When we study the characteristics of God and who he is, one must start with his ultimate nature of holiness. As Erickson points out, God’s qualities of greatness encompass his moral qualities, referring to God’s absolute freedom from anything evil based in his uniqueness and being totally separate from all of creation.[1] Knowing who God truly is as “the seraphim cried out, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty” (Isa. 6:1–4). The Hebrew word for “holy” (קָדוֹשׁ—qadosh) means “marked off” or “withdrawn from common, ordinary use.”^[2] When we, as believers, properly understand God’s character of holiness, a resulting reaction of reverential awe, or fear of the Lord, develops. This is the starting point of Godly wisdom and for the believer, a place of refuge.  Francis Beattie’s definition of reverence is “the sentiment of veneration, a feeling of high regard and admiration. When cherished towards a superior, it is an emotion of respectful awe. When directed towards God, it is an essential factor in Divine worship.”^[3] Understanding God’s holiness primarily involves reverent awe of God, resulting in wisdom and obedience through a God-honoring life. As seen in the book of Proverbs, we see the direct correlation of revering God, “fear of God,” with the attainment and beginning of wisdom and obedience. Proverbs 1:7 and 9:10 clearly state the significance and all-encompassing doctrine of wisdom or knowledge and the fear of the Lord. The author states, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction” (Proverbs 1:7). This doctrine is further emphasized with the author stating, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight” (Proverbs 9:10). We are introduced to knowledge and understanding, and how that relates to obedience and those who walk in integrity. In these verses, the alternative or opposite is revealed as fools who hate knowledge, resulting in pride and arrogance (Proverbs 1:29, 2:5-6, 8:13-14, 16:6).

As the book progresses the author states “The fear of the Lord is instruction in wisdom, and humility comes before honor” (Proverbs 15:33) and “The reward for humility and fear of the Lord is riches and honor and life” (Proverbs 22:4).  The wise are seen characteristically as humble, leading to the blessing of a life walking with the Lord in honor, obedience, and integrity. In Proverbs 10:27, 14:26-27, and 19:23, the “fear of the Lord” results in obedience, further bringing to one’s life security in the form of confidence. This results in a life turning away from evil and avoiding the “snares of death”. In Proverbs 14:26, the biblical theology of the fear of the Lord continues to unfold as we see this “confidence” in the Lord spill over into blessings for future generations. This can correlate to what we might define as worldly wisdom versus Godly wisdom. In Proverbs 3:7 and 14:2, the command is not to rely solely on one’s self-knowledge, in other words, knowledge only of this world, but instead to rely on the knowledge that is attained from wisdom when one fears the Lord. Disobedience is the direct result of not revering or fearing the Lord. As Zuck points out, “To fear God means to acknowledge His superiority over man, to recognize His deity and thus respond in awe, humility, worship, love, trust, and obedience. The fear of God, properly understood, was no mere ‘attitude,’ [it] involved the full range of humanity’s response to the deity. Such response to God results in wisdom, in wise, skillful living.”[4]  This concept of worldly wisdom and the materialist is further developed in Proverbs 15:16, 23:17, and 28:14 as the book concludes. In these verses, one is encouraged to value and prioritize the Lord; revering Him, trusting Him, loving Him, thus fearing Him over attaining or coveting material wealth. So what does this all mean for the believer? Personal discipleship involves following Jesus Christ, being the image of Jesus to the world around us by obeying His teachings and growing in holiness. Proper knowledge of God as all holy produces this fear or reverence that motivates the believer to obedience and thus to Godly wisdom. Without all of this, it is difficult to hold on to passages such as “In the fear of the Lord one has strong confidence, and his children will have a refuge.” (Proverbs 14:26) or “for the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” (1Peter 3:12). To trust that we as believers in Jesus Christ as our redeemer, have a refuge from this world and that the Lord hears our prayers, we must first understand and root our faith in the holiness of God. From this knowledge of the holiness of God given to us as believers in Christ as seen in 1 Corinthians 1:18, “For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God”, we are able to gain wisdom moving into a life of obedience, trust, gratitude, peace, security and love towards our Lord and to each other. Endurance in trials, confidence and identity in Christ, and a deeper intimacy with God are available to all who put their faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and who reverently, with awe and wonder, worship the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.