"Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, and the Lord listened and heard them; so a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the Lord and who meditate on His Name." (Malachi 3:16)
Just in case you may have been duped by those who peddle the idea that we should not, "fear God," just "respect and be in awe of Him," the word for, "fear," in our text means exactly that, "affright, fear, be afraid."
Among other things, there is some complaining about God's ways in previous verses, "It is useless to serve God; what profit is it that we have kept His ordinance, and that we have walked as mourners before the Lord of hosts? So now we call the proud blessed, for those who do wickedness are raised up; they even tempt God and go free." This kind of talk still goes on among church-goers today. Our text is a fearful reality to those who carry such an attitude, "and the Lord listened and heard them; so a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear Him." Notice that the, "book...was written before Him...."
Quite honestly, I believe the attempt to eliminate the word, "fear," is an attempt to sell God to humanity. "Oh, it doesn't mean to be afraid. It just means to have reverence for." I have heard this many times over my years. As as result, there is very little, "....those who fear[] the Lord...," not only in the world, but also in churches. "....A book of remembrance was written before Him...." Jesus is "keeping track" of those who are walking in, "fear of the Lord and meditate on His Name," and those who are not. May our Lord Jesus help us to walk in the fear of Him as well as the love and worship of Him, "and meditate on His Name."
Father, in Jesus' Name, forgive me for any time I walk in less than, "fear the Lord and...meditate on [Your] Name." Amen.
Just in case you may have been duped by those who peddle the idea that we should not, "fear God," just "respect and be in awe of Him," the word for, "fear," in our text means exactly that, "affright, fear, be afraid."
Among other things, there is some complaining about God's ways in previous verses, "It is useless to serve God; what profit is it that we have kept His ordinance, and that we have walked as mourners before the Lord of hosts? So now we call the proud blessed, for those who do wickedness are raised up; they even tempt God and go free." This kind of talk still goes on among church-goers today. Our text is a fearful reality to those who carry such an attitude, "and the Lord listened and heard them; so a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear Him." Notice that the, "book...was written before Him...."
Quite honestly, I believe the attempt to eliminate the word, "fear," is an attempt to sell God to humanity. "Oh, it doesn't mean to be afraid. It just means to have reverence for." I have heard this many times over my years. As as result, there is very little, "....those who fear[] the Lord...," not only in the world, but also in churches. "....A book of remembrance was written before Him...." Jesus is "keeping track" of those who are walking in, "fear of the Lord and meditate on His Name," and those who are not. May our Lord Jesus help us to walk in the fear of Him as well as the love and worship of Him, "and meditate on His Name."
Father, in Jesus' Name, forgive me for any time I walk in less than, "fear the Lord and...meditate on [Your] Name." Amen.
When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
Hebrews 12:2
Hebrews 12:2
