Malachi is the last book of the minor prophets. In this book the Lord asked questions and answered them through His prophet. Malachi 1:6 is an example for us. It says, “A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am the Father, where is My honor? And if I am a Master, where is My reverence?…”

To fear the Lord is to honor, worship, hold Him in high esteem, and to exalt Him above all. One of my favorite verses about the fear of the Lord is Proverbs 9:10. It says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”

Of course satan has a roadblock and strategic ways to pull us off course through the fear of man. My working definition for the fear of man is: anything that eclipses the Lord.

The Lord uses our trials, hardships, and adversities to refine and purify our faith. He exposes the dross of the fear of man that undermines and weakens our faith. Malachi 3:3 says, “He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver; He will purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer to the Lord an offering of righteousness.”

Malachi 3:16 is an amazing verse. There is no other verse like it in the Bible. It reveals a unique fruit of the fear of the Lord. It says, “Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, and the Lord listened and heard them; so a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the Lord and who meditate on His name.” When our conversations are filled with awe and reverence of the Lord, He is listening! They are written in a book!

Verse 17 says, “They shall be Mine, says the Lord of hosts, on the day that I make them My jewels. And I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him.”

Here is another. Malachi 4:2 says, “But to you who fear My name the Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in His wings…” The Amplified finishes the verse, “…and you shall go forth and gambol like calves (released) from the stall and leap for joy.” Gambol means to run and jump about playfully. Walking in the fear of the Lord will bear much fruit for His glory.