Fear God and keep His commandments

Closing Comments
Ecclesiastes – Week 6

I. Fear God

A. FEAR (Holman Bible Dictionary) A broad range of emotions that embrace both the secular and the religious worlds.

1. Secular fear is the natural feeling of alarm caused by the expectation of imminent danger, pain, or disaster.

2. Religious fear appears as the result of awe and reverence toward a supreme power.

B. FEAR 3372. yare', yaw-ray'– (Strong’s Hebrew Dictionary); a primary root; to fear; morally to revere; causative to frighten:--panic, be (make) afraid, dread(-ful), (put in) fear (-ful, -fully, -ing). (be had in) reverence (-end), X see, terrible (act, -ness, thing).

1. Obedience to even the hardest commands is our goal, because the consequence of disobedience (separation from God) is dreadful. Gen 22:12

2. We should not fear anything or anyone but God alone. This will protect us from sinning. Ex. 20:20

3. The fear of the LORD in our children begins with us. Josh 4: 22-24

C. FEAR - When I realize my own frailty, understand my lack of control in my circumstances and future, and get a glimpse of God’s glory, power and sovereignty, I am distressed and require God’s sheltering presence from myself and the effect of this sinful world.

II. Keep His Commandments

A. Jericho…
1. glimpsed Jehovah Sabaoth before Israel came to their city.
2. had already begun to respond to His might.

B. Israel
1. Fundamentals of fearing Jehovah Sabaoth
a. Circumcision – v2-7
b. Healing – v8
c. Reflect on God’s deliverance in the past – v10
d. Recognize that the battle was God’s – v13-14
e. Acknowledge the Holiness of God – v14-15

1. Experiencing Jehovah Sabaoth
a. God gave Israel exactly what He had promised
1. sustenance
2. The land

b. God did all the work. Israel was only required to keep His commandments.

III. For this is the whole duty of man.

BE THE WORD.