The Fear of God in Nehemiah | Pastor Daniel Batarseh

It sounded like there's a lot of free people today.

Powerful singing. Thank you for the worship.

Praise team. And now we continue to Worship

in the word. Amen, turn your Bibles to the

book of Nehemiah with me, please Nehemiah.

And chapter one. And as we turn there it is a

habit of ours that once we complete a series a verse by

verse study, we pause and we take the time to address certain

truths that that may require Clarity or application without

delay. Before we start and begin

another Series in a verse by verse study in another book,

what this does is it really gives us the opportunity.

To be reminded of certain Concepts that may have become

dull to our understanding or blurred in our perception.

And that is what we are going to do today.

As we come to this book to consider a subject that is,

unfortunately under emphasized in many places today, Under

emphasized by some and by others totally ignored from a preaching

standpoint and yet at the same time, it is a scriptural three

theme. That is extremely important for

us to grasp. If we want to be flourishing in

our faithfulness to the Lord Jesus Christ and what I am

alluding to what we will be looking into today is the call

for all men. Especially those who believe

that they are children of God. To fear the lord.

To fear the lord. What we will do together today

is to look at this because this subject is a vital importance.

It is a subject that is dear to my heart, for many reasons, and

those reasons go beyond the fact that it is it is riddled

throughout the scriptures. It is a call from beginning to

end. In fact, the very first

reference to the fear of God is found in the first book in

Genesis, and if one is mistaken to believe that such a concept

only Fades as you read to the right, you are in for the shock

of your life. When you realize how stressed it

is in the final book of this divine library.

And any honest student of the word of God who has looked at

the scriptures between Genesis and revelation will find it very

difficult to deny that it is sprinkled.

It is sprinkled in so many places.

And why is that? Because Psalm 19 verse 9, tells

Psalms 19:9

us something very important about the fear of the Lord.

First, it says that the fear of the Lord is clean.

It is clean and not just the fact that it is clean but it

will endure forever. The fear of the Lord will endure

forever. What does that mean?

Well it means that it is relevant and applicable to all

men. It is relevant and applicable in

all ages. Whatever.

Dispensation you might know of the fear of the Lord was, and

still is relevant whatever. Covenant, the fear of the Lord

is relevant and here in 2022 As we sing and believe and preach

the grace of God. I want to tell you today, that

the fear of God is relevant It is important that verse alone,

the fact that the fear of the Lord endures forever is enough

to grip us. And to tell us just how

important it is to God and it should be to you.

And I And one place that may not be the go-to source in

understanding the fear of the Lord is the book of Nehemiah.

Is the book of Nehemiah that might be a surprise because

usually the wisdom Literature Like Proverbs or the Hebrew,

Hymnal The Book of Psalms is a priority in terms of

understanding the principles of the fear of the Lord and

rightfully so. But I have to admit though this

has been a study of mine on a personal sense that has been so

dear. I've realized that whenever I

feel like I had a comprehensive understanding, there's yet

another layer to this. there is so much that is involved with

the fear of the Lord, not just in the fact that it is

reference, but the blessings that are attached with it, the

glories that it produces the great honor that it gives to God

and as we come to Nehemiah, We are going to see some facets of

the fear of the Lord that prayerfully will make this

spiritual discipline, this attitude of the soul to be all

the more attractive and all the more desirable.

And so I want us to consider at least three, not limited to

these three but three insights about the fear of the Lord found

in Nehemiah, nehemiah's, recorded life, and nehemiah's.

Ministry Nehemiah possess this fear Nehemiah, expected, this

fear from those that were under his leadership.

So let's begin together. In Nehemiah chapter 1, verse 11.

Nehemiah 1:11

and this is when Nehemiah, Four weeks has been broken before,

God, praying and seeking him because he has received the

report of the ruins of Jerusalem while he was a cupbearer to the

king. As an exile, his brother and

other servants came along. And when he had asked, what is

going on in the holy city, they describe the shame that

Jerusalem was experiencing because of their Broken Walls.

And this man was pricked to the heart.

And so he began a quest, a quest of great.

Are seeking the Lord that he would do something for the sake

of his glory, and the good of his people.

Oh God, will you not do something with your holy city?

Will you not revive? Will you not restore?

And we come to this prayer in chapter one that is worthy

enough to study as a series and itself.

But there's one particular place that that is relevant to our

subject today. And it's found in verse 11.

Look how Nehemiah praise here. Oh Lord, let your ear be

attentive to the prayer of your servant.

And to the prayer of your servants, who Delight to fear

your name. And give success to your servant

today and Grant him Mercy in the sight of this man.

Here's a passionate plea from Nehemiah.

Forgot to do something about. His home City.

And this desperate prayer alone is so rich with meaning, but

here's a meaning to consider in this verse Nehemiah shows that

that he was not. The only one that was

interceding. He was not the only one that was

shattered in his heart. He says here that there are

other servants who are also unnamed Heroes.

Like many people who love to pray for Ministries and pastors

and others. And they are behind the scenes.

They are still part of the team. Are they not?

They're still instrumental, they not.

And here are these servants, who are in the background?

We do not know who they are. All we know about them is that

they also were praying for God to Rend the heavens and come

down and shower mercy upon the people of Israel.

But notice that we do not know the names of these prayer

warriors. We do know something about them,

and what we know about them is so vital and very revealing They

Delight to fear your name, other translations would say who

desire to fear your name. What a thing to say about

anybody isn't it fascinating to Delight to fear, something

sounds absurd. Almost who would desire to fear

something. If there's any relation From

Desire with fear, it is less a fear, not more of it. and yet,

here we see that there is this yearning to be fearful of God.

There is a desire, a longing for this fear to become more of a

reality in their lives. They want to live under that

Banner. They want to know what it's like

to tremble before God. And before others, in the name

of God, and it's important to understand that there's a reason

for these servants and for Servants of God today to delight

and fearing him, Why would anybody want that kind of

reality, that kind of Dimension to the relationship with God?

Well, there are many places to point to buy may I give you one

today in your Bibles. It's in the prophet, Isaiah's

words and Isaiah 33. I want you to see something that

is quite amazing. As it pertains to the fear of

the Lord. And Isaiah 33 verse 6.

Isaiah 33:6

Notice what the man of God says. And he will be the stability of

your times. Being the Lord abundance of

Salvation, wisdom and knowledge. The fear of the Lord is Zions

treasure. The fear of the Lord is Zions

treasure. What an incredible Declaration

of truth. But what is the connection

between this statement and the promises that are given before?

It is very simple. The fear of the Lord is the key

that unlocks, the blessings that were just mentioned in your life

and mine. It is the means by which we know

the fullness of such Grace's. It is what gives us access to

stability? Is what gives us access to an

abundance of Salvation? Not just of your soul, a saving

of many troubles, a saving of many errors salvation and so

many ways. It is, it is what we need to

have wisdom as what we heard. So many times in our lives, it's

the beginning. The fear of the Lord is the

beginning of wisdom, you can't even have The elementary facets

of wisdom without the fear of the Lord.

And knowledge. there's no wonder that those from Zion and and

nehemiah's time, delighted they longed for it because they

realized the jewels that were available through it And these

blessings are inseparable from the fear of God, I say, the so

many times whenever I teach on the subject, it's no wonder that

Satan wants Christians to be afraid of the fear of the Lord.

But it still begs the question. Are these incentives enough to

encourage anyone to be afraid of God?

And that's where many people are mistaken.

It is a great error to equate the fear of the Lord, as a

synonymous term of being paralyzed by a dread of God.

I've having this morbid fear of God is not what the fear of the

Lord means. The sphere does not produce a

view of God, that makes him unapproachable.

Or unpredictable, that is not the idea at all.

I believe, one of the best leaps that we can make to coming that

much closer to the most sound definition of the fear of the

Lord, and the most applicable way of honoring it in our own

lives. Is by realizing that, the fear

of God is something that the Lord Jesus Christ himself

possessed and delighted in. Does that does that mess with

your understanding of the relationship between Christ and

the father? Jesus, feared God.

Jesus walked in the fear of the Lord.

Where do we get that from the same book.

Isaiah chapter 11. Look at verse 1, as we are given

Isaiah 11 · chapter mention

a prophecy about the Lord, Jesus Christ, A Prophecy of the

Messiah, who would walk on this earth and the manifold Ministry

that he would have by the empowerment of the Holy Spirit

and Isaiah 11:1. We read concerning Jesus.

Isaiah 11:1

Unless you disagree that this is about the Lord.

There shall come forth, a shoot from the stump of Jesse and a

branch from his roots, shall bear fruit and the spirit of the

Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and

understanding the spirit of counsel and might the spirit of

knowledge and the fear of the Lord.

Look at verse 3 and his Delight shall be in the fear of the

Lord. He shall not judge by what his

eyes see or decide the Spirits by what his ears here.

Jesus, feared God. While in the flesh, he

perfected, the fear of the Lord, he walked in the fullness of it

because the spear the Sevenfold Ministry of the Holy Spirit was

given to Christ without measure. I love to use this text to ask

people who objected the fear of the Lord.

Do you desire to be like Jesus? Of course, I do, I love him.

I want to walk in his ways. I want to be like him.

The, you know, what, I say following that, then you will

Delight in the fear of God, because Jesus, did you will not

deny it, you will not despise it, you will not try to argue it

away because of your personal perception of Jesus.

You will Delight in the fear of the Lord.

If you want to be like Jesus. And go beyond that.

Now, go beyond that and consider the Dynamics.

Consider the relationship that the Lord Jesus Christ,

demonstrated through the gospels, and even in the

accounts of the Epistles, and ask yourself, how did Jesus

relate to the father? Rick our from him and fear.

Was he uneasy about serving him? Did he always longed to have his

way? But he always felt as, though,

there was a loaded gun pointed at his back.

No, a thousand times. No.

You go to the gospels, you go to the New Testament and you

collect all the data of the way. Jesus, pray to the father of how

he represented him, and how he spoke of him of the joy, and the

steadfast commitment that he had to the cause that he was given

while being here on Earth, and you will come to this

conclusion, no doubt that Christ Feared God.

And it was a revelation of the almighty that inspired an awe in

his soul. An attitude of great reverence

and honor that he deserves. It's really an amazement with

the fear of God does, is it awakens and amazement?

As you behold and properly understand who God is all that

he is and all that he is capable of doing it, stuns you?

It brings awaiting ish to you. It destroys any habit of being

indifferent or casual with him. It inspires this reverence.

And the sense of being astonished by his manifold

Beauty which includes everything from his Holiness to his

goodness, to his grace, to his judgments.

You read in Hebrews 5 and verse 7 and what you will see is that

when Jesus was on the earth and he prayed it says that God heard

him because of his reverence. And that is what it means to

fear him. It's a mixture that the sphere

is a mixture of a constant awareness of how otherworldly

God is from the rest of creation and that is mingled with the

knowledge that he will indeed. Hold men accountable for his

actions and it is also included with the experience.

The personal experience of his goodness that causes you to be

in dread of even the What of displeasing him or

misrepresenting him in any way? The sphere of God, though it is.

It is obvious in the scriptures is so complex and how it applies

to us. But Jesus had it.

He walked in it and the greatest men of God who have done the

greatest things for God, have a common denominator and it is

this, they walked in the fear of the Lord Nehemiah was such a

man. Nehemiah was that man and you

see it play out in his life. So wonderfully.

You see how it actually practically influences, the

different things that you. And I do on a day-to-day basis.

How we think, how we decide how we plan Nehemiah is often a book

that Refer to in order to get a congregation all ready for some

project and how Unity is necessary to get things done and

wholehearted sacrifices needed to do great things for the

kingdom. That's all right.

But have you ever considered that it's more than just people

who have this common goal who just want to see building

projects completed? Can we not see together that if

we're going to do anything for the Lord, whether it's

practical, whether it's spiritual And oftentimes those

things merge that it's going to require what this leader had,

and what he demanded of those who would serve along with him,

the fear of God. The fear of God.

And I want to show you what the fear of God does.

I want to show you what it can do?

I'm going to show you what it can prevent.

I want to show you that it is indeed a treasure to be sought

after we come to Nehemiah chapter 5.

Nehemiah 5 · chapter mention

And this is not a comprehensive study.

By the way, this is just to whet, our appetites a little

bit. And Nehemiah chapter 5.

Nehemiah 5 · chapter mention

Verse 6. Let's read a few verses to

understand what's Happening Here.

I was very angry when I heard the outcry.

And these words I took counsel with myself and I brought

charges against the Nobles and the officials I said to them.

You are exacting interest each from his brother and I held a

great assembly against them and said to them.

We as far as we are able have bought back, our Jewish

brothers, who have been sold to the nation's, but you even sell

your brothers, that they may be sold to us.

They were silent and could not find a word to say what's Here,

Nehemiah with a bunch of others, have returned from exile to the

promised land. The city is in Ruins, homes are

destroyed more. Importantly, the house of God is

in trouble and now, they are trying to build their way back

there, trying to restore what was destroyed.

And in the process of this, while many are in poverty.

While many are Berta, while many only have the shirt on their own

backs, As they were trying to do this, for the kingdom of God,

there are also concerned about their personal well-being.

And so, what you had people do is some were more wealthy than

others. And those who were least

fortunate were willing to serve fellow Israelites for pay or to

get a loan and these other Israelites you had more in their

name would give would land but it would exact interest.

And if the interest could have paid, if they went into further

debt than these families would sell their children, to these

neighbors as slaves, to pay off any debt.

And the reason why that is so important is that in Exodus God

prohibited the Israelites to charge interest when they borrow

or lend to one another. And so that was to never be a

practice. And yet, here we see that

they're taking advantage of the destitution of people in order

for personal profit Nehemiah, hears about it.

And he's losing his mind, he comes.

And he says, are you kidding me? We just got delivered from

slavery. And now, you want to exact

interest and cause more slavery. Now, that we're back home.

And I'll look what he says in the following verse.

So I said in verse 9, The thing that you are doing is not good

ought. You not to walk in the fear of

our God, to prevent the taunts of the nations are enemies.

You know what the fear of the Lord does when the Holy Spirit

inspires that within you, when you come to the word of God to

discover, who he is the person of Jesus Christ, the person of

the Holy Spirit, God, the father, as your soul is taught

to Revere him and respect him and honor him.

The fear of the Lord will protect your testimony.

The fear of the Lord will protect your testimony and mind

notice here. That Nehemiah as a man who

feared God, we will find that out in the next point.

He explicitly says, I didn't do certain things because of the

fear of the Lord, as a man who fears God was constantly on

guard. About how his conduct would be

perceived by a watching Lost World. in order to not, give

them another reason to scorn at the truth that we believe in, or

to harden their hearts and further unbelief, Nehemiah as

he's processing. What is happening with his own

people? You know where his mind is

going? What are our enemies going to

say about this? Look how you're treating one

another as the people of God. And do you not consider how this

will ruin our testimony? Because a man who fears, God

cares about his testimony cares about the impact that his life

and the lives of those, a he's connected to would make on a

watching world. And we see here that Nehemiah

wanted to prevent scandal. The Evangelical World on the

past couple of years, has been rocked.

By one scandal after another from Top leaders.

And I can recall the podcast, and the interviews and the

snippets on YouTube of leading Evangelical voices today, who

are still producing such content to try to understand how this

happened to try to get fee, logical reasons, how is it that

these men who have Minister for so long could come crashing

down, how is it that these Grand Ministries can be, discovered

for such great Scandal, moral failure, and then they go on to

discuss how we can prevent it. And they have all these ideas

manage suggest, something to you, if somebody were to

Interview Nehemiah today and say Pastor Nehemiah?

Would you tell us how it is that as Believers in the Lord?

Jesus Christ. how can we prevent from the world mocking us and

despising us because of our obvious failures and our gross

in consistencies You know what, I believe he would say what he

says here. The greatest prescription to

prevent as he uses that word to prevent the taunts of the

nation's is to walk in the fear of God.

Walk in the fear of God. The fear of the Lord protects

our testimonies. Not by hiding or concealing sin.

But by so suffocating it, that it doesn't even have the chance

to live long enough to accuse us of anything.

The fear of the Lord is so powerful that it grips in by the

throat, and kills it before, it is able to rise up and point us

and say, look at this Christian I want that and some might

object and say brother, it can't be that.

Simple. Sin is much more complex than

that people's histories and their past must be considered

when we are trying to bring some kind of treatment to their

behavior. And I don't want to paint a

broad brush on every issue and say that there is a one solution

to at all but I must ask this question at the same time.

Would anybody in here? Honestly?

Make the immediate connection between these Israelites

exacting interest and demanding payments from fellow brothers to

the lack of fear of God in their lives.

Think about it. If somebody were to bring that

solution to us and say, you know, there are people who are

cheating others and they're doing this to each other's and

they're taking advantage of them and their poor condition with

our minds immediately go to you. Don't fear God, that's why

you're doing this. We must ReDiscover.

This is the case that I'm trying to make today we must ReDiscover

how the, absence of the fear of the Lord is often the reason for

the presence of so much Injustice iniquity and

compromise. We must ReDiscover how the

absence of the fear of the Lord is the reason for the presence

of so much sin. That is tolerated and damaging

to the testimony of the kingdom of God.

Proof proof. Okay proof, let's go to Psalm

34, let me show you. Just one example of how one

component of life is related to the lack of the fear of the

Lord. Psalm 34 I sought the Lord and

he answered. That's where it comes from,

right? Let's go to Psalm 34 and verse

11. Look what David wants to teach

us by the Spirit. Come Oh, children.

Listen to me. I will teach you the fear of the

Lord, the fear of the Lord has taught.

The fear of the Lord is learned. And what's the best way to know

how to fear God know him? Know him, know him in his

entirety. Norman is completion.

No man his ways and his thoughts, know him in his

Holiness. No, man, as love know him, I

will teach you the fear of the Lord.

What man is there, who desires life and loves many days that he

may see good because that's what the fear of the Lord will do 0.

Preserve your days. Now look what he says, keep your

tongue from evil. And your lips from speaking

deceit. You know what?

That teaches me. I learned from this that as we

consider the flow of thought of David, that one of the main

marks that a man can know that this reverential.

Awe of God, abides in his soul, is that it will affect his

speech. In other words, one of the

initial influences of the fear of God being impressed in the

deepest parts of the child of God.

It's recognized and how we use this tongue.

If that is true, then we must all admit.

That there is a great lack of fear of God today.

Right. Anyone who can lie, anyone who

can take a reputation and rip it apart with their words.

So easily, anyone who can lash somebody with their tongue with

rage and heavy sharp language does not fear God.

They don't. Because the fear of the Lord

puts a restraint, the fear of the Lord, is the beginning of

wisdom, the fear of the Lord produces knowledge, and a person

who fears the Lord understands the power of this thing.

Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking, deceit.

Oh, I challenge you go home tonight and look up the first

reference to the fear of God, and you will be brought to

Abraham in Genesis and you'll realize that the fear of the

Lord, and its first mention is related to sexual immorality.

It connects to so many things and Nehemiah connects to the

fact that they were taxing their own brother's, here it is

connected to the fact that there is an unreserved evil in the

tongue and the first mention it has to do with Abraham being

afraid that they were going to take his wife as he was in a

foreign land to take her for their sexual pleasure.

It is connected to almost everything.

And it is so under emphasized. Barely mentioned today.

But the fear of the Lord, it does something it pumps up this

this passion. I am concerned about my

testimony. I'm concerned about what a

watching world would save me, as I wear the badge, ambassador of

Jesus Christ. But it's more than that as we

come to the same chapter in Nehemiah and verse 14.

And Nehemiah 5 14, we read of something else, concerning the

fear of God. Nehemiah says in your, my 514

moreover from the time that I was appointed to be their

governor, in the land of Judah, from the 20th year to the 32nd

year of artaxerxes the king 12 years, neither I nor my

brother's ate, the food. Allowance of the governor, the

former governors who were before me laid heavy burdens on the

people and took from them, from their daily ration, 40 shekels

of silver, even their servants lorded, it over the people, but

I did not do so, because of the fear of God, This is a really

interesting inclusion in the scriptures because in this part

of this chapter, we get a personal testimony from Nehemiah

about the account of his leadership.

And what he's trying to do by the spirit is show us, show us

the Integrity that he had show us the transparency, the

generosity the Selfless, Love that he gave to others, even

from a position of authority. And what is he doing here?

He's drawing a contrast. He was not the first governor

over the people. There were Those who preceded

him. And what are you saying, is that

these Governors because of their position of authority demanded

taxes from the people even though it would be a burden upon

them. They wanted to live in luxury,

they wanted to live in abundance and and they use the the right

of a governor to ask for more and to demand for more as

Nehemiah reflects about this. He thinks I did not do this.

I did not even consider it. I thought about the poverty of

the people, I thought about their struggle but these men,

they abused their position. They had power and demanded

payment that brought them profit at the expense of Burden.

Even more than they were already burdened.

And you know what, um, I said. Though, they had such Authority

though, they had such ability. I didn't go there.

Because I feared God. This teaches us teaches us at

least two things you ready for this.

Number one, you know what, the fear of God will do the fear of

God when it is living in a man. Will provide.

A sense of discipline and strength.

Where money has no, hold on him. When you talk about money,

people work a little bit. But personal profit is never a

motivation for a man who fears God when he serves.

God, there is no a luring power from anything to steer him to do

that which is right or that, which is even wrong.

He is untouchable. He is not easily shaken.

He's not moved by any bribe by any promotion, by any bonus, a

man who fears God does not even calculate in the equation of

service to God what might come to him as profit or gain.

And that is very difficult for Satan to try.

To bring down when a man lives in such a standard.

But secondly, you know what, I see from this as he reflects on

his stance as a governor in comparison to those, who

preceded him, a man who fears God can hold a position of

authority without corrupting his character.

Think about it. It is possible to be a leader

with much influence, and not abuse that power ever.

The fear of God can make pastors with great influence.

Humble ready for this? Can even make a politician

radiate with humility. That's what it can do.

Put a man in a position of authority, who lacks a fear of

God and you have just elected a curse.

But put a man in any position, whether it slowly or hi.

And just like, how any invitation for profit of game

bounces, right off of them. So does the suggestion that you

are someone? Who can demand something of

others because you have a title or a gift?

The fear of God's silence is those Temptations?

It puts them to death. Has no ability to live.

And what nehemiah's account of his leadership shows us, is that

a man who has this reverence for God?

Does not think to himself as he plans or as he positions

himself, or as he makes decisions?

What are my rights in this? What are my rights?

He doesn't even think. How can I take advantage of this

position or situation for my benefit?

Nothing of the sort. There is a dominating motivation

there is a thought that swallows up all of that and it is this

what would my God have me do? What would my God have me doing

this situation? What is the wisest thing to do

in this situation? That's why you have a man, like

the Apostle Paul who did not take payment from the

Corinthians because he assessed the situation.

And he realized if I take payment, people will use this as

an excuse that I am bleeding people for their money.

He said that in the same chapter, he says pastors should

be paid. But if they serve in the gospel,

their payment should come from the gospel and yet he still says

but I did not exercise that right.

Why Paul? Because he feared God and he

didn't consider, what are my rights in this situation?

He considered his testimony God's glory, the gospel above

all o, that we would have leaders who fear God, the great

blessings that would flow from their position instead of the

great burdens. No, a man who fears God Lives by

a higher standard higher than money higher than praise higher

than power. One that directs him to do that,

which is right. You see the fear of the Lord

does not just eliminate the negative.

The fear of the Lord is the breeding ground for

righteousness to excel. I remember hearing this from

somebody was doing an internship at a church and don't worry you

don't know about this church. And they wanted to have an event

and wanting to have that event that we're trying to bring some

Christian band. And when they had reached out to

have an invitation to be with them for that event, this

Christian band, this young cool band, I guess sent back a

request and the request was a list of Demands that they would

need from the church or they were going to host them.

You know what the demands were along the lines of.

We want these brand of chips in the Green Room, And we want blue

and red M&M's. No other color.

Can I tell you what that tells me of that Christian band that

was played on radio stations and what not?

They don't fear God. Do they sing about him?

Older full-time Ministry? How ridiculous would it be if

the Apostle Paul asks, for a brand of chips when he would

visit Jerusalem for a season? I remember when I was speaking

at a conference, I won't point. And as I was ready to share the

worship band played for a long time.

Talented group people were so excited for the worship team,

and the moment, the word of God was open that entire worship.

Team got up, went to the back of the room and were laughing and

joking throughout the entire service only to come back on the

stage. When I was there time to sing

after the message, they don't fear God.

I don't care what kind of songs, they wrote about him, the fear

of the Lord. It does something to your

standard and decisions and how you present yourself and how you

Minister for his glory. Lastly, this come to the third

point before we break bread, shall we?

And Nehemiah 7 verse 2. I gave my brother Han and I, and

Nehemiah 7:2

hananiah the governor of the castle charged over Jerusalem

for. He was a more faithful and

God-fearing man than many, I love it.

I love it. Here is nehemiah's, a leader.

A supernatural acceleration and building those walls was

accomplished and he is not just about fireworks success.

He wants to see sustainable success.

And so he positions the right man and the right posts.

And here we are told that there are 22 men and mind that he had

for a specific charge over Jerusalem.

And one of them was actually his blood brother Han and I not the

first time that he was mentioned in this text, he's actually

mentioned in the first three verses of chapter 1 of Nehemiah.

He was the one who came to his brother with the concern in his

heart for Jerusalem he was on who is burdened by the

destitution and from chapter 12 this chapter that was true that

remained with him. It was in seasonal this

Something deep in his soul, he really cared about God's glory

and God's people. And some would charge Nehemiah

of nepotism right. Giving favorable positions to

relatives just because their relative not so And we see here

that there was not just Hannan, I there was hananiah and he is

the focus of our last Point here and an eye has highlighted for

two qualities that are married together.

Hananiah was elected as a, as a leader, over the people to

certain extent because of these two qualities.

He was a faithful man and he feared god listen more than many

More than many. What this shows us is that

faithfulness to God in service to him.

Is deeply connected to that? Reverence you have for the Lord,

the greater, the fear of God in someone, the greater the quality

of their service for God. It's very difficult to believe

how anybody can be sloppy. Unconcerned careless with

whatever Ministry that they've been given and believe at the

same time that they have a reverence for God.

Hananiah was promoted here which means he was faithful and he

feared God when he was in a much lower position.

Because a man who is steams, the Lord does not consider it.

A small thing to serve God in any capacity because of that

personal growing, knowledge of the beauty of his Holiness is

enough as a motivation to serve with a steadfastness regardless

of the troubles or Temptations along the way read Nehemiah

realized that as they're building, this wall, there is

great conflict. Different means that Satan was

trying to bring this people down and yet still a man like

hananiah Constant. He was trustworthy.

He was reliable. He was consistent.

Why why why? Because he feared God.

That's why God was his motivation.

God was the only audience that he was living for.

And the fear of God is so powerful that it even encourages

such faithful service in the most menial of tasks.

Does it matter? Because the fear of the Lord

also positions, a man or a woman to be promoted.

To be promoted not for position, not for title, but for greater

influence of God sees fit. and this was Hannah nice case

because there is nothing more promising to the success and to

the safety of a Ministry than when you put a God-fearing man

or woman to supervise it That's what we look for here and BC.

That's what the leadership constantly prays for, as we long

to see more Elders, raised up more deacons raised up, do you

know what we're looking for? Not your position in society.

Not what kind of money you make? Not even how much scripture

knowledge you have. Do you tremble before God.

Do you fear Him? What struck me about the quality

of hananiah is that he was not just faithful or God-fearing,

it's specific more than many. More than many do you believe

that the fear of God is observable?

Yeah, of course. It is.

Is it measurable? Absolutely.

And the fact that this is brought up, is not to encourage

a competition of Holiness, among one another.

Oh, she's more God-fearing than there.

Oh, look at her, she's more. He's more.

Now, that's not why this verse is here.

This is more about hananiah than it, is about anybody else who

observed hananiah or compared hananiah.

The idea is this this man had a conviction that he was willing

to walk in the fear of God, even if nobody else wanted to.

Even if nobody else wanted to believe it or ask God for it or

to walk into or to grow in it and Anaya was a man who is

convinced let let the others be casual with the things of God.

Let others not consider how their decisions how their social

media post. Heather treatment of the

ministry. Will it potentially affect their

witness, to the world? Let him do it.

I will fear God. I will walk in his ways.

I will delight and trembling before him I will continue to be

on a quest to removing the layers of the flesh that would

just make his Holiness and his glories all the more known so

that my soul can be in constant astonishment of just how amazing

he is. If your friends want to remain

spiritual skeletons, let them remain spiritual skeletons.

But you fear God? You fear the lord.

I want to tell you today. it is my conviction that this is a

There needs to be a Revival of this.

There needs to be a Revival of this, and God will bring it as

we preach it. And as we pray for Lee, live it

out. My message is done.

But I want to show you one more verse as we break bread, and it

has to do with the fear of the Lord.

And it's found in Psalm 130 as we prepare our hearts to come,

To reflect on the mercy of Jesus Christ to reflect on the grace

of God. Consider how it relates to the

fear of God. Psalm 130 verse 3.

Psalms 130:3

If You O Lord should Mark iniquities O Lord who could

stand answer? No one verse 4 but with you

there is forgiveness that you may be feared.

Wait with you, there is forgiveness.

So that I may fear. Yeah, so that you and I would

fear. How does that connect?

Here's how it connects, when you realize the the payment for

forgiveness. when you realize the display of God's Wrath and

Justice that was poured out in order to make forgiveness

available, when you, when you come that much closer to the

foot of the cross, and you consider all the implications

that made this sacrifice necessary.

You cannot help but fear Him. This is how holy God is.

He is so holy that he is willing to crush his beloved Son.

This is how. Loving, he is.

He's willing to do this for me. You see, the gospel does not

eliminate the fear of God. It intensifies it.

And it is a delight. Would we tremble?

Today's, we come before the bread and the cup, they consider

what need to be done for forgiveness, to be made known in

your life and mine. Lord, we thank you.

We realized that it is a strong message today.

But a much-needed one to be reminded of.

Oh Lord, we Delight to fear your name.

You are brilliant. You Are, Holy.

You are worthy. Of our reverence.

We look to calvary's hill now. And we consider the Blackness of

that sky. And the trembling Earth beneath

our feet. And the sinless Savior hanging.

With bruises and blood. And dry spit on his face.

And we tremble. Unite our hearts to fear your

name. Help us believe that the fear of

the Lord will draw us closer to you.

Your word says that the secrets of the Lord belong to those who

fear Him. The fear of the Lord is a

Fountain of Life. We love you, Lord.

In our hearts, we bow before you, holy is your name.

Holy holy, holy is the Lord. Matchless, and power and

Majesty. May the success of this ministry

of this family of God. Be connected to a shared fear of

you. We bless you now.

In Jesus name, amen.