Blessed Are They That Hear and Keep God’s Word

Posted on 02/18/2021 by goodnewsfromadistantland — Leave a comment

God is looking for something. He is looking throughout the whole earth, for a certain type of person. And when He finds what He is looking for, He will regard that person with pleasure, favor, delight, and protection.

Why?

Because that type of person has what it takes to please God!

The most basic way to please God is to Have Faith — that is, to believe that God exists, and that He will reward you if you diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6)! When a person has this kind of faith, he is on the pathway to finding God, and eventually pleasing God.

God has promised to reward those who seek Him, which is a very inviting promise. And there are many verses in the Bible that assure us that when we please God, we will be blessed and rewarded (Proverbs 16:7; Luke 11:28)

If we have even the slightest desire to please God, then if we will look into the Holy Scriptures, the Bible, we will find what it is that pleases Yahuwah Elohim, [the Hebrew name for the LORD God], the True, Eternal, Immortal God of creation. And though He dwells in the High and Holy place far above the heavens, He dwells also by His Holy Spirit with those who are humble and know they need God’s mercy and love.

Since Yahuwah loves each one of us and wants only what is best for us, then it is to our great benefit and blessing to know, and do, what is pleasing to Him. Those who do the things that please God discover that many of their problems become smaller, and some even become insignificant.

Heart Characteristics that Please God

Several verses in the Bible tell us what Yahuwah [the LORD] is looking for, and what pleases Him. He is looking for certain heart characteristics among the children of men. Here are only a few of the verses:

Yahuwah [the LORD] looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. (Psalms 14:2)

For the eyes of Yahuwah [the LORD] run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect (completely) toward Him. (2Chronicles 16:9a)

To this man will I look (says Yahuwah [the LORD]), even to him that is poor (of a humble, lowly spirit) and of a contrite spirit (a sorrowful spirit), and trembles at My Word. (Isaiah 66:2b)

I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify Him with thanksgiving. 31) This also shall please Yahuwah [the LORD] better than (the sacrifice of) an ox or bullock that has horns and hoofs. (Psalms 69:30-31)

Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto Yahuwah [the LORD]. (Colossians 3:20)

From the above five passages, we can see 8 characteristics of the kind of heart God is looking for among the children of men, and what it is that pleases Him:

8 characteristics that please God

1. A heart that desires to seek God
2. A heart that is perfect (completely) toward God
3. A heart that is of a humble spirit
4. A heart that is of a contrite (sorrowful) spirit
5. A heart that trembles at God’s Word
6. A heart that praises God
7. A heart that offers thanksgiving to God
8. A heart that seeks to obey parents

These 8 characteristics are very admirable and noble qualities to possess. I have written articles about most of these heart characteristics, with links to these articles below.

But today I want to focus on number 5 of the above characteristics — a heart that trembles at God’s Word.

Notice again the above verse in Isaiah 66:

Here we see a particular and unique characteristic that God is looking for — the characteristic of ‘trembling at His Word’. It must give Yahuwah great delight to find that His children are ‘trembling at His Word’. Yahuwah looks for this particular characteristic because it is a foundational quality for His children.

Love for Yahuwah’s Word

King David was a man who loved the Word of Yahuwah with a passion! Do we have such a passion for God’s Word?

Consider some of David’s expressions of love for Yahuwah’s Word found in Psalms 119:

I will delight myself in Your statutes: I will not forget Your Word. (Psalms 119:16)
And I will delight myself in Your commandments, which I have loved. (Psalms 119:47)
I have longed for Your salvation, O LORD; and Your Torah (law) is my delight. (Psalms 119:174)
Make me to go in the path of Your commandments; for therein do I delight. (Psalms 119:35)
O how love I Your Torah (law)! It is my meditation all the day. (Psalms 119:97)

King David wanted Yahuwah’s instructions, teachings, and guidelines, which is known as the Torah. King David cried out, “O that my ways were directed to keep Your statutes!” (Psalms 119:5) That verse has a plea that carries a deep yearning for God’s help! This is the kind of yearning we need! This is the kind of yearning that Father is looking for.

The English word ‘law’ in this Psalm is the Hebrew word ‘Torah’ which means, ‘the instructions, teachings, and guidelines of Yahuwah Elohim [the LORD God].’ So, in other words, we could say of verse 97 – “O how I love the instructions, teachings, and guidelines of Yahuwah Elohim! It is my meditation all the day!”

King David certainly had his flaws and made his mistakes, just like the rest of us! He had his moments of triumphs, and also his moments of shameful failures. David failed miserably in the matter of Uriah. But are we any different? All of us have failed! The important thing is that David genuinely repented. He acknowledged his sin, and then he returned to following Yahuwah with all his heart. (See Psalms 32 & 51.) What a great example of repentance!

Let’s notice what David said:

I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto Your testimonies. I made haste, and delayed not to keep Your commandments. Teach me good judgment and knowledge: for I have believed Your commandments. Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept Your Word. It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn Your statutes. The Torah (law) of Your mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver. (Psalms 119:59-60; 119:66-67; 119:71-72)

From a very early age, King David had the habit of seeking Yahuwah. The Scriptures reveal that many times, “David inquired of Yahuwah [the LORD]” (see 1Samuel 23:2-4;30:8; 2Samuel 2:1; 5:19-23; 2Samuel 21:1). This habit helped David to repent and return to following Yahuwah. He knew Father’s goodness, lovingkindness, and mercy from experience. David humbled himself, admitted his sin, and returned to his love for Yahuwah and for the Word of Yahuwah. David returned to his habit of coming before the heavenly Father, bringing his concerns before Father. David returned to earnestly loving God’s written Word with all his heart.

King David had a heart that recognized Yahuwah’s Word as his most intimate comfort and companion, as well as his most Supreme Authority. David’s humility and honesty, and his love for Yahuwah’s Word, made him a man after Yahuwah’s own heart! (Acts 13:22)

Tremble at The Word of Yahuwah

King David said to Yahuwah, “My flesh trembles for fear of You; and I am afraid of Your judgments” (Psalm 119:120). King David, though a king himself, and who greatly loved Yahuwah, and yet, he trembled in fear of Yahuwah, The King of kings.

Do we have that kind of fear — to tremble in fear of Yahuwah??

We need this kind of fear! Yahuwah is our most Supreme Authority! We need to reverence the Most High God who rules in the kingdom of men. We need to honour Him in every way, trembling at His very Word (Psalms 33:4,6). Do we honestly respect God’s Word, establishing our whole life on His Word, just as Yahushua Messiah [the Hebrew name for Jesus Christ] our Saviour, told us:

And Yahushua [Jesus] answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every Word of God. (Luke 4:4)

As the Prophet Isaiah said, Yahuwah is looking for those who are humble, contrite (sorrowful), and tremble at His Word. That is to be our attitude toward the Word of God — reverence, awe, fear, and humility — because Yahuwah Elohim [the LORD God] is the ALL-Mighty God, Creator of everything, the Lover of our souls, and the One we will give an account to for all we have done.

Many of us need to adjust our attitude toward Yahuwah’s written Word, the Bible! His Word is in no way common or trivial, and especially, it is not debatable. The Word of Yahuwah is alive, powerful, sharp, piercing, and discerning of thoughts and motives (Hebrews 4:12)! We need to delight in God’s written Word, the Bible, and yes, tremble at His Word!

The Words of the Living, Eternal God

Trembling at His Word means we will be dedicated to studying and learning His written Word. It means we will have such a holy reverence and awe for Yahuwah’s Word that we fear to disobey His Word. It means we will diligently protect it and guard it (Proverbs 4:4,20-21). And, it means we will receive God’s written Word as it is — not as the words of men, but as the Words of the True, Living, Eternal God! (2Timothy 3:16)

Trembling at His Word means we will be careful to learn the difference between what Yahuwah has said in the Scriptures, and what are men’s religious traditions, made from twisting the teachings of the Scriptures.

Trembling at His Word means that we will love the Truth of the Scriptures. This can be seen when we earnestly desire to study the Bible for ourselves, to learn what it actually says — and then make any changes in our lifestyle and practices, to bring ourselves into obedience to what it says.

Trembling at His Word means we will be obedient to Father’s written Word. We will be sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit’s guidance, which will always be in agreement with Yahuwah’s Word. And we will be sure to communicate our love for the Word of God to others, because we want to honour our heavenly Father in the presence of others.

“Oh, see to it that the Word of God is in you, in your very soul, permeating your thoughts, and so operating upon your outward life, so that all may know you to be a true Bible-Christian, for they perceive it in your words and deeds.” — Charles H. Spurgeon

Trembling at the Word of Yahuwah is a never-ending heart characteristic for the children of Yahuwah. When we maintain this characteristic (by the help and grace of God!), then we will be more inclined to grow and mature in the knowledge of Messiah Yahushua [Christ Jesus] (1John 2:5). Seeking to cultivate this precious quality will help us to maintain our reverent ‘Fear of Yahuwah,’ help us to come more ‘in line’ with His Word, and help us prepare to appear before the judgment seat of Messiah (2Corinthians 5:10).

Pleasing God

Walking with the heavenly Father is not a motionless condition. We ought to be growing and making adjustments in our lives periodically, as the Holy Spirit is guiding us into all Truth. If we are not allowing Father’s written Word to work changes into our behaviour, then we ought to be concerned! A static condition is evidence of someone who does not reverence Yahuwah’s Word. May it be that each one of us will be of a soft and teachable heart, earnestly desiring to please God, and walk in the Truth of the written Word of God for He is worthy of our devotion and love.

“I am training myself to approach every situation and decision with a single, simple question: How can I please my Father? In times of frustration or apparent failure, I seek to turn my focus from trying to solve the problem to maintaining an attitude that is pleasing to my Father, just as our Saviour said: ‘I do always those things that please my Father.’ (John 8:29).” — Derek Prince

Let us daily look to Yahuwah [the LORD], bowing before Him, seeking His mercy and His enabling grace to help us build and maintain this highly-treasured characteristic — to tremble at God’s Word. The heavenly Father is looking throughout the whole earth to support those who are humble, contrite, and who tremble at the Word of God. These are the characteristics that God is looking for! These precious souls will receive God’s blessing, for they are the ones who hear and keep God’s Word.

O God in heaven, thank You for Your great love and mercy upon me. Thank You for Your amazing written Word that leads me into all Truth by Your Holy Spirit. I ask You to help me and enable me to draw near to You, daily seeking Your direction. Help me to be obedient to Your Word, to delight in Your Word, and to maintain a sincere reverence and awe for Your Word. In Your Son’s name, Yahushua Messiah [Jesus Christ], I pray. Amen.

—

Related Articles: