“The nations will fear the Name of the LORD, all the kings of the earth will revere Your glory.” – Psalm 102:15, NIV

I think one of the most shocking verses that I have read in the Bible is Exodus 5:2, which says: “And Pharaoh said, ‘Who is the LORD? Why should I obey Him and let Israel go? I don’t know the LORD, and I won’t let Israel go.”

I simply can’t fathom the fact that those words were spoken by a man! What?

In the end, Pharaoh was forced to confront the reality of the overwhelming power of the LORD and the futility of resisting the will of Jehovah God, so much that he not only allowed the children of Israel to go but also asked Moses for a blessing from the same LORD.

In Daniel 4, we also read about Nebuchadnezzar’s arrogance and irreverence against God, which stemmed from his failure to acknowledge God’s sovereignty.

He boasted about the great city of Babylon, which he had built, attributing its grandeur to his own power and wisdom.

Nebuchadnezzar’s irreverence and arrogance led to severe punishment as he forced into a life in the wilderness, eating grass like a cow, for seven years then he learned his lesson, the hard way.

“The nations will fear the Name of the LORD, all the kings of the earth will revere Your glory,” says the psalmist in our meditation today.

The notion of ‘revere’ primarily means ‘fear,’ but in relation to sacred things, it carries the connotation of veneration and awe.

In the original languages, the word for ‘revere’ conveys a sense of deep respect, awe, and veneration.

Though many mistake it for mere physical gestures like bowing of the head, ‘reverence’ for God points to devotion and honor in our daily lifestyle, emphasizing the act of holding God in high regard in whatever we do.

It emphasizes the need for a respectful and awe-filled approach to our relationship with the divine at home, work, sanctuary and in the community.

Since the fall of man in the Garden of Eden, reverence for God became a rare quality, which was exactly what the tempter intended.

Reverence involves acknowledging our limitations and sole dependence on God.

True wisdom begins with acknowledging God’s sovereignty and seeking to align our lives with His principles and will.

However, Satan told Eve; “God knows that in the day you eat of the tree then your eyes shall be opened, and you shall be as gods.”

That shows that irreverence for God is rooted in self-reliance and a desire to be in control.

Indeed, the rise of individualism has led to a focus on personal desires and achievements, often overshadowing a sense of connection to something larger than oneself.

This can make it difficult to cultivate reverence, which requires a degree of selflessness and humility.  

Like it did to Nebuchadnezzar, materialism can distract us from deeper spiritual connection to sacred things, with undesirable consequences.

Proverbs 9:10 says; “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.” 

This teaches us that true wisdom begins with acknowledging God’s sovereignty and seeking to align our lives with His principles and will.

Hebrews 12:28-29 says; “Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.”

Our Lord Jesus is the King of Kings – greater than all the great kingdoms of this world combined!

His kingdom cannot be shaken by any other power or authority.

Revere Him and Him alone!