Wisdom Begins with Fear of the Lord (part II)

Michael A. Welch April 22nd, 2006

II. Power of  life and death:

We should fear the Lord because he has the power of life and death over us.   The Word tells us it is wise to live like our days are numbered (Psalm 90:12  “Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom”.).  I think it is because they are (Job 14:5  “Man's days are determined; you have decreed the number of his months and have set limits he cannot exceed.”).  They are numbered because he has sovereignty over our lives  The lord gives and takes away.  What is ironic, is we think that our lives are our own.  Since it is ultimately up to us and our freewill to either give our lives to Him or to intentionally turn away from Him, we get the illusion that our lives are our own; in our control.  But our lives are actually a “gift” from God.  Something he gave us to be stewards over.  All we have had, have now or will ever have is given to us by God.  And we are all subject and subjects to the Lord and his will. 

We should fear the Lord because he has the power of life and death over us.  It might be like a subordinate appealing to a big Mafia boss after helping to kill his only son.  He would be prostrate before him.  Thugs would be encircling the transgressor, with their hands inside their coats resting on the handles of guns in shoulder holsters.  In the Mafia world and the Mafia law, he deserves to executed in a most horrendous way.  But can you image a Mafia boss looking down on him, already condemned for helping to kill his Son and then saying, “You are forgiven. In fact, here take the keys of my mansion and live there with me. And you will have complete joy with me.  Can’t you see that our Lord is one to be feared?  He has that power and much much more.  We have violated His law, and ourselves condemned, and we somehow expect, or think we deserve mercy?

We, I, tend to focus on “God is Love”.  And of course he is. Absolutely.  But where I’m going is, our mindset.  Where we are comfortable to put our God.  Sunshine.  Rainbows.  I am not saying  that I have the true picture of God.  But, we have the tendency to water-down the true nature of God and we keep, or focus, on the stuff we like, and kind of sweep the other stuff under the carpet of the mind.   We like Mercy and Grace.  We don’t like the penalty and guilt.  We take out the Storms, the lightning, the thunder. His awesome, awesome power and his ability to control our life and death.  We should fear the Lord because of his power of life and death.