming to believe, they live as unbelievers. That is one reason the Bible is full of reminders to fear the Lord.
It is easy to forget our need of God. It is easy to get wrapped up in our own ideas of the purpose for living and forget the real reason God has given us breath. He wants our loyalty, our affection, our companionship, our worship. He wants us to make the most of our lives so that when we stand before Him, He will be able to say, "Well done, good and faithful servant" (Matt. 25:21).
Thinking It Over. What are you afraid of? If you have the proper fear of God, what will you not have to fear? ( 1 John 4:17-21). Why is the fear of the Lord the foundation of all wisdom? (Job 28:28; Prov. 1:7; 9:10; 15:3).
FOLLOW HIS DIRECTIONS
Whether you're going to bake a cake or build a skyscraper, your success will depend on your ability to follow instructions. You wouldn't expect a cake to be delicious if you used the wrong ingredients. And you should not attempt to construct a tall building without an adequate foundation and sturdy materials. So why do we think we can throw away God's directions for life and still find fulfillment? Too often we think we know better than God what we should do.
Solomon got carried away with feelings of his own importance and the greatness of his own wisdom. He forgot that God was far smarter than he was or ever could be. He deluded himself into thinking that the pleasures of earthly life were much better than the joys of living for God. He fell into the trap of making short-term investments and ignoring the eternal.
But Solomon learned from his mistakes. He said at the conclusion of Ecclesiastes that the key to finding meaning in life is to "fear God and keep His commandments" (12:13).
What does it mean to keep His commandments? To keep God's commandments means that we obey whatever God asks us to do. For Old Testament believers like Solomon, that included the Ten Commandments as well as the hundreds of other laws concerning private, social, and religious life. For us today, to keep God's commandments means that we obey the timeless principles of the Old Testament as well as the New Testament principles for life under the new covenant of grace (Heb. 8).
Jesus told His disciples, "If you love Me, keep My commandments" (John 14:15). Also, in 1 John we are told, "For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome" (5:3). In John 15:9-11, Jesus said that those believers who obey His commands will experience great joy.
What are the most important commands? Every word of instruction from God is something we should do, but some commands are more basic and all-encompassing than others. For example, to begin to please God, a person must become one of His children. All who turn to God, acknowledge their own disobedience before Him (Rom. 3:23), recognize that Christ died for them (John 3: 16), and personally accept God's free gift (Rom. 6:23) will be taking the first essential step of obedience to God. When some people asked Jesus what they should do to please God, Christ said, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent" (John 6:29).
Two other commands are cited by Jesus as being the most important. Jesus summed up the Law and the Prophets by saying that we are to love God and we are to love people (Matt. 22:36-40).
What happens if we don't obey? To try to find fulfillment while disobeying God is like trying to start a fire with water. It just won't work. You can't swallow a deadly dose of cyanide and expect to survive. You can't plunge your bare hand into boiling water without getting scalded. And you can't disobey God without serious consequences.
In the last verse of Ecclesiastes, Solomon pointed out our accountability to the Lord. He said, "For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether it is good or whether it is evil" (12: 14). No one will ever get away with any disobedience (3:17; 8:12,13; 11:9).
The person who never takes the initial step of obedience and puts his trust in Christ will face God unforgiven and condemned (Rev. 20:7-15). The believer in Christ will stand before God and give account for his life and be rewarded accordingly (1 Cor. 3:10-15; 2 Cor. 5:10).
How can our obedience help a searching world find purpose in life? In the apostle Paul's letter to the Philippians are several clues as to how we can show the world that true fulfillment comes through knowing and obeying God. When we are able to say, "For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain" (1:21) we will be showing the world what is worth living and dying for. When we are united with other believers we will show God's enemies that their purposes will not prevail (1:28). When we look out for the interests of others (2:4), we will demonstrate what it means to live a selfless, Christlike life. When we live blamelessly, we will shine like stars in the middle of a dark world (2:15). When we live for heavenly purposes, we will contrast those who are controlled by their fleshly desires (3:17-21). When we are content whether rich or poor (4:11-13), we will show that we are not looking for significance in material possessions but in our spiritual relationship with God.
Thinking It Over. Why do children disobey their parents? Why do adults break the law? Why did the men and women of faith mentioned in Hebrews 11 choose to obey God? When do you struggle with obedience to God? When does it seem irrational to obey Him? Ask God to show you areas in your life that need to be placed under His lordship.
FOR THE GLORY OF GOD
The purpose of your life and mine, according to the Westminster Shorter Catechism of Faith, is to "glorify God and enjoy Him forever." That statement is founded on many verses in the Bible that encourage us to live so as to bring attention to the greatness of our Lord. To glorify the Lord means to honor Him, to worship Him, to give Him the praise He deserves. Here are a few of the many verses that speak of giving glory to the Lord.
* "Give to the Lord, O kindreds of the peoples, give to the Lord glory and strength. Give to the Lord the glory due His name" (1 Chr. 16:28,29).
* "By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be
My disciples" (John 15:8).
* "Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be likeminded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Rom. 15:5, 6).
* "For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's" (1 Col. 6:20).
* "Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God" (1 Cor. 10:31).
* "To Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end" (Eph. 3:21).
* "Being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God" (Phil. 1:11).
HELPING YOU HELP OTHERS
The following questions are listed here for you to use in teaching or discipling others. We suggest that these questions be discussed prior to studying the specific point - as preview questions.
Grasping for the Wind
Learning
1. Why was Solomon in a good position to talk about education? ( 1 Kin. 3:7-12; 10: 1-13).
2. What did Solomon say about the limitations of knowledge? (Eccl. 1:16,17; 2:15,16).
3. What did Solomon say about the advantages of knowledge? (Eccl. 2: 13,14).
4. What is the most important knowledge? (Jer. 9:23,24).
Playing
1. What seven pleasures did Solomon explore? (Eccl. 2:1-11)
2. What did Solomon learn about each one of these pleasures?
3. What was Moses' attitude toward such pleasures? (Heb. 11:24-26).
Working
1. What were Solomon's accomplishments? (1 Kin. 4:20-34; 6:1-7:12).
2. What was Solomon's conclusion about all that he had done? (Eccl. 2:17,18).
3. What gives work lasting significance? (Eccl. 5:19; 12:13,14; Phil. 4:11-13).
Loving
1. What are the benefits of human companionship? (Eccl. 4:9-12).
2. Why can't a loving spouse take the vanity out of life? (9:9).
3. What is more important than showing love to people? (Luke 10:27).
Finding Life's Purpose
Know Who's in Charge
1 . How should our accountability to God affect our lives? (Eccl. 11:9; 12:13,14).
2. What does it mean to fear the Lord? (12:13,14).
3. Does the fear of the Lord drive us to Him or away from Him? (Prov. 8:13).
4. What wrong fears will the right fear get rid of? (1 John 4:17-21).
Follow His Directions
1. What did Solomon find to be the key to a meaningful life? (Eccl. 12:13,14).
2. What does it mean today to keep God's commandments? (John 14:15).
3. What commands are the most important? (Matt. 22:36-40).
4. How can your obedience to God help others? (Phil. 1:10,11,21; 2:15).
Headed in a New Direction
The founder of Radio Bible Class discovered new purpose for living while close to death. On a hospital bed he examined the course of his life and decided to head in a new direction. His decision transformed him from a doctor of the body to a physician of the soul by James R. Adair
It is well known that when some people face death they see their past deeds flash before them. There's no written record of what transpired in the mind of 30-year-old Martin R. De Haan, M.D., as he struggled for his life in October 1921 in a Grand Rapids hospital. But it is known that he did considerable thinking about his past - and about his future.
For all of his 30 years he had been identified with the church. As a boy he had attended regularly and was even faithful while in medical school. But his life hadn't been counting for God as it should have. God's finger was pointing at certain sins in his life. He felt condemned, though as a 12-year-old boy he had presumably settled his relationship with God.
Nurses passed silently in the hallway outside his room as a transaction took place in the heart and life of the patient from Byron Center. He never made a point in telling and retelling the experience. But in 1929 he wrote, "I was born in 1891 of the flesh, 'a child of wrath even as others.' After a life of sin for 30 years I was born again of the Spirit in October 1921. Since then, my only hope and aim is to exalt Him, to whom be all glory forever and ever (Eph. 1:7). "
Dr. De Haan's wife Priscilla, who learned of his spiritual experience when she talked with him shortly after it happened, recalled that as he talked about it afterward he mentioned that he questioned whether or not he had met God at age 12. The hospital experience was a spiritual struggle not unlike Jacob's, who wrestled with God until dawn before he received a new touch and blessing from the divine hand. "Spare my life and I'll serve You," Dr. De Haan pleaded with God. And evidently he meant it with all his heart.
As the weeks passed, he talked with his wife - and with God - about the kind of Christian service he should do. Preach? Become a missionary? He wasn't sure. He talked about going abroad as a missionary, but friends pointed out that he could continue his practice, be God's man on the job, and at the same time support a missionary. For a time he thought perhaps this was the answer.
The matter continued to burden him increasingly, until finally, one day in early spring of 1922, he came in from house calls and said, "I can't go on any longer." In an act of finality, he slid his medical bag across the kitchen floor and said, "This is it!" After selling his practice, his home, and his office equipment, the young doctor made plans to enter nearby Western Theological Seminary.
The transformation that had occurred in his life continued to amaze Dr. De Haan to no end. As he read and studied his Bible, he was overwhelmed with God's grace. In later years he was to make a careful study of the grace of God, and pen these words:
"Like electricity, light, and life, we know only what it [grace] does, rather than what it is. Why God should choose the meanest, basest, most unworthy individuals with absolutely nothing to commend them at all to God, except their miserable, lost condition, and then exalt them to become the sons of God, members of the divine family, and use them for His glory, is beyond all reason and human understanding. Yet that is grace."
That he saw himself as the object of God's grace is illustrated in an incident that he related:
"Some time ago on my way to Colorado, I stopped off to visit my son Marvin on Chicago's North Side. After parking my car, I took a shortcut to the apartment through an alley. There, amid the dust, the refuse, the filth, and the rats, I encountered one of the most pathetic sights I have ever beheld.
"There, beside a leaking barrel filled with garbage and black with flies, stood one of society's outcasts, a man about 65 years old. Only the rim of his tattered hat was left. His shoes were tied on with rope. His coat was in shreds. His trousers were in tatters. His hands were black with filth. His hair was matted together, and his beard even worse. I watched him as he pawed about in the garbage. Finding a whiskey bottle with only a teaspoon of its poison left, he lifted it to his lips. He found another drop or two in another bottle, and then he fished out a crust of garbage-sodden bread and placed it in his mouth with his filthy hands. As I stood there, I. . . said to myself, 'O God, O God! That's me! That's me, apart from Thy wonderful grace.' . . . Under similar circumstances of birth, environment, and opportunity, I would have been no different, and no better. What a humbling truth grace is!"
In experiencing God's grace, M. R. De Haan had been born from above. He found himself not merely a sinner redeemed from hell and on the way to heaven, but he began to discover that God had imparted His very own life deep within. Yet, he was still as human as ever, and subject to temptations as before. But his new God-implanted life made a world of difference. He had a ready source of victory: the indwelling Holy Spirit, a mighty Savior and Friend, Jesus Christ, and an omnipotent heavenly Father.
In a real sense, 2 Corinthians 5:17 was being worked out in his experience: "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new."
Excuse me, but your purpose is showing. That's right. The way you live reveals your real reason for living. Actions do speak louder than words.
Test yourself. Look at the following list of goals for life that we have discussed in this booklet. Take a long hard look at your life and evaluate where your energies are being spent. Are you trying to:
* Get smart. * Work hard. * Have fun. *Love people. * Please God.
Do your responses to the following questions support your answer above? How do you spend your time? Do you know God's Word so you know how to obey? Can you honestly say that you are living in full obedience to the Lord? If not, why not? Do you enjoy life? What are your greatest frustrations in life? To what are you looking for satisfaction? What are you doing that has eternal benefits? If these questions make you uncomfortable, maybe you need to see, as Solomon did, the waste of living for anything less than God's intended purpose.
If you've never taken the first crucial step of trusting Christ to rescue you from God's judgment against disobedience, accept His offer of forgiveness right now. He will forgive, and He will give you new purpose and power for living (John 3:16; Rom. 5-8). Ask Him to help you to make the most of the new life He's given to you. Jesus said, "I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly" (John 10:10).
