What Does It Mean to Fear the Lord?

by Michael Reeves

The Surprising Good News of the Fear of the Lord

The Bible says that a wise person fears God and keeps his commandments. But what does it actually mean to rightly fear God while also trusting him? In What Does It Mean to Fear the Lord?, Michael Reeves calls Christians to see God as the object of their fear--a fear marked not by anxiety, but by enjoyment of God. In Scripture, God's people are commanded to put off sinful fears and instead cultivate a healthy and happy fear of their awesome God. As believers learn to truly fear the Lord, they will take part in the pivotal role the church plays in exhibiting his divine qualities of holiness, blessedness, happiness, wholeness, and beauty to the world.

Genres: Theology, Christian, Christian Living, Audiobook, Christianity, Nonfiction, Discipleship

80 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2021

About the author

Michael Reeves (PhD, King's College, London) is President and Professor of Theology at Union School of Theology in the UK (www.ust.ac.uk). He is Director of the European Theologians Network, and speaks and teaches regularly worldwide. Previously he has been Head of Theology for the Universities and Colleges Christian Fellowship and an associate minister at All Souls Church, Langham Place, London.

Reviews

[ValeReads Kyriosity · Rating 4 out of 5]

The intro explained that this was the short form of Reeves’s Rejoice and Tremble. I'll go on to read that too, but this was a good warm-up.

One of the damages done by fatherlessness (in which I include major failure by present fathers as well as outright father absence), perhaps the greatest one, is that it leaves the child unable to intuitively grasp what the fear of God means. It deprives the child of a certain quality of relationship that he’s unlikely to find anywhere else. I grew up experiencing being afraid of my father, but not the loving filial fear that is Earth’s best picture of Heaven’s best relationship. So I have sought for many years to get an experiential grasp of the fear of the Lord.

Reeves’s book didn't give me any kind of breakthrough aha! moment, but it mulched the garden out of which I hope better understanding of it...better doing of it...will eventually grow.

Read by the author. And here’s where things get a little odd. Is it Crossway that’s directing its narrators to purrrrr into the microphone? I’ve heard Reeves before, and I don’t recall him speaking in that too cozy manner. He wasn’t as bad as Dane Ortlund, but he still made want to quote Emma Woodhouse (in the 1996 adaptation): “Sit back! And kindly refrain from the intimacy of whispering!”

[Jeanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

When the fear of the Lord becomes central and most important, other fears subside. Here is the truth for every Christian who needs strength to rise above his or her anxieties, or who needs the strength to pursue unpopular but righteous course. The fear of the Lord is the only fear that imparts strength.

The fear of the Lord is most misunderstood among people and to be quite honest will never be completely understood because of the magnificence of God. This short study is foundational on why it is important to study and to apply these truths. The fear of the Lord starts with truth. Beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord. The following chapters will give you understanding on why, how and what.

Do Not be Afraid
Sinful Fear
Right Fear
Overwhelmed by the Creator
Overwhelmed by the Father
How to Grow In this Fear
The Awesome Church
Eternal Ecstasy

God desires us not to live in fear but to see fear in a new light. We all have fears. Our fears say something about us. Let it say the right thing. Highly recommend.

A special thank you to Crossway Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review

[Sally Cathcart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, this book is so convicting! We fear all the wrong things, but the one thing to abolish our fears is the fear of the Lord. We as a culture do not talk about our need and healthiness of fearing the Lord. I realize how much I fear man and not the Lord.

[Marnie Britton · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5* Great little helpful book, good to help you think about the fear of the Lord and what fear we may have, filial or sinful. Encouraging us to know and love God more.

[Shawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading this little book made me move Rejoice and Tremble closer to the top of my to-read stack.

[Alec Holloway · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing. Clear, concise, and convicting.

“For trembling in wonder at God keeps one from trusting oneself. It is the key to true humility, which is not trying to think less of yourself or trying to think of yourself less but about marveling more at Him. It is the antidote to pride and the prayerlessness that springs from pride.”

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

A shorter (68 page) version of Rejoice & Tremble. Excellent and perfect for discipling new believers unaccustomed to reading longer books.

[Joe Valenti · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolute MUST READ. Take it slow. In fact, I would encourage you to read this in community.

[Brandon Porter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! This book is powerful. I wanted to read some of Michael Reeve's work, and this was a great introduction for me. He distinguishes between a sinful fear and a filial fear of God. He even goes on to differentiate between the fear of God as the magnificent creator and the compassionate redeemer. In all of this, he makes you look to God in wonder! Packed with scripture, he is biblically sound in his instruction and sincere in his encouragement! I wish I had read this book 10 years ago.

[Sam Knecht · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best succinct resource I’ve read on an oft overlooked dimension of the Christian life.

[Brady Chubb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful reminder. Will be reading this again.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short & convicting book about fear - sinful and godly fear. Worth reading as a companion to daily devotionals.

[Shell · Rating 2 out of 5]

I DON’T want to give this book 2 stars. I was so expectant to read it. Yet I found it lacking. Mainly I found it lacking in expounding on words - giving root meanings or Greek that would have solidified the concepts. We use the word “fear” where throughout the Bible it means things such as reverence, or deep respect. No where did he give any such “meat” for his concepts. And yes, I know this is the concise version of Rejoice and Tremble, but adding 4 pages to expound in depth of words and meaning would have allowed a much richer experience.
There is also too much reading into words and quotes. And I couldn’t relate to his explanation of fear of God as Creator verse God as Redeemer. As an artist my experience of viewing God as Creator is supremely different than his assumption.
Lastly, I found the arguments on p 31-32 troubling. Trying to nullify other words (with no real depth of meaning) came across as trying to “knock out” other authors or teachers who use these words in an effort to elevate his use of “tremble” (without any definitions or meanings mind you). I couldn’t understand why “tremble” would be THE word ... when in fact the Greek of our English word “fear” is often many different words / meanings. It’s a faceted concept that is much deeper and richer.
Perhaps Rejoice and Tremble addresses these concerns - but there wasn’t a whiff of it in the smaller book so it didn’t leave me wanted to read the larger book. I will of course at some point but this book so sadly disappointing.

[Taliah Kendrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

We’ve all heard that we should fear the Lord, but what does that even mean? The topic can be so confusing. Reeves discusses the difference between a sinful fear and a right fear of God. When we have a wrong understanding of what it means to fear the Lord, we are constantly working to gain God’s approval. But, we can fear the Lord out of delight.

[Micah Johnson · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was full of gospel truth and I like Michael Reeves, but I don't think I ever really got the answer to the title question. Furthermore, he didn't really explain why fear of the Lord is so connected with joy and love; he just asserted it. I believe him that they are connected, but I needed a clearer connection. He also neglected to explain why reverence is an inadequate synonym for fear of the Lord. Maybe the longer version has more explanation.

His insistence on the fear of the Lord not meaning "to be afraid of God" was helpful.

[NinaB · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent short biblical study on fear, something that's been pounded on us the last 1.5 years by the pandemic.

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

First sentence: Boo! It’s one of the first words we enjoy. As children, we loved to leap out on our friends and shout it. But at the same time, we were scared of the dark and the monsters under the bed. We were both fascinated and repelled by our fears. And not much changes when we grow up: adults love scary movies and thrills that bring us face-to-face with our worst fears. But we also agonize over all the dreadful things that could happen to us: how we could lose our lives, health, or loved ones; how we might fail or be rejected. Fear is probably the strongest human emotion. But it baffles us. When we come to the Bible, the picture seems equally confusing: is fear a good thing or bad? Many times Scripture clearly views fear as a bad thing from which Christ has come to rescue us. Indeed, the most frequent command in Scripture is “Do not be afraid!” Yet, again and again in Scripture we are called to fear. Even more strangely, we are called to fear God. The verse that quickly comes to mind is Proverbs 9:10, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.”

What Does It Mean To Fear the Lord? is SHORT but WEIGHTY. It is a theological gem examining many of the texts of Scripture concerning fear. There is a spiritually healthy--perhaps spiritually NECESSARY--fear of the LORD. There is an unhealthy--not spiritually beneficial or helpful--FEAR. There's a difference between FEARING GOD and fearing all the bajillion things of this world that can make us fearful, anxious, worried, panicky.

We live in an anxious society that has turned to medication and perhaps therapy (best case scenario) or to drugs, alcohol, gambling, etc. (worst case scenario) to "fix" this ANGST. Reeves argues that what we need--what we absolutely and fundamentally need--is FEAR OF THE LORD. This is a misunderstood and under-appreciated theological doctrine. Christians need to be taught, need to understand, exactly what it means to fear the LORD.

He writes, "With our society having lost God as the proper object of healthy fear, our culture is necessarily becoming more neurotic and anxious. In ousting God from our culture, other concerns—from personal health to the health of the planet—have assumed a divine ultimacy in our minds. Good things have become cruel and pitiless idols. The fact is that not all fear is the same, or unhealthy, or unpleasant. We must distinguish between different sorts of fear, between wrong fear and right fear. That is what we will do now. Then we can rejoice in the fact that the fear of God is not like fears that torment us."

One of my favorite quotes, "By opening our eyes to know God aright, the Spirit turns our hearts to fear him with a loving, filial fear. That is the fear that is appropriate for Christians, who are brought by the Son to be beloved, adopted children before their heavenly Father...It all means that we must keep a careful eye on how we think of God. For the very shape of the gospel we proclaim will tell of how we think of God. Think of the gospel presentation that only describes God as Creator and ruler: sin is no deeper a matter than breaking his rules; redemption is about being brought back under his rulership. Such a gospel could never impart a filial fear and wonder, for there is no mention of God’s fatherhood or our adoption in his Son. Such a gospel can only leave people with a fear of the Creator. Only when we are resolutely Christ-centered can we tell a richer, truer gospel. Only then does the story make sense that our sin is a deeper matter than external disobedience, that it is a relational matter of our hearts loving what is wrong. Only then will we speak of God the Father sending forth his Son that he might bring us as children into his family."

Other quotes:

But reorienting our fears and affections is a daily battle we must join. Left to our sinful fears of God, we will shrink from God in guilt and not enjoy his goodness. Left to our fear of man, we will wilt before every criticism, unable to enjoy real fellowship. And just as a right and happy fear of God is fostered by the truth, sinful fears grow in a bed of Satan’s lies. We must counter with the truth that drives out anxiety. Into the battlefield of our troubled hearts we send the promises of God. Safe in Christ, we testify to ourselves afresh that the Almighty is our compassionate Redeemer and loving Father, and that he is able, willing, and near to us as we call on him.

Where hell is the dreadful sewer of all sinful fears, heaven is the paradise of unconfined, maximal, delighted filial fear.

In fact, all fears are a foretaste. The sinful fears and dreads of unbelievers are the firstfruits of hell; the filial fears of Christians are the firstfruits of heaven. Now our fears are partial; then they will be unconfined. For now, Christians see in part, and so we love and rejoice only in part. We hang our heads knowing that moments of filial, trembling wonder are all too faint and all too few. But when we see him as he is, that ecstasy will be unimpaired and absolute.

It is the affection that expels spiritual lethargy. To grow in this sweet and quaking wonder at God is to taste heaven now.

[Daniel Gish · Rating 4 out of 5]

(4.4/5) Michael Reeves delivers, and in such a short book too. In these 68 pages (there’s an extended book too) he shares a biblical vision for the Fear of the Lord that is backed by scripture, encouraging to the Christian, and colorful in its nature.

It’s hard to know exactly what fear is, whether it’s truly good or bad, what kinds of fear there are. Why does scripture tell us to Fear the Lord so often? What does that even mean? He concisely sums up by saying, “the one who truly fears the Lord greatly delights in God’s commandments!”

I think he could have drawn on some analogies to help paint the picture given what people generally experience— such as comparing the crippling fear of some (poisonous) relationships and the healthy fear of others (as of a child to a loving, responsible, yet morality-enforcing parent).

My biggest qualm, as small as it seems, was that I didn’t think ‘sinful fear’ was the most accurate term in contrast to filial fear. I prefer ‘sin-filled’ fear.

———

Right Fear of God is motivated by his great mercy just as much as his great might. Fear and love are tied closely together by his awesomeness and tenderheartedness. From a devotional excerpt on Psalm 69:

“If he were mighty but not merciful, he could save us but would not. If he were merciful but not mighty, he would like to save us but could not… Jesus is both lion and lamb, both omnipotent and gracious. He can be trusted. We can bank everything on him. He can rescue you, and he wants to.”

This is the “sort of fear which has in it the very essence of love, and without which there would be no joy even in the presence of God” (Spurgeon).

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is part of a new "Union" series, with each topic having 2 versions: a full volume and a concise one. This is the concise treatment of the fear of the Lord. As Reeves describes it in the Series Preface, "The concise treatments...are like shorter guided tours: they stick to the main streets and move on fast." They're intended to hit the high points and if you're further interested in the topic you can grab the full version. [The concise version can probably be read in an hour or less.]

This little book did enough to whet my appetite for the full version, "Rejoice and Tremble." The whole idea of a positive aspect of fear can be hard to wrap our minds around (it is for me). Reeves does a good job in a short time providing insight into what filial fear looks like. Scripture clearly teaches that fear is a good thing (fearing God and delighting in God's commandments, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, etc) and it should not be confused or conflated with a negative/sinful fear.

Here's a snapshot of what this might look like (and what Reeves spends time building on): "'They shall fear and tremble because of all the good and all the prosperity I provide for it' (Jer 33:9)...In both verses [Is 33:14 is the other], the word suggests a physical experience: of weak-kneed trembling, of being staggered. Now, I can tremble in quite different ways. I can shake in terror, as a soldier might under heavy fire. But I can also quake in overwhelmed adoration, as when the bridegroom first sees his bride."

I picked up "Rejoice and Tremble" at the same time, misunderstanding the intent of the series, but I'm glad I did. I'll definitely be reading it.

[Zach True · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! What an eye opening and honestly convicting text. I’ve always appreciated Reeves between my time at Moody Bible Institute and other personal theological, biblical, and leadership growth. When I saw Reeves in this mini set, I knew that it was going to pack a punch but I wasn’t prepared for the wave of conviction I felt reading this text.

Reeves discusses in a later chapter to put the book down and evaluate what we fear because what we fear is what we truly love. He gives the example of fear for the injury of his children because he so deeply loves his children. My conviction came when I evaluated what I love and God showed up very little which made me realize I didn’t have as deep a fear for the Lord as I thought.

My desire is that everybody, Christian or not, reads this and receives the same grace from God and evaluates what we truly fear because in that lies our true love.

[Joe Koehler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of helpful things to think through in this book. Short and easy to understand. It may not lay to rest every question you could have about the concept of fearing God rightly, but it provides good thoughts and a good opportunity to think more deeply about it as you engage with the author.

I really appreciated some of the diagnostic questions about what our fears reveal about our hearts and desires.

The concept of trembling as connected to fear was good to think more about, as well.

[alex creel · Rating 4 out of 5]

For such a short length, a good introduction to what’s covered in “Rejoice and Tremble” by the same author. The sociological concepts (and some of the scriptural ones) were minimally substantiated, but I assume would be more so in the full-length book—so I look forward to reading that, at some point. But for what it was, this was a good start to explaining the “fear of the Lord” concept.

[Vinnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A short version of Rejoice and Tremble by Michael Reeves and it contains all the great and wonderful truths that make the longer book so great. I listened to it as to a sermon and it definitely made me want to reread Rejoice and Tremble again.

[Courtney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a good read! Reeves explores how fearing the Lord isn't reduced to simplistic definitions of awe or being scared, but fearing the Lord comes from knowing who the Lord is. This is a an abbreviated preface to his longer work, which just got added to my read soon list!

[Craig Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great introduction to the question posed in the title. Although not long enough to explore the topic in full, it does a great job of providing a quick, concise guide through it, as intended, and has left me wanting to pick up Reeves' longer 'Rejoice and Tremble' to explore further!

[JD Tyler · Rating 3 out of 5]

Delightfully short and succinct. A great exposition what it means to fear the LORD.

[Chris Joines · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a great resource on biblical fear.

[Alexa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think the entire Union series deserves to be in every home library

[Nicholas Potts · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good little book. Short read on basically a beginner biblical theology on fearing the Lord. Both intellectual and deeply pastoral. Highly recommended.

[Johnathan Townsley · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very clear, biblical corrective to understanding what the fear of the Lord means.