John Bevere: What Does Christmas Have to Do With the Fear of The Lord?
Advent is defined as “the arrival of notable person, thing, or event.”
For Christians worldwide, Advent is a season observed as a time of celebrating the birth of Jesus—His first coming—while also being mindful and expectant for His second coming.
When we consider the first coming of Jesus, He arrived in a way most were not expecting. The people of Israel were anxiously anticipating the manifestation of their promised Messiah. They were expectant as it was the season He was to appear. They were not unlike many Christians in our day, for most know we are in the time period preceding His second coming.
Jesus said we would know the season or generation, but not the day or hour. So, there is no reason to think it odd that the Israelites knew the season of His first coming. In fact, they had more to go on, as Daniel gave the timeframe in his prophetic writings (Daniel 9:24-26). The experts in the law were not surprised by the wise men of the East’s inquiry and readily informed them where to find the child Jesus (see Matthew 2:4-5).
They knew the time was upon them—however, from their understanding of Old Testament Scripture, they formed an incorrect expectation of how their Messiah would come. Isaiah foretold, “For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. …Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom…from that time forward, even forever” (Isaiah 9:6-7 NKJV).
The citizens of Israel were watching for a great King, one who would be both exceptionally wise and a powerful conqueror. This King would swiftly deliver them from Roman oppression and establish them as a nation without equal. He would reestablish the authority of the throne of David and would reign forever and ever. We see this in the fact that the scholars inquired of Jesus, “When will God’s kingdom realm come?” (Luke 17:20-21 TPT). Not only the theologians, but the common people grappled with this as well. For most, the litmus test of Messiah’s manifestation would be a king sitting on a physical throne in Jerusalem.
Can you imagine the conflict and confusion? When Jesus came as one of their own, raised in their schools, playing in their streets, building household furniture, and surrounded by tax collectors and prostitutes, they were blindsided.
Confusion
“Wait a minute!” they cried—feeling confused, “This isn’t the way we expected the Messiah to come!”
Israel’s leaders had more at stake. They anxiously awaited His coming, believing they would be made under-rulers of this new kingdom established in Jerusalem. So when Jesus came on the scene as a common man from Galilee, they disdained Him. He didn’t fit the image of their Messiah either.
Let’s fast forward to after the resurrection. Even Jesus’ own disciples, who now knew He was the Messiah, were still struggling with this conflict, “Okay, it’s clear You are the Messiah, so when will the Kingdom the Scriptures speak of manifest? Why isn’t it happening yet?” (see Acts 1:6).
Most didn’t realize there would be a few thousand years between the statement “a Son is given” and the total realization and physical fulfillment, “Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end.”
This incident, along with others like it throughout the Scriptures, reveals a truth that is hard to grasp—God will often work in ways we cannot fathom! Only those with eyes to see will discern His ways.
Here’s the clear reality—most were holding on to an incorrect expectation of the arrival of Messiah; watching for a mighty conquering Messiah as well, a hero who would deliver God’s people from Roman oppression.
In contrast, let’s look at another man who was also watching for the Messiah. His name is Simeon, of whom the Gospel of Luke records:
At that time there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon. He was righteous and devout and was eagerly waiting for the Messiah to come and rescue Israel. The Holy Spirit was upon him and had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. That day, the Spirit led him to the Temple. So when Mary and Joseph came to present the baby Jesus to the Lord as the law required, Simeon was there. He took the child in his arms and praised God… (Luke 2:25–28 NLT).
While Simeon held Jesus in his arms, he spoke a prophetic declaration over this one-month-old baby—acknowledging Him as the Messiah. This is where it becomes interesting! Here is a man who recognizes the Messiah when He is but thirty days old—yet all of Nazareth, the Pharisees, and the majority in the nation still couldn’t recognize Jesus as Messiah when He is in His thirties—performing signs and wonders no human before Him ever accomplished!
So what was the difference? It was the ability to see through spiritual discernment. This was the difference between Simeon and the others. With this in mind, the question remains—how did Simeon develop the ability to see and discern spiritually?
Righteous and Devout
To find our answer, let’s return to the account of Simeon in Luke 2:25-28. There we discover two specific character traits that distinguish him—he was righteous and devout. First, I want to focus on the word devout. The Greek meaning for this word is defined as “pertaining to being reverent toward God; pious.” With this understanding, we can say that Simeon was righteous and reverentially feared the Lord.
The fear of the Lord is the foundation to knowing God intimately. Solomon—known as the wisest man who ever lived—penned, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge” (Proverbs 1:7 NKJV). The following chapter in Proverbs clarifies the type of knowledge Solomon is referring to. He states that by the fear of the Lord we will gain the knowledge of God (Proverbs 2:1-5). To put it in terms we are more familiar with—it means you will come to know God intimately.
Holy fear is what separates those who know God superficially from those who walk closely with Him. An intimate relationship with God will not even begin until the fear of the Lord is first established in our hearts. This is the most rewarding facet of walking in the fear of the Lord and it’s the reason we see the Holy Spirit coming upon Simeon, leading him into the temple, and empowering him to discern the Messiah while He was an infant.
“An intimate relationship with God will not even begin until the fear of the Lord is first established in our hearts.”
David—a man who pursued the heart of God—also understood the reward of holy fear. He wrote, “The secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him…” (Psalm 25:14 NKJV). Do we share secrets with acquaintances or intimate friends? Yes, with those who are closest to us. God in essence is saying, “My intimate, close friends are those who fear Me.” The NLT version amplifies this by translating the verse, “The Lord is a friend to those who fear him.” God is close with those who fear Him. This fear is not to be afraid of God; rather, it is to be terrified to be distant from Him. These lovers of God separate themselves from anything and everything that would come between them and the Lord. Those who are afraid of God run away from Him, but those who reverentially fear Him run to Him. His presence is both their delight and their hiding place. This close proximity results in intimacy.
The other aspect about Simeon that separated him from the others is that he was righteous. Simeon lived a godly lifestyle that pleased God. This was the evidence of his reverential fear of the Lord. Paul, writing to the church in Corinth, states, “…Beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God” (2 Corinthians 7:1 NKJV).
“This fear is not to be afraid of God; rather, it is to be terrified to be distant from Him.”
Holiness
A life of holiness is produced and made mature by the fear of the Lord. When we fear God, we obey Him—we love what He loves and hate what He hates. We delight in God’s Word as we esteem His commands above our own desires. Solomon verifies this truth: “…By the fear of the Lord one departs from evil” (Proverbs 16:6 NKJV).
Because holiness has been communicated incorrectly in the past, many have shunned it all together—associating it with legalisms, bondage, and mean-spirited preachers. Yet, New Testament holiness is not even remotely connected to works of the law or legalism. It’s actually a life-giving and beautiful way of life that is greatly misunderstood.
One of the core definitions of holiness is to be set apart. It can be compared to a bride who sets herself apart exclusively for her husband. As she prioritizes her covenant to her husband, she cuts ties with her former lovers and gives herself completely to her bridegroom. This is why the Bible empathically states: “Pursue…holiness, without which no one will see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14 NKJV). If holiness positions us to see the Lord, then why would any child of God avoid discussing it? If that is the case, then holiness should be the talk of the town! With this in mind, let’s take a look at what Jesus promised:
A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also. …He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him (John 14:19,21 NKJV).
There are two important facts that must not be ignored. First, a very real component of Christianity is seeing Jesus. Why is seeing Jesus important? Because if we don’t see Him, we can’t know Him—we can only know about Him. This can be liked to those who know a lot about celebrities yet have never actually known them in a personal way. They may know all the latest rumors and gossip—yet lack a personal relationship with them. This is where the Pharisees missed the mark—they knew about God, yet could not recognize the Son of God standing in their midst.
Second, those who obey the Lord and keep His commandments will experience a level of intimacy that cannot be known any other way. Jesus pointed out that only those who keep His commandments are the ones to whom He will make Himself known. They will be the ones who see Him, who enter His presence, and thereby come to know Him intimately. This privilege is not promised to all believers, only to those—who like Simeon—are devout and live righteously.
Solomon lived a life in which he experienced both success and failure. He had everything this world could offer—fame, power, riches, status—you name it, he had it. However, he lost his fear of God and it manifested in him disobeying God in marrying multiple wives who had no relationship with God. The book of Ecclesiastes is a picture of a man who is disillusioned and cynical. Yet, thankfully Solomon regained his right mind and in the end writes this conclusion to life: “That’s the whole story. Here now is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands, for this is everyone’s duty” (Ecclesiastes 12:13 NLT).
“Choosing a life of holiness in which we set ourselves apart to God will ensure we remain close to Him and know the One we’re looking for.”
Not Caught by Surprise
Let’s return now to the main focus of this discussion—no one knows the day or the hour in which the Lord Jesus will return, but almost all of us are aware that it’s the season. However, those who embrace the fear of the Lord will not be caught by surprise or have errant expectations of His manifestation. Paul says it like this, “But you aren’t in the dark about these things, dear brothers and sisters, and you won’t be surprised when the day of the Lord comes like a thief” (1 Thessalonians 5:4 NLT).
When we live a life that is both righteous and devout, not only will we be discerning—we’ll also be ready for the advent of the Lord’s second coming. In regard to our time, Peter warned:
But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God… (2 Peter 3:10-12 NKJV).
Invitation
The return of our King will come unannounced, like a thief. In the meantime, choosing a life of holiness in which we set ourselves apart to God will ensure we remain close to Him and know the One we’re looking for. Furthermore, as we live holy—not only will we remain close to our Lord—we’ll “hasten” His coming. To “hasten” means to quicken. It’s to cause something to happen sooner than it otherwise would. As the Lord observes His bride preparing herself for Him—it fuels His desire to bring her to Himself.
Friend, be encouraged, for soon and very soon, the One who is appearing will come without delay. Let’s live holy and ready for the Lord’s appearing.
