1- David and three options for punishment: King David sinned by numbering the people, so God the prophet came to him to tell him of the punishment of his act. God said, “Thus says the Lord: I offer you three things; choose one of them for yourself: shall seven years of famine come to you in your land? Or shall you flee three months before your enemies, while they pursue you? Or shall you there be three days plague in your hand?”

Our problem is that we think that we stand before God only in prayer or in worship in general. Actually we are in God’s presence all the time. That is why Elijha the prophet said, “As the Lord of hosts lives, before whom I stand…” (1 Kgs 18: 15), though he was not standing in prayer, but was talking with Obadiah. He felt always that he was before God.

The early church, that is, the church in the Apostolic Era and the first four centuries of Christianity, was very strict concerning keeping the fear of God and holding to holiness by the faithful and the church, and concerning keeping the divine commandments. Therefore it was distinguished for the severe punishments inflicted on the sinners of those times to lead them to God's fear

1. Fear of God leads to repentance and compliance with God's Commandments. It prevents us from sinning, but if we sin, we will be terrified of the results of sin and of God's punishment. So, fear of God leads us to repentance and to return to God. 2. Fear of God is the beginning of the way and a shield of the spiritual life protecting from stumbling or deviating.