Fear God, Not Men

“The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom, and they that lack the beginning have neither middle nor end.”

- John Bunyan

Daniel answered, “May the king live forever! My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, Your Majesty!”

- Daniel 6:21-22

Daniel was caught in a seemingly no-win situation. If he bowed to the king, it would undermine his faith in God. If he bowed to God, it seemed to undermine the king, which meant being thrown into the lion’s den. In the midst of the tension, Daniel found the answer. He was true to his faith, bowed to God, but did not disrespect the king. As he declared, “He was found innocent in the eyes of God, nor did he do any wrong before the king.” As a result, even when thrown into the lion’s den, God rescued him.

It is the same tension in which we live each and every day of our lives, and the same answer applies to us. Fear God only, worship Him, and at the same time, respect those in earthly authority over us. When we do this, God is faithful and will step into our circumstances to protect us; for like Daniel, we are innocent in His sight and have done no wrong in this world.

As the Apostle Peter writes in 1 Peter 2:12,

Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.

When we face difficult circumstances, where it seems we are caught between a rock and a hard place, the only right answer is to fear God and trust Him for the outcome. As the Psalmist writes in Psalm 46:1-2,

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear...

We do not need to fear anything in this world, but we are wise to fear God. Oswald Chambers writes,

The remarkable thing about God is that when you fear God, you fear nothing else, whereas if you do not fear God, you fear everything else.

Fearing God is a healthy fear - not being afraid of Him, but having the highest level of respect for Him, that He and His plans come before all others. It is a fear that reveres Him and protects us, acknowledging that He is bigger and stronger than any other power or force in existence. It is a recognition that nothing can stand against Him.

When you find yourself between a rock and a hard place, where it seems either answer faces pending doom, fear God and trust Him.

You, too, will be found innocent in His sight; and because His power is above all, like Daniel, you will not be defeated, but rise victorious, glorifying Him for what He has done.

Pastor Ken

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