Using Isaiah 11:1-3, which ends with And His delight shall be in the Fear of the Lord, to show the Jesus delights in the fear of the Lord Michael Reeves begins his short book, What Does It Mean to Fear the Lord, on exploring the fear of the Lord. This is a phrase which can seem surprising: Fear of the Lord. What is that. Should I be afraid of God. How does this fit with the verses about Gods love. This book explains the different aspects of fearing God and how the fear of the Lord impacts ones understanding of who God is and how they live their life.

Reeves begins by acknowledging that a proper understanding of the fear of the Lord does include the possibility of being afraid of God. He labels this sinful fear, which drives one away from God. This is the fear of the unbeliever who hates God, who fears being exposed as a sinner and so runs from God (21). Reeves clarifies that while not everyone has a sinful fear of God, a trembling fear is the right reaction to the Creator. For the holiness of the Creator is not a quiet, anemic thing to be received with stained glass voices and simpers. The holiness of the sovereign Lord is tremendous, vivid, and dazzling. Not to fear Him would be blind foolishness. In the splendor of the Creators majesty, we should be abased. In the brightness of His purity, we should be ashamed (36). He explains how, because of what Christ has done, a person who has a right understanding of God includes a fear of Him for who He is as well as a love of Him for who He is. Reeves calls the cross the most fertile soil for the fear of God because the cross simultaneously cancels the believers guilt and increases our appreciation of just how vile our sinfulness is (50-51).

After spending time explaining how fear of the Lord is not just being afraid of God, but also involves revering God for who He is, Reeves shows that fear runs deeper than behavior: it drives behavior. Sinful fear hates God and therefore acts sinfully. Right fear loves God and therefore has a sincere longing to be like Him (48). This is why, Reeves says, it is important for people to properly understand the fear of the Lord because it reveals a proper understanding of who God is, who they are in relation to God, and the comfort His promises can bring when life is challenging. The fear of the Lord is not something which anyone will fully master but Reeves argues that to grow in this sweet and quaking wonder at God is to taste heaven now (68).

This book is a fairly quick read, not only because of its length, but because Reeves writes in a straightforward manner which presents what the reader needs to know in a concise and understandable way. Through his careful explanations of the full range of what this phrase means it is apparent that his focus while writing the book was to make a concept which people find challenging more accessible and appreciated. He does not go off on rabbit trails or tangents, but keeps his focus on what the reader needs to know about the fear of the Lord.

I would recommend this book not only to anyone who is curious to learn more about what the fear of the Lord means or why it is important in the life of a believer but also to those who are wishing to be reminded of how great God is. This short book presents the greatness of God and challenges the reader to contemplate how they are living their life in light of who God is.

Disclosure: I received this book free from Crossway through Crossways Blog Review Program. The opinions I have expressed are my own, and I was not required to write a positive review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255