Synonymous Expressions of God

Job 28:28 - “And to man He said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; And to depart from evil is understanding.’”

God often uses synonyms in scripture to help us understand His nature. Paul tells us in I Corinthians 1:34 that "love is patient." It is the natural outworking and expression of love to be patient. Similarly, John tells us that "God is love" (I John 4:8). Therefore, we can surmise that everything God does is out of a nature of love as He never fails to express it.

Of great importance regarding how God protects His children from evil is to understand how the fear of the Lord and wisdom are inextricably linked. They are one in the same, for one cannot exist without the other. As patience is the natural outworking of love, the fear of the Lord is the logical conclusion of wisdom. When we simply pray, "Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil,” we are displaying the synonymy of the fear of the Lord as it is bound with wisdom. This, my friends, is a splendid place to dwell.