by Nikolaus Federmann

Created on: November 14, 2008

Men should fear GOD because this action is essential for believers. More than that, fearing God and keeping His commandments is the "whole duty of man," according to Ecclesiastes 12:13.

The "fear of the Lord" is "wisdom", we learn from Job 28:28. In fact, such fear is at the "beginning of knowledge", stated in Proverbs 1:7. In turn, wisdom is a "tree of life"; this also taught by Solomon in Proverbs 3:18. It is well-known that the fruit of the tree of "knowledge" was prohibited to Adam and Eve, but the fruit of the tree of "life" was permitted. God intended that men were to gain the understanding of His "perfect will" through the experiences of living from day to day. While believers were "transformed" in the Lord's light, they continued to gain wisdom in order to "test and approve what God's will is," Paul informed in Romans 12:2. As understanding and belief grew, gradually, each follower drew "near to God", reference Hebrews 10:22.

But the serpent deceived Eve into breaking the Creator's vital commandment, and by taking in the "knowledge of good and evil" with one fatal dose - Eve cheated. Not only did she disobey the instruction of the Most High, but she squandered the entire plan that He had laid out for her life - with one extravagant bite. Apparently, Adam wasted no time in taking a bite as well. When the meat of fruit is exposed, it goes stale quickly. Maybe the two parents of all men had been eyeing that tree for some time, and their curiosity grew. Men tend to desire things that are held back from them, like riches, or hidden knowledge. Eve recited God's prohibition verbatim in Genesis 3:3. She feared her Creator, but desire overcame wisdom, and she ate that which was not hers to eat.

Abraham was also tested; after he grabbed the knife to slay his son, the Angel of the LORD stopped him, then said, "Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son," as accounted in Genesis 22:12. God knew Abraham's faith, but this proof was for all those who did not know. The "father of many nations"(Genesis 17:4) believed God(Romans 4:3), and was willing to sacrifice something exceedingly precious - his only son. Undeniable evidence that Abraham feared God, Who made his name "great"; this was promised in Genesis 12:2.

In the future, in heaven, an angel will speak with a loud voice, "Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water," as prophesied in Revelation 14:7 NKJV.

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