Shock and Awe
- Jonathan Moore
- Mar 1
- 2 min read
Ahavat Yeshua
Jerusalem
God has been speaking to us about the Fear of the Lord. This word for fear in Hebrew is yirah (יראה) and is used in several ways. It probably is better translated as “awe,” and the root from this same word can be used for awesome – in the true sense and not in the modern, “groovy,” popular slang sense. Some translators have translated it as “terrible” as in “The great and terrible day of the Lord.” It’s terrible in an awe-some way, like a military “shock and awe” campaign.
This is quite an important word when you think about it. Proverbs 9:10 says “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.”
But why? Because to begin to understand anything we must first know God as the Source and Creator. Sometimes we “forget” to be in awe of Him. I think one of the most awe-some descriptions about the greatness of God is in the book of Job starting in chapter 38 and continuing through 41. Read this short sample in Job 41:10-11, 18-21:
“Who then is able to stand before Me? Who has confronted Me that I should repay? Everything under heaven belongs to Me.”
“He sneezes out flashes of light; his eyes are like the eyelids of dawn.Out of his mouth go flames, sparks of fire shoot out.Smoke pours from his nostrils, as a boiling pot over burning reeds.His breath sets coals ablaze and flames dart from his mouth.”
Have you ever been jolted by the awesome power of a lighting bolt? Here in Job, that’s one of the things God compared Himself to.
When we see the awe-someness of God, the completely sovereign, all-powerful, all-knowing, omni-present creator of heaven and earth and all that is in it…this serves as a good starting point to comprehend who we are and how we fit into the cosmos.
And ironically, it’s not where you would expect, considering our frailties. God created this entire universe for us to inhabit. We are above angels in our importance to Him. And when we failed, casting away the awe-some image of His glory to idolize created things, He didn’t give up. God Himself became human in order to show us how to return to the Father. Yeshua, fully God and fully man, shows us the way back and also the ridiculous value placed on our reconnection.
He is awe-some in who He is. He is awe-some in what He does. He is awe-some in His covenantal Love for us…surpassing understanding. I’m in awe.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Let’s start perceiving who He is, and then all other understanding can flow from there.
Congregational News
We have an unprecedented 18 people interested in becoming members of our congregation.
All four of the pregnant mothers have given birth within two months!
Our youth group has doubled (young kids reaching teenage years without any graduating out) and we are excited to see how God will use them including a possible youth group worship team.
