Proverbs 28:14 Commentary and Bible Study

Happy is the man who fears! This is not something that we would expect to say. It sounds contradictory, and of course, in this is found the surprise factor. Men and women of the world are sure that one factor that makes happiness impossible is fear, for to them fear is about danger, uncertainty, threat. How can these bring any peace of mind? Solomon does not tell us explicitly what we should fear, but it is obvious from the second half of the verse, and some translations supply the word, that we should fear the Lord, and to depart from his commandments. It seems that he has left the word out deliberately, because it should be so obvious to the one who is thinking in the right way that this is what he means. Solomon is always stretching us in our understanding. The verse presents two attitudes to the Lord and his standards. The first is called fear, but it is not a cringing fear or one that is associated with terror or expectation of punishment. It is a fear that is concerned not to offend, and that appreciates the greatness of the one who has called us and the rightness of his commandments. It knows that to sin against God would be a supreme act of ingratitude, a rebellion against his kingly rule, the beginning of a path to destruction which is not in our power to recover from. But to remain in his love and mercy is bliss, and the child of God obeys out of love and gratitude, and not out of fear. The one who fears knows that they have been given sonship within Christ kingdom freely, and undeservedly, by pure mercy alone. To depart from the truth would be to despise the greatest gift that they have ever received, therefore they revere God greatly. Daily, they come to him confessing their sins and asking for pardon and cleansing and renewed strength to walk in his ways. They are confident in his continued mercy according to his promise, but the thought of departing from him and returning to their old way of life fills them with horror. It is God that has given them a new heart that willingly obeys him. They did not obtain this for themselves. Therefore they value it all the more and would do nothing to weaken or injure it. But the one who hardens his heart, hardens it against the voice of conscience. Conscience can grow in knowledge and make advance, but we must be careful to follow it in what it already knows. To harden the heart against conscience, Paul warns, leads to shipwreck of the faith (1 Timothy 1:19). Conscience may not yet know all that God requires, but to reject it is to remove ourselves from under his authority with no further intention of paying any attention to him. God of course notes this, and he who holds our lives in his hand will not let this rebellion go unpunished.