After we have cleansed our temple of all forms of idolatry, it is time to dedicate our temple to God.
14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? 15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? 16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you. 18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. 7:1 Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
Paul tells us that we perfect holiness in “the fear of God”. We cannot perfect holiness without the fear of God.
What does the Scripture say about the fear of God?
Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
The fear of the LORD is the start of knowledge. Fools hate wisdom and instruction.
32 He that refuseth instruction despiseth his own soul: but he that heareth reproof getteth understanding. 33 The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom; and before honour is humility.
The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom. He that refuses it despises His own soul.
Proverbs 16:6 By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil.
By the fear of the LORD men depart from evil; they depart from iniquity.
Proverbs 19:23 The fear of the LORD tendeth to life: and he that hath it shall abide satisfied; he shall not be visited with evil.
The fear of the LORD brings life. The one that has the fear of the LORD will live satisfied and they will not be visited with evil.
Proverbs 22:4 By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honour, and life.
Because of humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, honor, and life.
12 What man is he that feareth the Lord? him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose. 13 His soul shall dwell at ease; and his seed shall inherit the earth. 14 The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant.
God will teach the one who fears Him. His soul will dwell at ease and His children will inherit the earth. The secret of the LORD is with those that fear Him; He will show them His covenant.
Acts 9:31 Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.
The early churches throughout all of Judea, Galilee and Samaria walked in the fear of God. They had rest and were edified and were multiplied.
What does it mean to fear God?
9 Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons’ sons; 10 Specially the day that thou stoodest before the Lord thy God in Horeb, when the Lord said unto me, Gather me the people together, and I will make them hear my words, that they may learn to fear me all the days that they shall live upon the earth, and that they may teach their children.
11 And ye came near and stood under the mountain; and the mountain burned with fire unto the midst of heaven, with darkness, clouds, and thick darkness. 12 And the Lord spake unto you out of the midst of the fire: ye heard the voice of the words, but saw no similitude; only ye heard a voice. 13 And he declared unto you his covenant, which he commanded you to perform, even ten commandments; and he wrote them upon two tables of stone.
Fear
H3372 יָרֵא yare’ (yaw-ray’) v.
1. to fear
2. morally, to revere
3. caus. to frighten
Brown-Driver-Briggs Lexicon:
3. fear, reverence, honour,
God spoke so that we would see who He is and reverence Him as God; so that we would learn to fear Him. The fear of the LORD is hearing the words that God spoke and obeying Him. Reverencing God and obeying Him is the beginning of wisdom. If we don’t hear the words that God spoke and revere Him enough to obey those words, we don’t truly have the fear of God yet.
God spoke and declared His covenant, the ten commandments, to His children.
Exodus 20:20 And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not.
God spoke so that His awe would be before the children of Israel. He went before them so that they would hear His voice. This was to prove them that they not sin. His commandments were given to prove whether they would revere Him enough not to sin.
Do we revere God enough to hear and obey His words so that we don’t sin?
The writer of Hebrews referenced the event that took place at Mt. Sinai when God spoke down His covenant.
18 For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest, 19 And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard intreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more: 20 (For they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart: 21 And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:)
We were not at the mount when the trumpet sounded and God spoke. The voice of God that the hearers begged to hear no more.
22 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, 23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,
But we have come to mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. We are part of the general assembly of the called out ones, the firstfruits who are written in heaven. To the God of all and to the spirits of just men made perfect. We are awaiting the city of Jerusalem to come down from the heavens. (Revelation 21:1-3)
24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.
Jesus is the mediator of the new covenant. His blood offers more than that of Abel.
25 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven:
Do not refuse Him (God) that speaks. Israel did not escape, who refused the one that spoke on earth. Could it be even worse if we refuse the one (God) that speaks from heaven?
26 Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.
The same voice that spoke back then and shook the earth. But now He has promised that once more he is shaking not only the earth but also heaven.
27 And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. 28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: 29 For our God is a consuming fire.
His word signifies the removal of the things that are shaken, the earth and heaven, so that the things that cannot be shaken, the Kingdom of Jerusalem, may remain.
Let us have grace so that we can offer worship pleasing to God in devotion and awe, or Godly fear, because our God is a consuming fire. If we refuse His words, we have the promise of the consuming fire.
Solomon wrote in Proverbs:
1 My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; 2 So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; 3 Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; 4 If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;
If we:
- receive the words that God spoke
- hide His commandments in our heart
- hear His wisdom and incline our heart to understanding
- call out to knowledge and lift our voice for understanding
- seek after wisdom as if she were silver
- search for wisdom as if she were a hidden treasure
5 Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God. 6 For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. 7 He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly.
Then we will understand the fear of the LORD and we will find the knowledge of God. God gives wisdom and from His mouth comes knowledge and understanding. He gives sound wisdom for the righteous. He is a shield to those that walk perfect. This doesn’t mean that we are perfect but that we are striving to walk the way that God said to walk.
The words that God spoke, His commandments that He spoke down are wisdom. If we put them in our heart for understanding then we will understand the fear of God.
But, Jesus is the mediator of the new covenant
39 And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them: 40 And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me.
God said that He would give one heart, and one way so that we will fear Him forever. It is for our good and for the good of our children forever. He will make an everlasting covenant that He will not turn away from. He will put His fear into hearts so that they will not depart from God.
19 And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh: 20 That they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God. 21 But as for them whose heart walketh after the heart of their detestable things and their abominations, I will recompense their way upon their own heads, saith the Lord God.
God will take out our stony heart and put in its place a heart of flesh. This heart of flesh will cause us to walk in His Ways. He will be our God and we will be His people. But those who continue to walk contrary to God’s Ways and walk after the detestable things, God will recompense their way on them.
26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.
God will put a new heart and a new Spirit inside of us. He will take the stony heart out of our flesh and give us a heart of flesh. His Spirit that He puts into us causes us to walk in His Ways.
31 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: 32 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the Lord:
God said that He was going to make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. Not like the covenant that He made with their fathers when He took them out of the land of Egypt. The covenant that they broke, even though God was a husband to them. He took good care of them.
33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.
But the covenant that God will make with the house of Israel is that He will put His law in their hearts. He will be their God and they will be His people. They will not have to teach their neighbor or their brother to know Him because they all will know Him. He will forgive their iniquity and remember their sin no more.
35 Thus saith the Lord, which giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, which divideth the sea when the waves thereof roar; The Lord of hosts is his name: 36 If those ordinances depart from before me, saith the Lord, then the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before me for ever.
If the sun, moon, and stars depart from Him, then will the seed of Israel cease from being a nation to Him.
15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
24 Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father’s who sent me. 25 “These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you.
26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.”
Jesus said that the words that He spoke were the words of the Father. He has spoken those words while He was with them but the Holy Spirit will teach them and bring to remembrance all that He has said.
14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. 15 Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before,16 This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; 17 And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. 18 Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.
The writer of Hebrews confirms that through Jesus we have the promise of the Holy Spirit and the covenant with God’s law written on our hearts. He no longer remembers our sin if we are in covenant with Him. Where there has been remission of sin, there is no more offering for sin.
26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, 27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. 28 He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: 29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?
If we keep wilfully sinning after we have the knowledge of God’s Truth (His Word, His Commandments) then there remains no more sacrifice for sins. We should look for God’s judgment and fiery indignation that will devour His adversaries. If he that despised the law given through Moses died without mercy because of the witness of two or three, how much worse punishment will it be for those who trample the blood of Jesus by continuing to sin even though we have the Spirit of Grace.
Paul taught that:
2 Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men: 3 Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart. 6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
The church is the epistle written in their hearts that is known and read by all people. They are the epistle of Christ that has been ministered by them. Not written with ink but with the Spirit of God. They weren’t written on stone tablets but in the fleshly tablets of their heart. They were made ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter on stones but by the Spirit with God’s Law written on their hearts. The Spirit gives life because the blood of Jesus purifies us. The letter killed because the blood of animals was not sufficient to remove sin.
Paul also taught:
1 Corinthians 7:19 Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God.
It didn’t matter if the Jews were circumcised in the flesh or that the new gentile believers were not circumcised in the flesh, all that mattered was if they were keeping the commandments of God. You have to be circumcised of the heart. You have to have God’s Law written in your heart.
This was not a new concept
Deuteronomy 5:29 O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever!
God was constantly pleading with Israel to put His Laws into their heart.
We know that we have love
1 Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.
Jesus was born of God. He is God’s firstborn. If we believe this then we love God and we love Jesus.
2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
We know that we love the children of God, including Jesus, when we love God and keep His commandments. We don’t truly believe that Jesus is from God if we are not keeping God’s commandments. Jesus’ commandments are God’s commandments.
3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
We love God by keeping His commandments and they are not hard to follow.
Do we have Godly fear or the fear of men?
Isaiah 29:13 Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:
6 He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. 7 Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. 8 For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. 9 And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.
Is our fear of God taught by the rules of man? Are we laying aside any commandments from God and instead following the traditions of men? If so, we are worshiping God in vain. In the end it won’t matter what we have done if we are not keeping the commandments of God.
The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him
15 As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth. 16 For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more.
17 But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children’s children; 18 To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them.
19 The Lord hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all. 20 Bless the Lord, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word. 21 Bless ye the Lord, all ye his hosts; ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure. 22 Bless the Lord, all his works in all places of his dominion: bless the Lord, O my soul.
1 Praise ye the Lord. I will praise the Lord with my whole heart, in the assembly of the upright, and in the congregation. 2 The works of the Lord are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein. 3 His work is honourable and glorious: and his righteousness endureth for ever.
4 He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered: the Lord is gracious and full of compassion. 5 He hath given meat unto them that fear him: he will ever be mindful of his covenant. 6 He hath shewed his people the power of his works, that he may give them the heritage of the heathen.
7 The works of his hands are verity and judgment; all his commandments are sure. 8 They stand fast for ever and ever, and are done in truth and uprightness. 9 He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant for ever: holy and reverend is his name. 10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.
Hallelujah!
Let us hear the conclusion
Ecclesiastes 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. 14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.
Revelation 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
Revelation 11:18 And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.
Dedicated to God
For the 8 days of the Feast of Dedication, we rededicate our temples and celebrate the True Light of Hanukkah.
It is a time to purge our temples of the ungodly, pagan customs and to remove anything unholy. A time to break down the desolating sacrilege that has been erected on the altar of our hearts that should be reserved for God, and only God. It is a time to reflect on all the ways that make God’s people Holy and distinct from the world. A time to praise and worship the One True God.
A time for rededicating our temples is very fitting for this time of the year with all of the customs from the nations abounding. My prayer is that we all search for the things that are contrary to God and our Christian walk and root them out of our lives. We can’t radiate the true Light of Christ while mixing with the traditions and customs of this world. He does not accept worship that has originated from customs of this world. He shares His glory with no other.
The Feast of Dedication is a time to be intentional about the space that we want God to dwell in.
We cannot dedicate our temple if it’s not done in the fear of God.
Let us dedicate ourselves to the One True God.
Let us go on to perfection.
Dedication:
- A Time of Dedication
- Antiochus Epiphanes: A Type of Antichrist
- Know Your Antiochus Epiphanes
- Building On the Foundation of Jesus
- Jesus at the Feast of Dedication
- Dedication: Cleansing the Temple of God
- Current Post