Fear a God of Love?
Because fear of God is not the abject, paralyzing fear that grips people in some situations. It is the kind of fear that a child may feel for his father, even though he loves his father and knows that his father loves him.
Fear of God is really a profound reverence for the Creator that stems from the realization that he is the complete embodiment of righteousness, justice, wisdom, and love. It involves a healthy dread of displeasing God because he is the Supreme Judge with the power to reward and to punish. “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God,” wrote the apostle Paul. (Hebrews 10:31) God’s love is not something to be taken for granted, nor is his judgment something to be downplayed. That is why the Bible reminds us: “The fear of Yahweh is the start of wisdom.”—Proverbs 9:10.
We should remember, however, that while Yahweh has the power to punish those not obeying him—and has often done so—he is by no means bloodthirsty or cruel. He is really a God of love, even though he, like a loving parent, sometimes gets righteously angry. (1 John 4:8) That is why fearing him is wholesome. It leads us to obey his laws, which are designed for our good. Obeying God’s laws brings happiness, while disobeying them always brings bad results. (Galatians 6:7, 8) The psalmist was inspired to declare: “Fear Yahweh, you holy ones of his, for there is no lack to those fearing him.”—Psalm 34:9.
