Joel M Bradshaw

30Thus the LORD saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. 31Israel saw the great power that the LORD used against the Egyptians, so the people feared the LORD, and they believed in the LORD and in his servant Moses.–Exodus 14

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction. (Proverbs 1:7)

“I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him! (Luke 12:4-5)

1. Yahweh saved.
2. Israel saw.
3. Israel feared.
4. Israel believed.

The ancients created idols to manipulate the gods. If they fed the goddess or mowed the lawn around her statue then they had done their part and expected her to respond. A healthy fear of God should put a boundary on your desire to manipulate the relationship.

But fear should lead to trust and belief. Israel went from fearing Egypt to fearing Yahweh. This was the result of Yahweh’s power to save. One fear was utterly terrifying and the other mixed awe with gratitude. Honestly, they were probably terrified of Yahweh a bit, too. All those plagues and then the miracle at the Red Sea. Yahweh was the God who could not be manipulated or taken advantage of.

I’m reading some of that in the Jesus quote from Luke that I listed at the beginning.. Place yourself in the 1-4 list above. Where are you at with God? Or are you secretly more of a manipulator?–JMB