The Fear of the Lord

The Bible is a book that declares to us many incredible things. One thing that stood out today in my reading is the stark distinction between the blessing and curse of God.

God was willing to spare all the cities of the plain for only ten righteous souls. However, there were not ten. It would seem that maybe the only righteous soul was Lot, and God spared him; Lot was the only man spared.

The wrath of God that is seen in the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah tracks with the judgment of God that is seen for mankind in eternity.

This kind of thing seems unthinkable.    

It’s so harsh.  

It’s so final.   

It’s forever.

God’s mercy is amazing.   

However, we must come to terms with the simple fact his judgment is no less hard to comprehend.


When one seeks to absorb the reality of the scripture, to comprehend the nature of God, we are confronted with very stark distinction between those God blesses and those who he curses.

Jesus spoke of eternal judgment, hell, fire, suffering, and damnation twice as often as he spoke of heaven.  Why?  Because that is why Jesus came.  He came to save people from eternal damnation.

The fear of the Lord.

Can one truly have a proper fear of the Lord if they do not fully comprehend the contrasting truth of God’s judgment and wrath?

It is sobering to listen to the story of this sequence of terrifying judgments seen in Sodom.

No doubt, the rainbow we saw just a few chapters before in the flood narrative is a miraculous sign. However, we must never forget what preceded the bow in the cloud. It was absolute devastation seen in the judgment that came on the earth for the evil in men’s hearts.

Proverbs 1:7

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Maybe why we have so many foolish Christians today is because they have not read, heard, and absorbed the stark reality that there is coming a judgment day that will make the judgment of Sodom and Gomorah pail in comparison.

Revelation 20

11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.

12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.

14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.


Read this scripture in the context of everything written above, 


2 Corinthians 5:11

Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.





Interesting news story

https://www.express.co.uk/news/science/1497488/bible-breakthrough-study-sodom-gomorrah-genesis-meteor-airburst-tall-el-hammam