Proverbs 8:12 (ESV)

[12] “I, wisdom, dwell with prudence,

and I find knowledge and discretion.

[13] The fear of the LORD is hatred of evil.

 Pride and arrogance and the way of evil

and perverted speech I hate.

[14] I have counsel and sound wisdom;

I have insight; I have strength.

[15] By me kings reign,

and rulers decree what is just;

[16] by me princes rule,

and nobles, all who govern justly.

[17] I love those who love me,

and those who seek me diligently find me.

Wisdom, prudence, knowledge, and discretion are connected to the fear of the LORD. What is interesting in this passage is the definition of fear of the LORD. “The fear of the LORD is hatred of evil” (Prov 8:13). This chapter ends with these words, “All who hate me (wisdom) love death” (Prov 8:36). We have two choices before us. We can fear God and hate evil, or we can hate wisdom and love death. Death is not a good thing. Death was not something that we were ever intended to experience. Death is the consequence of sin (Rom 6:23). To love death is to love evil. To hate evil is to fear God.

Proverbs 7-8 sets up a contrast between a prostitute, who stands on the corner enticing young men with lies, and wisdom standing on the corner shouting out truth, only to be ignored. Why is it that we so often ignore wisdom and embrace evil? Why is it that we choose the enticement of the flesh over the counsel of God? Why is it that we so easily choose evil over good, death over life, fear over fear of the Lord? To hate evil is to fear God.

To fear God is not to be afraid that he will hurt us. To fear God is to recognize that we are in the presence of the one who is greater than our greatest fear. In Mark 4 the disciples are in a boat with Jesus. When a storm hits they wake Jesus, fearing the storm. When Jesus calmed the storm with a word their fear turned to “great fear” (Mk 4:41). They recognized that someone was in the boat with them who was bigger than the storm they had feared. To fear God is to recognize that he is bigger than our greatest fears.

When John saw Jesus in his vision on the Island of Patmos he “fell at his feet as though dead” (Rev 1:17). To fear God is to recognize his greatness. When Moses encountered God on the mountain “the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God” (Ex 34:29). To fear God is to be changed by his greatness and glory. We cannot love the world and fear the Lord at the same time. They are mutually exclusive. But fear is not the dread of God’s impending judgment if I step out of line. Fear is a recognition of the infinite greatness and goodness of Almighty God. That kind of fear changes a person.

To hate evil is to fear God. In fearing God, we find wisdom, prudence, knowledge, and discretion. To hate God’s wisdom is to love death. Every day we have the choice to fear God and hate evil, or to hate wisdom and love death. Which do you choose today?