Fear God

Ecc 5:7 "For when dreams increase and words grow many, there is vanity; but God is the one you must fear." ESV

 

The NASB puts it this way: "For in many dreams and in many words there is emptiness. Rather, fear God."

 

Dreams and words. It is the human condition. We like to dream and we like to talk. Dream could mean literal dream that we have while we sleep, but it could also mean a prophetic dream, an idea, a goal. We all set goals. At least we should. But Solomon says that if you have a dream about something or you set goals, they may be good and there may be a lot of them, but they are not the end. In fact they are vain. They are empty.

 

Not only that, as Solomon continues to talk about words (Remember, "Let your words be few." V 2) he points out that when we talk a lot, there is also vanity. In fact, it is almost like what produces words…breath. Many words are like breath. Breath goes away quickly and you need to get another. Many dreams and many words are like that…there is always a need for more and what we have never satisfies.

 

So what are we supposed to do? Aren't we supposed to dream? Aren't we supposed to set goals? Aren't we supposed to talk and share and communicate? Yes, but I think Solomon is laying out something that is more important than dreams and words. In comparison the most important thing is to fear God.

 

Now I know that I just recently wrote about what it means to fear God in Ecc 3:14. I just think that we have lost the deeper meaning of this. Respect, awe and terror all apply. God is God. He is massive. He is powerful. He is mighty. He is just. He is righteous. He is holy. And me? I am small. I am weak. I am a sinner. I screw up. I make mistakes. I say dumb things. To compare God with men is like comparing light with dark. The two are complete opposites in our nature. Yet God made us in His image. No wonder He can't stand it when we violate that image. No wonder we have verses like: "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth." Rom 1:18 Or: "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him." John 3:36 We tend to forget: "How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has spurned the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace? For we know him who said, 'Vengeance is mine; I will repay.' And again, 'The Lord will judge his people.' It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." Heb 10:29-31 We don't want to think about stuff like this. We would rather say that to fear God is to respect Him. That is only half of it. To fear God is to fear God. And Solomon says that this is a must.

 

Should fear motivate me or should love motivate me? Yes. Both should motivate me. It isn't an either or. It is a both and.

 

Today as I walk through my day, let me keep in mind who I really am and who God really is. That should be enough.