Monday, August 14, 2017

JESUS and Fear (Eph.5)

This portion of New Testament scripture echoes the Old Testament verses such as Proverbs 1:7... The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction...

(Ephesians 5:14-21)  Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, 16 making the most of your time, because the days are evil. 17 So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; 20 always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father; 21 and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.

I have never noticed this before!  "In the fear of Christ!"  This is because Jesus is God, part of the Trinity, since we are told to only fear God.  Isaiah wrote a prophecy that should sound very familiar after just reading through the gospels.

(Isaiah 8:11-18)  For thus the Lord spoke to me with mighty power and instructed me not to walk in the way of this people, saying,
12 “You are not to say, ‘It is a conspiracy!’
In regard to all that this people call a conspiracy,
And you are not to fear what they fear or be in dread of it.
13 It is the Lord of hosts whom you should regard as holy.
And He shall be your fear,
And He shall be your dread.

14 Then He shall become a sanctuary;
But to both the houses of Israel, a stone to strike and a rock to stumble over,
And a snare and a trap for the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
15 “Many will stumble over them,
Then they will fall and be broken;
They will even be snared and caught.”
16 Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples. 17 And I will wait for the Lord who is hiding His face from the house of Jacob; I will even look eagerly for Him. 18 Behold, I and the children whom the Lord has given me are for signs and wonders in Israel from the Lord of hosts, who dwells on Mount Zion.

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