Proverbs 9:10 "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding."
At first, this seems to be a repetition of Proverbs 1:7, "The fear
of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge..." In fact, the fear of the
Lord seems to be the theme of all the Proverbs as it is repeated many
times. Solomon came to an understanding of this need in his life. We
aren't sure if he came to this understanding at an early age and forgot it, or
if it came to him after he had made many mistakes in life. Either way, he
stresses over and over the need to have a healthy fear of God in our hearts and
minds. Whether you see this fear as being a literal fear of God's wrath or a
healthy fear of honoring Him, it is a necessary element in our lives.
Yes, this seems to be a repetition from chapter one, but Solomon goes deeper
into the thought in today's verse. The fear of the Lord is the beginning and
"the knowledge of the holy" takes us into a deeper understanding of
God.
I believe Jesus spoke this same thought in the words of His day. "... ye
believe in God, believe also in me." (John 14:1) We have a
knowledge of God and His power as we look at the sun, moon, stars, and all the
creation, which we call nature. But we are called to enter a deeper
understanding of Him when we can see His grace, mercy, and love that is
exhibited through the gift of eternal life in Christ Jesus. Paul stated it in
this manner, "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is
eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 6:23) My desire
is to know my Lord and all that is included in that knowledge. I want to know
the depth of His love for me and I want to love Him more each day.