Greetings! We have not been active in maintaining this blog, and I'm not sure whether this will soon change! However, several of you have expressed interest in browsing the final paper I have been preparing throughout the fall. I have decided to post it here in order to take advantage of the Bible referencing tool created by Logos. I humbly submit this as a beginning attempt to articulate some thoughts on what it means to adequately fear God. My prayer is that my fear, love, and knowledge of Him will continually increase throughout the span of the years He grants me on this earth. And that He will correspondingly enable me to articulate Truth to others so that men and women might fear and glorify Him.
I welcome any observations or critique you might offer.
I welcome any observations or critique you might offer.
-Trent
Lion Resting by Rembrandt, 1650 (Public Domain)
Introduction
The thesis of this paper is that the fear of God is the beginning of and enduring prerequisite for participation in the mission of God.
The thesis of this paper is that the fear of God is the beginning of and enduring prerequisite for participation in the mission of God.
Definitions and Clarification
By fear of God, I proffer that the prolific Biblical entreaties to fear God are intending a much more literal definition of fear than the common modern reduction of its meaning to merely trust or respect.[i] So, for the purposes of this paper, I define fear of God as a state of alarm or “awareness of danger” (Merriam-Webster) that is degreed in nature (Nehemiah 7:2) and is humankind’s response to revelation of, or experiential knowledge of, God and His attributes.
Second, for our purposes here, I will define mission using a couple of key thoughts written by John Piper regarding the work and goal of missions. Mission is “the proclamation of the
To clarify, I do not intend to imply that the human will can create the fear of God. Rather, it is assumed that any fear of the Creator must originate from God’s self-revelation.
We will examine the excerpts from the accounts of Moses, an unnamed exiled priest, Daniel, Jesus, Peter and Paul as they were used to influence their cultures for God’s Kingdom purposes. In doing so, we will focus on various aspects of the fear of God, including its role, nature, purposes, catalysts and results.
Exodus 3-15
Abraham is affirmed by the Angel of the LORD for his fear of God (Genesis. 22:12) and is thus reassured of the covenant promise that “In [his] seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.” (Gen. 22:18). This passage draws clear implications, from the earliest of the patriarchs, regarding fear of God as a prerequisite for participation in His mission. However, I will instead begin our examination of the relationship between the fear of God and mission with Moses’ account of the Exodus.
When God first revealed himself to Moses in a blazing fire, Moses’ immediate response was one of fear and trembling. (Exodus 3:6, Acts 7:32) While it is not recorded whether God exhorted Moses to take courage at this point, God immediately revealed His concern for the afflictions of Israel and His intentions toward them of goodwill and redemption. (Ex. 3:7-9, 6:5-7)
As the dialogue between God and Moses transpired, God equipped him with three miraculous signs, which surely invoked fear. First, when Moses witnessed the transformation of his staff into a serpent, Moses instinctively fled with fear. The second sign involving leprosy and healing, must not only have produced wonder, but also degrees of fear associated with such a dreaded disease, which was highly contagious and beyond human power to cure. Thirdly, Moses was commanded to take water, specifically from the Nile, which would be turned into blood. Thus, the supernatural power with which Moses had been endowed would once again be demonstrated. However, I wonder if the Israelite response to this third sign was not only fear, but also reassurance that God had indeed seen their afflictions, as memories resurfaced of their infant sons drowned in the Nile. While I assert that these miracles would result in fear, God makes it clear that their purpose was not fear alone, but “that they may believe that the LORD…has appeared to you.” (Ex. 4:5, 8-9) When Moses and Aaron spoke the words God had commanded and performed the signs in their sight, “the people believed; and when they heard that the LORD was concerned about the sons of Israel and that He had seen their affliction, then they bowed low and worshiped.” (Ex. 4:31) Thus, God chose to use Moses and Aaron to proclaim His words of compassion and salvation and demonstrate deeds of his power. The response of the Israelites must have included fear, but clearly belief in and worship of God.
A pattern seems to emerge in the text: God revealing Himself, producing fear, and then affirming the confidence of Moses in an attribute His character. In Exodus 4:24-26, God sought out Moses en route from Midian to Egypt with the intention to kill him due to his failure to keep the covenantal command of circumcision. God relented once Moses’ wife performed the circumcision, but not before His character of justice was dreadfully known. The verses immediately following chronicle how God confirmed the trustworthiness of His revelation to Moses by independently speaking to Aaron. (Ex. 4:14, 27-28) The application is that fear of God is not merely the beginning of relationship with God, but an ongoing requirement. However, its purpose is not paralysis, but rather obedience and confident belief.
A pattern seems to emerge in the text: God revealing Himself, producing fear, and then affirming the confidence of Moses in an attribute His character. In Exodus 4:24-26, God sought out Moses en route from Midian to Egypt with the intention to kill him due to his failure to keep the covenantal command of circumcision. God relented once Moses’ wife performed the circumcision, but not before His character of justice was dreadfully known. The verses immediately following chronicle how God confirmed the trustworthiness of His revelation to Moses by independently speaking to Aaron. (Ex. 4:14, 27-28) The application is that fear of God is not merely the beginning of relationship with God, but an ongoing requirement. However, its purpose is not paralysis, but rather obedience and confident belief.
In chapters 5-15, the integral role of fear in the glorification of God over all His creation and in the reconciliation of the nations to Him is made even more vivid. Pharaoh’s initial response to God’s word, as delivered by Moses and Aaron, sets the stage for God’s purpose in the destructive and magnificent power soon to displayed through the ten plagues and final annihilation of Pharaoh’s army. “Pharaoh responded, ‘Who is the LORD that I should obey Him by letting Israel go? I do not know the LORD…’” (Ex. 5:2, HCSB) God then disclosed to Moses His intentions to multiply His signs and His wonders in all of Egypt for the purpose that “The Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD…” (Ex. 7:3, 5, NASB) Just before the plague of hail, God explicitly articulated to Pharaoh that He was sending the plagues on him and his people in order that “you may know that there is no one like Me in all the earth” and that the very reason Pharaoh had not yet been destroyed was “in order to show you My power and in order to proclaim My name through all the earth.” (Ex. 9:14, 16) Moses identifies the purpose of the cessation of thunder and hail: “that you [Pharaoh] may know that the earth is the LORD’s…but…you do not yet fear the LORD God.” (Ex. 9:29-30) Finally, just before God brings salvation to the fleeing Israelites in an incredible display of His power through the parting of the sea and subsequent drowning of Pharaoh’s military might, He once again declares His purpose: “I will get glory over Pharaoh…and the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I have gotten glory over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen." (Ex. 14:17-18, ESV) The terror and dread and awe of God produced by the plagues and the parting of the sea is undeniable (Deut. 28:58-60), yet God’s purposes of mission are unmistakable.
Finally, in this Exodus account there is evidence that some in both the Israelites and Egyptian nations both feared God and believed in Him for their salvation. Exodus 9:20 indicates that some of the Egyptians “feared the word of the LORD,” and avoided the destruction of the hail through obedience. Then, when the Israelites left Egypt on the night of the Passover, “a mixed multitude also went up with them." (Ex. 12:38) The word translated “mixed” in the NASB is the Hebrew br[ (‘ereb), which only occurs 4 other times in the Old Testament, each of which is translated either foreign people or foreigners. (Biblestudytools.Com) Only ten verses later, (Ex. 12:47-51) God makes provision for strangers to participate in the community of Israel. The fear of God’s power glory spread throughout the earth. (Ex. 15:14-16) And the people of Israel “feared the LORD, and they believed in the LORD…” (Ex. 14:31) We do not have space to look at the fearsome manner in which God gave the ten commandments to Israel at Sinai. However, it is significant to note that Moses makes a connection between an abiding fear of God which produces obedience. (Ex. 20:20; Deut. 6:2, 8:6-7, 10:12-13)
2 Kings 17
The 2 Kings account of the exile of Israel into Assyrian captivity provides an interesting glimpse of mission in the Old Testament and the role of the fear of God. An account is given detailing the offenses Israel committed, provoking God to anger. The account begins with a summary connecting their disobedience with a fear of other gods: “And this occurred because the people of Israel had sinned against the LORD their God, who had brought them up out of the land of Egypt from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and had feared other gods and walked in the customs of the nations...” (2 Kings 17:7-8, ESV)
Once the Israelites were carried into exile, the Assyrian king transplanted foreigners into the cities of Israel. “At the beginning of their living there they did not fear the LORD; therefore the LORD sent lions among them which killed some of them.” (2 Kings 17:25) The polytheistic settlers quickly associated the lion attacks with the God of the Israelite land, whose customs they did not know, so they sent to the king of Assyria for help. An unexpected opportunity for mission arose as the king sent one of the exiled priests to live at Bethel, and he “taught them how they should fear the LORD.” (2 Kings 17:28) However, though these nations feared the consequences of not appeasing Israel’s God, they failed to follow the LORD in obedience to His commandments to not fear other gods. (2 Kings 17:29, 33-41) “So while these nations feared the LORD, they also served their idols…” (2 Kings 17:41) Thus, when the exiles returned to rebuild the temple in Ezra 4:1-3, the descendants claiming to have sought the LORD were denied fellowship with the households of Israel due to their lack of obedience.
This passage clearly shows that the fear of God serves as a beginning point for mission opportunity. However, fear of God does not equate to a saving knowledge of Him. Nor does fear of God guarantee that salvation is to follow. (James 2:19) Rather, an ongoing fear of God that is pleasing to Him (Psalm 147:11, ESV) must lead to love, obedience and faith.
Daniel
The story of Daniel is one of incredible mission influence. In the space of this paper, we are forced to settle with noting a few highlights. Over the course of approximately 67 years, Daniel served in the courts of the Babylonian kings Nebuchadnezzar and Darius. (Zondervan 1228-1229, see notes for Dan. 1:1 and 1:21)
First, it is evident that Daniel honored the kings, yet feared only God (1 Peter 2:17, Luke 18:2) as evidenced by his worship of God as sovereign. (Daniel 2:19-23) The fear of the LORD is the beginning of both wisdom and knowledge (Proverbs 1:7, 2:5; Psalm 111:10), and as for Daniel and his friends, “God gave them knowledge and intelligence” and “as for every matter of wisdom and understanding…[the king] found them tens times better than all…” (Daniel 1:17, 20) As for the link between fear of God and obedience, Daniel demonstrated resolve in the face of grave dangers (Daniel 1:8-10, 6:7-10). An additional proof that Daniel feared God is evident in his physical response of terror to God’s revelation to him in a vision. (Daniel 10:5-12)
First, it is evident that Daniel honored the kings, yet feared only God (1 Peter 2:17, Luke 18:2) as evidenced by his worship of God as sovereign. (Daniel 2:19-23) The fear of the LORD is the beginning of both wisdom and knowledge (Proverbs 1:7, 2:5; Psalm 111:10), and as for Daniel and his friends, “God gave them knowledge and intelligence” and “as for every matter of wisdom and understanding…[the king] found them tens times better than all…” (Daniel 1:17, 20) As for the link between fear of God and obedience, Daniel demonstrated resolve in the face of grave dangers (Daniel 1:8-10, 6:7-10). An additional proof that Daniel feared God is evident in his physical response of terror to God’s revelation to him in a vision. (Daniel 10:5-12)
Second, God grants Daniel favor and relational influence with kings and gives him a reputation as possessing an extraordinary spirit. (Daniel 1:9, 2:48, 5:11-12, 6:3) God reveals Himself to kings by empowering Daniel to proclaim His greatness by interpretation of His word given in the form of dreams (Daniel 1:27-30, 4:10-27), as well as through physical demonstrations of His power as He delivered from Nebuchadnezzar’s furnace (Daniel 2:49, 3:1-27) and Darius’s den of lions. (Daniel 6:16-23)
Finally, in response to God’s revelations of Himself through Daniel, His name was exalted among all nations. Nebuchadnezzar issued a letter “to all the peoples, nations, and men of every language that live in all the earth” (Daniel 4:1) in which he declared the great signs and mighty wonders God worked before him and concluded with a confession that “Now I…praise, exalt and honor the King of heaven, for all His works are true and His ways just…” (Daniel 4:37) Whether or not Nebuchadnezzar forsook fearing other gods, it is clear God was glorified among the nations.
Similarly, after recognizing his inability to rescue Daniel from the lions (Daniel 6:14, 18-20), Darius issues a decree “to all the peoples, nations and men of every language…” that they are “to fear and tremble before the God of Daniel; For He is the living God…” (Daniel 6:25-27)
Luke
We have thus far explored passages from the Old Testament that have established some clear connections between the fear of God and the spread of His glory among the nations. However, with the sacrificial love of God demonstrated so clearly in the New Testament, is there any indication that the Christian should fear God after the death and resurrection of Jesus? Does not perfect love abolish all fear? (1 John 4:18) Now that sinners can have assurance of salvation through faith in Christ, does not fear of God mean reverence and respect? I propose that the same literal fear of God found commanded by God and demonstrated in the Old Testament God-fearers, is again commanded by the Son of God and demonstrated during and after the life of Christ.
The gospels are replete with responses of fear as men and women encountered the reality of the living God in the revelation of Christ. This fear is chronicled in varying degrees with words such as alarmed, speechless, confounded, great perplexity, astonishment, marvel, awe, amazed, startled, trembling, afraid, and terrified. Multiple kinds of encounters with Jesus sparked this fear: His miraculous power (Luke 7:16, 8:25, 37, 47, 56), His teaching (John 7:14-16, Luke 20:26, 40), His transfiguration (Luke 9:34, Matt. 17:5-7), His resurrection (Luke 24:5-41), and the demonstration of His authority to forgive sin. (Luke 5:16-26, Matt. 9:6-8, Psalm 130:4)
However, Jesus’ purpose was not merely to provoke the people’s fear. As a result of Jesus restoring life to a dead man outside the city of Nain, “fear gripped them all, and they began glorifying God” and reports about this spread throughout the land. (Luke 7:16-17) When the disciples of John the Baptist inquired of Jesus concerning His identity as the Expected One, whom John had previously preached as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, Jesus points to His miraculous deeds and teaching which have been producing fear as the evidence for His identity. (Luke 7:18-23) When the people of the region of the Gerasenes were gripped with fear, Jesus commissioned the man delivered of the demons to return home describing the great work of God, and he proclaimed “throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him.” (Luke 8:39) Thus, the purpose of the fear of God is once again demonstrated to contribute to the glorification of God among humankind and to the exaltation of the identity of Christ as sovereign over all creation.
I submit one more piece of evidence from Luke’s account of the life of Christ that believers are to continue in a quite literal fear of God (see also Philippians 2:9-12). As thousands gathered around Jesus, He spoke specifically to His disciples telling them not to fear human rulers and authorities, “but I will warn you whom to fear: fear the One who, after He has killed, has authority to cast into hell; yes, I tell you, fear Him!” (Luke 12:5) The Greek word used three times in this verse is “phobeo.” Of the 94 times this Greek word occurs in the New Testament, it is translated in the NASB only once as “awestruck” and once as “respect” in Ephesians 5:33, in the positive reference to how a wife should regard her husband. All other 92 occurrences are translated as some form of fear, afraid, frighten or terrified. (Biblestudytools.Com) Here in Luke, after Jesus gives the clear warning to fear God, we see the reassuring pattern we noted in Exodus as He builds the disciples’ confidence that God took notice of them, extended them forgiveness and promised to teach them what to say through His Holy Spirit. (Luke 12:12; Exodus 4:12, 15)
Acts 9:32-43
Luke begins Acts by recording that after Jesus’ resurrection, He “presented Himself alive…by many convincing proofs” to the apostles, and, just before His ascension, told them that they would receive power through the dwelling of the Holy Spirit and that they would be His witnesses throughout the earth. (Acts 1:2-11) As the account of Acts unfolds, Luke establishes a continuation of the pattern of fear of God being evoked among peoples of all nations as they encountered the Holy Spirit’s power demonstrated through Christ’s apostles in the form of miraculous events (Acts 2:5-12; 3:10-11; 5:5, 11, 24; 8:13; 9:7; 10:4, 45; 12:16-19; 16:29; 19:1-20) coupled with authoritative and convincing teaching. (Acts 2:37-43; 4:12-14; 9:21-22; 13:12; 24:25; 19:1-20)
Acts 9:31 transitions between the accounts of Paul’s conversion and of Peter’s successful mission to Lydda and Joppa: “So the church throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace, being built up and walking in the fear of the Lord and in the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, and it increased in numbers." (HCS) Acts 9:32-43, details the events that lead to the salvation of many. Peter heals the paralyzed Aeneus in the name of Jesus Christ, “and all who lived at Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.” (Acts 9:35) Then, in the nearby town of Joppa, Peter resurrected the believer, Tabitha, from the dead, and “it became known all over Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. And Peter stayed many days in Joppa…” (Acts 9:42-43)
Luke does not specifically mention either teaching or fear in connection in these three cities. However, in keeping with the pattern he has established in Luke and the first part of Acts, it can be reasonably assumed that Peter taught boldly about Christ in these towns, and that these two dramatic displays of the power of the Holy Spirit led to the region being overcome by the fear of God. Thus, once again, the fear of God is shown in intimate relationship to the mission of God to exalting Christ and to draw men and women to Himself.
Acts 19:1-20
Thus far, we have surveyed the role of the fear of the LORD as it interacts with the mission of God to the Israelites redeemed from captivity, to the Egyptians, to the Canaanite nations, to the polytheistic peoples exiled by Assyria to Samaria, to the kings and subjects of the Babylonian empire of the 6th century B.C., to the Jews and Gentiles who encountered Jesus in the flesh, and to the peoples near the Samarian cities of Lydda and Joppa. Finally, we will consider the role of a literal fear of God in God’s mission to Ephesus, one of the most prominent cities of the Roman empire during the 1st century A.D. It was the intersection of major trade routes by land and sea and was home to “the temple of Artemis (Diana), one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.” (Zondervan 1716)
It is here on his third missionary journey that Paul finds about a dozen disciples of John the Baptist who had not heard of Jesus or the Holy Spirit. Once Paul baptizes them in the name of Jesus, the Holy Spirit comes on them and is manifested for the third and final time recorded in the book of Acts in the form of tongues. Paul daily speaks boldly, reasoning, and persuading both Jews and Greeks about the kingdom of God in the synagogue for three months, and then in the school of Tyrannus for two years, “so that all who lived in Asia heard the word of the LORD, both Jews and Greeks.” (Acts 19:8-10)
In an apparent validation of the truth contained in Paul’s teaching amongst a city saturated in the allure of witchcraft and idolatry, Luke records that “God was performing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, so that handkerchiefs or aprons were even carried from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out.” (Acts 19:11-12) Then, in a dramatic display of the reality of spiritual warfare, seven non-believing Jewish exorcists attempted to cast out a demon using the “name of Jesus whom Paul preaches.” The demon answered, “I recognize Jesus, and I know about Paul, but who are you?” and proceeded to subdue the men, beat them, and strip them of their clothes. News of this event spread throughout the city, “and fear fell upon them all and the name of the Lord Jesus was being magnified.” (Acts 19:13-17) Many who believed in Christ publicly repented from sorcery, and “so the word of the Lord was growing mightily and prevailing,” (Acts 19:18-20) even to the point that the artisans who earned their living fashioning shrines for the temple of Artemis noticed and were financially threatened by the growing number turning to “the Way”, and therefore sparked a major riot.
Once again, and in spectacular fashion, this account of God’s mission in Ephesus demonstrates that when human beings experience a glimpse of the reality of God’s existence, magnitude, and compassion, fear of God is a necessary response, which may in turn lead some to belief, repentance and a saving knowledge of the LORD.
Application
So why does this discussion of the nature and implications of the fear of the LORD for mission matter to an Assistant Director of Student Learning and Living for IMPACT 360? In an era when truth, reality and morals are argued to “be located only within oneself,” when the human consciousness rebels “against any revelation of truth from a source outside oneself,” when an anemic or even complete lack of fear of God exits, “Disregard for a minimal or nonexistent God produces autonomy in the human spirit, which leads to folly, ignorance, chaos, and falsity.”
Furthermore, while a fear of God may be held in the absence of salvation, it appears that a saving knowledge of Christ does not exist without some degree of the fear of the LORD being present. (Philippians 2:9-12) The more accurately God, the Author, Judge and Redeemer of all the created order is experientially known and understood by humankind, the more appropriately intense the fear of Him will be, the more wondrous will be the comprehension of the redeemed that such a Being would have goodwill toward sinful creatures, the more abundant will be the joy of His adopted sons and daughters, and out of overflow of this joy and delight in the LORD, their Righteousness, God is more adequately worshipped and exalted among all the peoples of the earth. (Piper 225)
Furthermore, while a fear of God may be held in the absence of salvation, it appears that a saving knowledge of Christ does not exist without some degree of the fear of the LORD being present. (Philippians 2:9-12) The more accurately God, the Author, Judge and Redeemer of all the created order is experientially known and understood by humankind, the more appropriately intense the fear of Him will be, the more wondrous will be the comprehension of the redeemed that such a Being would have goodwill toward sinful creatures, the more abundant will be the joy of His adopted sons and daughters, and out of overflow of this joy and delight in the LORD, their Righteousness, God is more adequately worshipped and exalted among all the peoples of the earth. (Piper 225)
“Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others… if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come…in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:11-21, ESV)
So, if God’s purposes for me (and IMPACT 360) include involvement in this mission of reconciliation; and if the fear of God is both “the beginning of and enduring prerequisite for participation” toward this end; yet if it is not within the capacity of my volition to fear God more rightly, what am I to do? First, while I dare not instruct God as to when and in what manner He might reveal Himself to me, He has already made provisions of His self-revelation readily available. I must be diligent to meditate on God’s self-revelation through His Word (Luke 4; Deuteronomy 6, 8; Daniel 9:2) and to ponder His sovereign power, majestic splendor, infinite wisdom, and unfathomable knowledge as displayed through His Creation.
Second, our examination of the passages in this paper reveals that the men God used were each filled with His Holy Spirit. (Numbers 11:17; Daniel 5:11-12; Luke 3:22, 4:1; Acts 1:5; 2:38) Therefore, I must follow Daniel’s example (Daniel 2:20-24; 6:10; 9:1-23) and Jesus’ admonition to pray for the advancement of God’s kingdom, for His glorification, for His Holy Spirit (Luke 11:1-13), and for knowledge and wisdom, (Ephesians 3:14-21; James 1:5) which begins with fear of the LORD. (Psalm 111:10) God will guide through the Holy Spirit to teach His followers what we are to say (Exodus 4:12; Luke 12:12) and will work His deeds through the body of Christ according to His good pleasure. (Exodus 4:15; Acts 14:3; 19:11; Ephesians 2:10)
Third, I must walk in obedience within a community of believers so that we can be built together into the dwelling of the Holy Spirit. (Ephesians 2:18-22; 3:14-21) God confirms His words and deeds through this communion of the saints.
Finally, as the Holy Spirit speaks and teaches me the ways of the LORD, I must teach them to others (John 5:19), including my family and IMPACT 360 students, and I must bear witness (Acts 1:8) to His glorious and fearsome ways on which is grounded my confident faith in Him. The more precisely my words and deeds express the Truth of God and rehearse His mighty and compassionate works throughout history and in my present, the more His glory is displayed so that others might fear Him.
Conclusion
I have argued that the fear of God is the beginning of and enduring prerequisite for participation in the mission of God. Numerous examples have been provided indicating that this fear is intended to be significant in degree and ongoing in nature. Evidence has been examined which suggests that God’s purpose for fear is to effect belief in, repentance unto, and glorification of Himself. Significantly, Luke 5:20-26, Matthew 9:6-8, Psalm 130, and 1 Kings 8:35-43 all indicate that God’s forgiveness evokes fear of Him. As the body of Christ is spurred by this fear of the LORD, induced by His mercy, to join Him in His mission of reconciliation, through Spirit-filled “proclamation of the gospel in Word and deed” (Piper 63), we participate in the continuing fulfillment of “the ultimate goal of God in all of history,” which “is to uphold and display his glory for the enjoyment of the redeemed from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.” (231)
References Cited
Biblestudytools.Com. 2009. Salem Web Network.
Crossway. 2003. The Holy Bible : English Standard Version. ESV deluxe reference ed. Wheaton Ill: Crossway Bibles.
Fear. 2002. In Macmillan Dictionary of the Bible: Collins.
Grant, Frederick Clifton, James Hastings, and Harold Henry Rowley. 1963. Fear. In Dictionary of the Bible : 2nd Edition. Original Edition by James Hastings, Revised by Frederick C. Grant,... And H. H. Harold Henry Rowley. Edinburgh: T. and T. Clark.
Holman. 2008. Holy Bible Holman Christian Standard Bible. Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
Lockerbie, D. Bruce. 1986. Thinking Like a Christian, Pt 1 : The Starting Point. Bibliotheca sacra 143 (569):3-13.
Merriam-Webster, Inc. 2009. Fear. In Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary: Merriam-Webster, Inc.
Piper, John. 2003. Let the Nations Be Glad! : The Supremacy of God in Missions. 2nd , rev. and expand ed. Grand Rapids Mich: Baker Academic.
Willard, Dallas. 2002. Renovation of the Heart : Putting on the Character of Christ. Colorado Springs Colo: NavPress.
Zondervan. 1999. The Zondervan Nasb Study Bible. Grand Rapids: Zondervan. Unless otherwise identified, all Scripture quotations are taken from the New American Standard Bible (NASB)
[i] Below are excerpts from two Bible dictionaries that deemphasize the literal sense of the fear of God:
“…the Bible regularly encourages people to turn their fear into trust in God, since God is always far greater than the thing of which they are afraid (Psalm 23:4; John 14:27). The fear of God is a typical biblical way of expressing both reverence and love for God. In this sense, fear is a positive thing which God desires in his people (Deuteronomy 6:2; 1 Peter 2:17). This fear really describes the faith that should characterize a person's basic approach to life, and is regarded as the basis of true wisdom (Proverbs 1:7).” (Fear 2002)
“The more God’s demands are made known, the more can a man become filled with the fear that he will never merit God’s favour. So the sinner, under condemnation of the Law, is in ‘bondage unto fear’ (Romans 8:15) … But ‘the fear of the LORD’ can have a more positive connotation, meaning reverence, religious faith, or piety…The Law-giving at Sinai, where God revealed Himself in glory and majesty, implanted this fear in the hearts of the Israelites (Dt 4:10); it is the response of man the creature to God the Creator, who is also God of righteousness and of judgment, and the life of obedience and faithfulness which flows from that response and gives expression to it…Only those who in some degree know God can experience this fear…So men can be delivered from the fear of judgment and from the fear caused by the hard-taskmaster conception of God (Mt 25:24, Lk 19:22), but not from that attitude of reverence and awe (q.v.) which is proper for the creature before the Creator. Those who know that fear and who know also the love of God in Jesus Christ are constrained by that love to persuade others to be reconciled to God (2 Co 5:11ff).” (Grant, Hastings and Rowley 1963)
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