Shining a Light in Darkness

The Beginning of Wisdom
Sis YahChannah

We are told that fear of YHWH is the BEGINNING of wisdom. The word that is translated as fear has many connotations, fear, terror, dread, reverence, awe inspiring. Although we are informed that the fear of YHWH is the beginning of wisdom, that in no way indicates that this gives us a full measure of wisdom, but without the awe and reverence, I do not believe we will grow very much in wisdom and understanding.

Psalm 111:10 The fear of YHWH is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do His commandments: his praise endures for ever.

When we examine Torah, we find many, many instances of being told that when we come before His Almighty Presence, we must come humbly, with awe, fearing lest we fail to give HIM the honor and respect due to Him.

When Mosheh and Aharon were obeying the commands of YHWH to build the tabernacle where He would dwell among them, they were instructed to build a brass or bronze basin to hold water and to place it between the tent of the congregation and the altar. They were to wash their hands and feet to be ceremonially clean before they dared to come before the Almighty.

Exodus 40:30 And he set the laver between the tent of the congregation and the altar, and put water there, to wash with.

Exodus 40:31 And Moses and Aaron and his sons washed their hands and their feet there:

Exodus 40:32 When they went into the tent of the congregation, and when they came near unto the altar, they washed; as YHWH commanded Moses.

Very, very important. They did not come in a casual, careless manner before the Almighty One. They realized the consequences of showing less than fear, awe and reverence. It was indeed a matter of life and death.

We now read in Ex 28 concerning the robe which the people were to make for Aharon to wear. As the High Priest, he was the one who would enter once per year into the Qodesh Qodeshiym (the Holy of Holies). It was made very clear by YHWH that when Aharon entered the Qodesh Qodeshiym, he was truly in the very Presence of Almighty YHWH and it was not to be taken lightly.

Exodus 28:31 And you shall make the robe of the ephod all of blue.

Exodus 28:33 And beneath upon the hem of it you shall make pomegranates of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, round about the hem thereof; and bells of gold between them round about:

Exodus 28:34 A golden bell and a pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate, upon the hem of the robe round about.

Exodus 28:35 And it shall be upon Aaron to minister: and his sound shall be heard when he goes into the holy place before YHWH, and when he comes out, that he does not die.

Exodus 28:41 And you shall put them upon Aaron your brother, and his sons with him; and shall anoint them, and consecrate them, and sanctify them, that they may minister unto me in the priest's office.

Bells and pomegranates...I am not sure what exactly the significance of the pomegranates but the bell I do understand. When Aharon went into Presence of the Almighty, all must be done properly. Aharon must first have had cleansing of his sin so he could enter and he must take everything he had been told to do very seriously. He knew if he did not, he would die. As long as they heard his bells, they knew he was alive and still performing his duties....but...if the bells became silent then they knew since they could not enter that they would have to reach in with a hook of sorts and drag out his lifeless body.

Let us consider well if we were in a position wherein we would be struck dead by our Creator if we came before Him with a lightness that could be seen as a lack of fear, in all it's connotations. Would you walk into His Almighty Presence, laughing and joking and not in the least considering Whom you had an audience with? Can you even imagine Aharon going into the Qodesh Qodeshiym, with other things on his mind? Do you not envision that he prepared his thoughts to focus on the ONE before whom he would soon stand? Do you not rather believe that as Aharon, washed himself, did the necessary things to be cleansed of his own sin so he could bring the request for forgiveness for all the tribes, he thought of the awesome, fearful Presence he was preparing to come before.

Aharon probably had a great sense of humor, undoubtedly laughed, talked and visited with his friends as the time drew near for him to enter. I am sure as the hour grew closer, not only Aharon but his compatriots as well grew solemn.

Ex 18
20 And you shall teach them ordinances and laws, and shall show them the way wherein they must walk, and the work that they must do.

21 Moreover you shall provide out of all the people able men, such as fear the Almighty, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens:

Not just the priests (the sons of Aharon) or the High Priest were enjoined to be able, men of truth, men who hated coveteousness who followed the path as set down for them but they too were to fear, reverence, hold in awe the Almighty. Then they were to be given positions of rule and leadership.

Deut 6
2 That you might fear YHWH your Mighty One, to keep all his statutes and his commandments, which I command you, you, and your son, and your son's son, all the days of your life; and that your days may be prolonged.

Not only are we to reverence Him, fear Him, hold Him in awe but we are to teach our children so. Do our children know that when they come into a place where others are seeking the face of Yahh, that they should be reverent and respectful? If they do not know, perhaps it is because they do not see that reflected in our behaviors.

Deu 31
11 When all Israel comes to appear before YHWH, your Mighty One in the place which he shall choose, you shall read this law before all Israel in their hearing.

12 Gather the people together, men, and women, and children, and your stranger that is within your gates, that they may hear, and that they may learn, and fear YHWH, your Mighty One, and observe to do all the words of this law:

13 And that their children, which have not known any thing, may hear, and learn to fear YHWH, your Mighty One, as long as you live in the land that you are going over Jordan to possess.

If the children do not know anything, it is because we have not taught them, either in word or deed, perhaps both.

The Tribes Renew the Covenant:

Joshua 24:
14 Now therefore fear YHWH, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the mighty ones which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and you serve YHWH.

15 And if it does not seem good to you to serve YHWH, you choose this day whom you will serve; whether the mighty ones which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the mighty ones of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve YHWH.

16 And the people answered and said, El forbid that we should forsake YHWH, to serve other mighty ones;

Psa 22
23 You that fear YHWH, praise Him; all you,  the seed of Jacob, glorify Him; and fear Him, all you, the seed of Israel.

Psa 33:
8 Let all the earth fear YHWH: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him.

Ex 19:
9 And YHWH said to Moses, Lo, I come to you in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with you, and believe you for ever. And Moses told the words of the people to YHWH.

10 And YHWH said to Moses, Go to the people, and sanctify (hallow, cleanse, purify, set apart) them to day and to morrow, and let them wash their clothes,

Again we see the washing of the clothes and being purified and set apart if they were to come asking to be allowed in His Presence.

11 And be ready when the third day comes: for the third day YHWH will come down in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai.

12 And you shall set bounds to the people round about, saying, Take heed to yourselves, that you go not up into the mount, or touch the border of it: whosoever touches the mount shall be surely put to death:

Even with being cleansed, purified and set apart, the people were allowed to only come so close lest they die. Does this sound like we can come 'boldly' before the throne?

Ex 20:
19 And they said unto Moses, You Speak with us, and we will hear: but let not the Almighty speak with us, lest we die.

20 And Moses said to the people, Fear not (do not be afraid): for the Almighty has come to prove you, and that his fear (His awe inspiring Being, His greatness and His Glory, which brings us to the realization that we must come before Him with awe, with reverence and with repentance) may be before your faces, that you do not sin.

Isa 58:
13 "If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath and from doing as you please on My set-apart day, if you call the Sabbath a delight and YHWH's set-apart day honorable, and if you honor it by not going your own way and not doing as you please or speaking idle words,

14 then you will find your joy in YHWH, and I will cause you to ride on the heights of the land and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob." The mouth of Yahh has spoken.

Nothing has changed. YHWH does not change. We still are to come before Him in reverence, respect, and with awe, with fear. Fear of YHWH is the BEGINNING of wisdom...let us grow in wisdom and not be found as fools for our lack of following His desires in this matter.

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