Last week, I confronted myself and asked, “Why should I help out at Mid-Valley Fellowship?” The resounding answer shocked me a bit, but also woke me up to a distinct directive, “Because I asked you and you are willing.” From that moment forward, Yahweh has instilled a new kind of awesome fear into my life, which says to me:
I should fear leading any one person away from the Scriptures or the Messiah.
I should fear causing anyone to doubt the promises or covenant of Yah.
I should fear speaking against Yahweh’s intention to judge and to love.
I should fear the idea of questioning YHWH and His ability to save people from their sins of hatred, bias, lack of wisdom, immorality, loss of purpose, bitterness, and envy.
Proverbs 1:7 declares, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge.”
Until we understand who YHWH is and develop a reverential fear of Him, we cannot have true wisdom. True wisdom comes only from understanding who God is and that He is holy, just, and righteous.
The Hebraic word for fear is yirah יִרְאָה, meaning to be; in awe, extreme, fearing, and reverent. In Psalm 25, David describes the voice of the LORD as powerful, and majestic, it hews out flames of fire and shakes the wilderness. He writes,
“the God of glory thunders, the LORD is over many waters.” And continues with: “The voice of the LORD makes the deer to calve and strips the forests bare; and in His temple, everything says, Glory!” Psalm 25:3, 9.
Since our ways are not His ways (Is 55:8), I have concluded that Yirah, has to do with beholding something that is beyond our capability or understanding. So how does this concept line up with the Torah study of Toldot (Generations)? I believe Toldot gives a picture of what happens when we do not fear Yahweh, reminding us to walk in holy fear even within our generations.
In Genesis 25:19, we are first given the generations of Ishmael. And it is here that we find an important phrase. “These are the years of the life of Ishmael, 137 years; and he breathed his last and died, and was gathered to his people. 18 They settled from Havilah to Shur which is east of Egypt going toward Assyria; he settled in defiance of all his relatives”.
Immediately following the description of Ishmael, we have the beginning of Toldot, which starts with the line of Isaac and the struggle that was in Rebekah’s womb. The struggle is recognized by Yahweh and He states that the two boys would be two nations who would fight against each other. From here the story proceeds to tell of Esau selling his birthright to Isaac causing Esau to be named Edom (meaning red).
“Edom ate and drank and rose and went on his way. Thus Esau (Edom) despised his birthright.” Genesis 25:29-34
In Genesis 26, we read that Yahweh gives all the land of the Philistines (now called Palestine) to Isaac, and at first, the king of the Philistines has a healthy fear of Isaac’s God. For when Abimelech looks at his window and beholds Isaac “caressing his wife” he is filled with fear, in that he was led to believe that the woman was Isaac’s sister. He then makes a proclamation. “He who touches this man or his wife shall surely be put to death.”
From this point forward, Isaac lives in the land of the Philistines and is blessed so much that Abimelech asks Isaac to move away because Isaac is more powerful than him. Why is this? Do the Philistines recognize Isaac’s God, but do not want to serve his God?
At this point, the story takes a turn to tell us how the Philistines seek to fill up wells and stop any efforts for Isaac’s family to draw water. What kind of picture does this give us? I’m convinced that even though the Philistines may have feared the God of Isaac, they were still willing to make Isaac and his family miserable with their secret attacks. But what eventually happens?
“And they said, we see that YHWH has been with you, so we said, let there now be an oath between us, even between you and us, and let us make a covenant with you, that you will do us no harm . . . you are blessed by YHWH.”
It seems that Isaac himself was given a test to trust and fear YHWH even with the problems that faced him. The promise of the land was given to Isaac, but he had to be willing to wait upon the Lord for that promise to be fulfilled according to Yah’s timing and purpose.
Deuteronomy 10:12, 20-21 records, “And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. Fear the LORD your God and serve him. Hold fast to him and take your oaths in his name. He is your praise; he is your God, who performed for you those great and awesome wonders you saw with your own eyes.” The fear of YHWH is the basis for our walking in His ways, serving Him, and, yes, loving Him.
At first glance, what are the lessons we can learn from Toldot? I see a few:
- We must fear YHWH with respect to whom he places and whom He displaces in the land that He gives.
- We must fear YHWH by letting Him discern as to whom He loves and whom He hates.
- We must fear YHWH according to whom He makes a covenant.
It is YHWH who lifts up nations, priesthoods, kings, and people. When we recognize who YHWH is we will find peace, for it is YHWH who discerns corruption and changes the heart. The believer’s fear is reverence of Yah’s Mighty Hand and His works.
“Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our ’God is a consuming fire.’” Heb. 12:28-29
In whose hand are the depths of the earth, the peaks of the mountains are His also. The sea is His, for it was He who made it, and His hands formed the dry land.” –Psalm 95:4-5
“O LORD, how many are Your works! In wisdom You have made them all; The earth is full of Your possessions. There is the sea, great and broad, In which are swarms without number, Animals both small and great. There the ships move along, And Leviathan, which You have formed to sport in it.” –Psalm 104:24-26
In the study of generations, it is clear that Yah’s promise is with one group of people. At the same time, it is obvious that the generation recognized by YHWH can positively affect other generations. This is why I take to heart the comments made by Paul and by Yeshua to those generations who come into the covenant made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Yeshua said to the woman at the well, “Salvation is from the Jews, but an hour is coming, and now is when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth.” John 4:22,23
And Paul said to the Gentiles: “Do not be arrogant toward the branches (the seed of Abraham), but if you are arrogant, remember that it is not you who supports the root, but the root supports you . . . do not be conceited but fear.” Rom. 11:19-20
Friends, I encourage you during these times of informational overload to seek the Scriptures above personal insight from authors who carry agendas that speak against that which YHWH has ordained. We must be in awe of Yah’s wisdom and timing over our meager efforts to understand why or how He moves. Like Job, I want to say,
“Behold, I am insignificant; what can I say in response to You? I put my hand on my mouth. I have spoken once, and I will not reply; Or twice, and I will add nothing more.” (Job 40:4-5)
May you be blessed this Sabbath,
Rollyn