Fear of the Lord: Daniel 4:4-9
The fact that God can use any means to get our attention should evoke a healthy sense of fear for the Lord in our life. Not only can He use anything, He will use anything. God will do whatever it takes to give us a chance to hear Him. We simply need to be willing to listen.
Once more Nebuchadnezzar has a dream that causes fear. The source of these dreams is God. God uses Nebuchadnezzar’s dreams to open opportunities for Nebuchadnezzar to see His glory. God uses these opportunities to open doors for Daniel to serve Him. What matters, though, is these dreams are sent by God. God brings fear to Nebuchadnezzar’s life.
In the modern world, we readily lose sight of this side of God. We think of God as love and joy and peace. Certainly, there is truth in that; but God is so much more. Proverbs 9:10 tells us “The beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord.” God may be the source of love, joy, and peace, but to only focus on those qualities misses much of who God is.
God created the world. God spoke life into existence. He moves mountains. He bring pillars of fire from heaven capable of destroying human civilization. He turns people from living beings to pillars of salt. He turns water into blood and back again. He brings plagues of locusts and frogs and insects from out of nowhere. He overcomes death and brings new life where life has been expended.
This same God gives dreams to Nebuchadnezzar. Yes, God is trying to reach Nebuchadnezzar and teach him, but God scares Nebuchadnezzar. Sometimes we turn our backs on God so well the only way He can get our attention is to scare us.
God’s power is amazing, but it should evoke a healthy fear and deep respect. He is an incredible God of love who draws us near. This same God sent His own people into exile under Nebuchadnezzar. He loves us enough to use any means possible to get our attention.
Daniel serves God well, and as a result He is the only one who can hear Nebuchadnezzar’s dream and have a chance of interpreting it. The rest of the Chaldean wise men try, but they are unable to makes sense of it. Daniel, once more walking through the door that God opened for him, is willing to listen to the dream and trust that God will grant Him the interpretation.
Daniel fears the Lord, it is this fear of the Lord that gives him patience to wait for the opportunities God gives Him. When we fear the Lord, we put ourselves in a position of humble preparedness to serve. The fact that God can use any means to get our attention should evoke a healthy sense of fear for the Lord in our life.
