Scripture Reading: Proverbs 9:7-12
Systematic theologians affirm the omnipotence, the omniscience and the omnipresence qualities of God. Among the large Christian community, however, He is the “I am the I am” that His words are unquestionable. Even, biblical characters that did not believe in Him, had to succumb when they experienced His mighty hand in favour of the people of Israel
Characters like Nebuchadnezzar (the book of Daniel), Pharaoh (in Exodus), Balak (Numbers 23), have at different times acknowledged the superiority of God by resigning to fate whilst trying to undermine God’s children.
All these and many more are critical to the undeniable facts of the need to fear Him that can destroy both the body and the soul (Matthew 10:28)
From the beginning, humans have tried to either question God or overstretch His patience. In Genesis 11, humans wanted to find out more about God by conspiring to build a “Tower of Babel”, that could ‘reach heaven.
Their foolishness only earned them diversity of languages and effective communication became a herculean task.
Pharaoh was even more foolish by trying to hinder the instructions of God to His children. From subtle advice to the use of 10 plaques (Exodus 7-12), he kept destroying his own subjects with the mind that his arrogance could stand Jehovah God.
Despite his pretentious agreement to allow the Jews to go, he still ended the lives of so many Egyptians in the Red Sea (Exodus 14).
While Proverbs 9:10 opined that “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding”, many people that I will classify as being under the influence of Satan, still act contrary to this.
People operate with utter disdain to the existence of the Supreme Being, they fear man more than God, they live in a way as if no spiritual watchman is watching over them, etc.
They operate like King Sennacherib of Assyria that said that if gods of other nations could not save them, how could the Almighty God that Hezekiah served be able to save him from the delusional Assyrian King (2 Chronicles 32:14).
They are like the successive Syrian Kings, the biblical Pharaohs, the uninformed Philistines, and the greedy and gluttonous Judas Iscariot. People take the forgiven spirit of God for granted by not having absolute fear of Him in whatever that they do.
David himself that feared God still got his hands burnt when he was told that he had so much blood on his hand and his request to build a Synagogue for Jehovah will not be granted (1 Chronicles 22: 3, 8) God, the overseer of the universe and heaven should not only be worshipped but be fearfully worshipped.
Any power that could change a King from human to a beast (Daniel 4:25-35), the power that brought about resurrection and no mortal has been able to replicate, is more than bigger than any earthly powers, hence, He must be feared and revered above all humans.
We have seen mortal powers like Hitler, brought low, we have also seen many wicked African leaders expired when least expected, we have seen from the bible, how the then spirit-filled King Saul, became spiritually deficient and being controlled by evil spirit (1 Samuel 16:14-23).
It is on record that when Balaam would not follow God’s initial instructions, he was spiritually replaced with his horse (Numbers 22:21-41). When man overfed and behaved like “I’m not accountable to anyone”, then, God announced their expiry dates.
Hence, the bible says “who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the gods, Who is like thee, glorious in Holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders (Exodus 15:11).
He terminates unquestionably, lives that are arrogant to Him, as he did to Herod (Acts 12:18-25), as He did to Ahab and Jezebel (1 Kings 22; 1 Kings 21:22-29; 2 Kings 9:10-12), as He did to Og, King of Bashan, Sihon, King of Amorites (Numbers 21, 32), etc.
All these are just few of why God’s power should never be challenged. He must be feared in all ramifications and through that, we shall receive His mercy.
May every form of arrogance against our Creator, be subdued through Christ our Lord.
Memory Verse: Proverbs 9:12
“If thou be wise, thou shalt be wise for thyself: but if thou scornest, thou alone shall bear it”.
Baba Aladura, Elder Israel Akinadewo – FCA, PhD
Prelate, Motailatu Church Cherubim and Seraphim Worldwide (MCCSW)/President, Organisation of African Instituted Churches (OAIC)