I don’t remember from where that line came—“Be afraid. Be very afraid,” but I do remember this. It was said to someone who was blissfully unaware of the terrible danger that lurked ahead.
Solomon, in Proverbs 1:7, penned that we should “fear God.” This is a powerful word, and in the Greek Septuagint is the word phobos (which then becomes “phobia” in English). While some think the word means “respect,” it actually is a lot more than this. There are other words in Hebrew that convey the idea of respect.
Actually, the word means “fright, to be terrified, to be afraid.” In Exodus 20 when the Israelites were surrounding Mt. Sinai, God showed His awesome presence through thunder, lightning, earthquakes and a powerful voice. It scared the Israelites greatly, which is exactly what God wanted to happen. He said He did this on purpose—to teach them to fear so that they might obey.
Jesus equally taught that we should not fear man but most certainly should fear God (Matthew 10:28). He said that we should fear God because of the power He possesses over our lives and our souls. Literally, no one else has that power.
So, what does God hope to accomplish by getting us to fear Him? Why did Solomon say this is the “beginning” of knowledge? If we don’t fear the teacher, we’ll not fear His teachings. There is a great day of Judgment coming. It is a “terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:31). If we disregarded His teachings, because we did not fear the teacher, we will find ourselves facing an angry God (Romans 2:6).
The “beginning,” then, is to fear God. Recognize He is great and that you are not. Recognize that He has all knowledge and you don’t. Sit at his feet and learn from Him. That is clearly the best starting point for everyone.
