Bread from the Basket: Your Daily Slice

ADAR 28

Fear of Elohim

“The fear of Adonai is the beginning of wisdom and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” (Pro 9:10 TLV)

Following is what is listed in Noah Webster’s dictionary as one of the definitions of ‘fear’: “a filial [as a child to a parent] passion; a holy awe or reverence of God and His laws, which springs from just view and real love of the divine character, leading the subjects of it to hate and shun everything that can offend such a holy being, and inclining to aim at PERFECT OBEDIENCE.”^{^[1]}

There is, perhaps, a simpler way of explaining this. Because of my love and devotion to my Elohim, my Father, my Creator, I never wish to be in the place or position of disappointing Him in His expectations of me. Neither do I ever want to find myself separated from Elohim by a consequence of my own actions. Therefore, I strive to stay as close to Him as possible. I have, in the past, used the example of sticking to my Father with the force of gorilla-glue, or perhaps perma-bond. All of this can be summed up in one phrase: obedience, simply out of the love for my Abba Father.

Yet, what has happened to the reverential fear of our Elohim in our present day and age? There is less and less of this fear evident, less reverence (reverence is defined as fear mixed with respect, affection, esteem and awe), and yes, even less respect for the kadosh – holy and set-apart – things of Yah. Why? Where is the fear of our Elohim? How have we misplaced it? How have we allowed such a nonchalant, casual attitude toward our Creator to infiltrate our very beings?

“A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am a Father, where is My honor? And if I am a Master, where is the [reverent] fear due Me? says the Lord of hosts to you, O priests, who despise My name …” (Mal 1:6 AMPC)

“Behold, I set before you today a blessing and a curse: the blessing, if you OBEY [shâma‛ Strong’s H8085] the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you today; and the curse, if you do NOT OBEY [shâma‛ Strong’s H8085] the commandments of the Lord your God, but turn aside from the way which I command you today, to go after other gods which you have not known.” (Deu 11:26-28 NKJV, emphasis and insert mine)

Avenu, Malcheinu – our Father, our King – we repent of a cheap and flippant attitude toward You, toward our Adon Yeshua, toward our teacher and guide, the Ruach haKodesh, the HOLY and set-apart Spirit of Elohim. Unite our hearts, Abba, to fear Your Name, to revere it, to hold You and all You stand for in the highest esteem. Train us, Master, to be of one mind and one heart, undivided in the holy, healthy, reverential and respectful fear of You. Thank You, Abba, that as we continue to walk in this healthy fear of You, You will continue to fill us with all of the knowledge, instruction and wisdom that we need to walk out our everyday life. You are awesome, and worthy of all our praise. In the Name of Yeshua of Nazareth, and all that He represents, we pray … AMEIN!

[1] American Dictionary of the English Language, Noah Webster, 1828, insert and emphasis mine (emphasis mine)