"These [in Berea] were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so." - Acts 17:11

(20) Wisdom calls aloud outside;
She raises her voice in the open squares.
(21) She cries out in the chief concourses,
At the openings of the gates in the city
She speaks her words:
(22) " How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity?
For scorners delight in their scorning,
And fools hate knowledge.
(23) Turn at my rebuke;
Surely I will pour out my spirit on you;
I will make my words known to you.
(24) Because I have called and you refused,
I have stretched out my hand and no one regarded,
(25) Because you disdained all my counsel,
And would have none of my rebuke,
(26) I also will laugh at your calamity;
I will mock when your terror comes,
(27) When your terror comes like a storm,
And your destruction comes like a whirlwind,
When distress and anguish come upon you.
(28) " Then they will call on me, but I will not answer;
They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me.
(29) Because they hated knowledge
And did not choose the fear of the LORD,
(30) They would have none of my counsel
And despised my every rebuke.

New King James Version copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.

Fearing God is a choice. Each and every day of our lives, we are faced with many pressures, forces, and influences that compel us to react. We must make a choice: "Shall I go this way, or shall I go that way?" One way represents the fear of God; the other way represents the fear of men, the fear of the loss of pleasure, the fear of the loss of some other physical, social, or cultural "need" that we do not want to lose.

Notice the verbs in this series of verses: "hated," "did not choose," "would have none," "despised"! Is it any wonder that Romans 8:7 says that the carnal mind is enmity against God? We begin to understand that it was the fear of God, given as the gift of God, that drove us to react, drove us in the direction of the very One who holds in His hands the issues of life! God instilled that reaction within us!

There is an antagonism toward wisdom—toward God. Wisdom is not hiding. People have access to common wisdom, which is described as being right out there on the street—out in public. It is in the forest; it is in the city; it is on the job—it is everywhere! We are surrounded by it! This is why God can make the accusation that the Gentiles who do not have the law are a law unto themselves when they do what the law says is right (Romans 2:14). Their own conscience bears them witness that they understand what is right and what is wrong (verse 15)!

Proverbs 1 shows that God (personified as Wisdom) uses just about every device imaginable to awaken people to what is right, so that they will fear evil. We see Wisdom threatening, laughing, and warning, like a dog baring its teeth. If a snarling pit bull braced to attack every time we were about to sin, we would fear, would we not? Our skin would crawl, our hair would stand on end, and we would be almost spitless!

God has not chosen to warn us in that way, but He does warn us through His Word. He also warns us through the fruit of sin, which we see in this world as well as in our own lives. It is almost as if Wisdom is saying, "I told you so, but you would not listen!"

— John W. Ritenbaugh

To learn more, see:
The Fear of God



 

Topics:

Conscience

Consciousness of Sin

Enmity against God

Enmity toward God

Fear of God

Fear of God is Beginning of Wisdom

Fearing God

Fearing God is a Choice

Wisdom of Man

Wisdom Personified




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