Reference: Fear
Hastings
In the OT 'the fear of the Lord' is frequently a definition of piety. The purpose of the giving of the Law is the implanting of this fear in the hearts of men (De 4:10); it is the sum of religious duty (De 6:13) and prompts to obedient and loving service (De 10:12). 'Fear cannot be appraised without reference to the worth of the objects feared' (Martinean, Types of Ethical Theory, ii. 184); hence it is on the revelation of the Divine nature as 'holy and to be feared' (Ps 111:9) that this fundamental principle of religion rests: those who know His name have learnt that to fear Him is true wisdom (Ps 111:10) and true blessedness (Ps 112:1). In the NT mention is made of a fear which has high moral quality and religious value. 'The fear of the Lord' was the rule by which the early Christians walked (Ac 9:31), and when an uncircumcised foreigner became a devout worshipper of the God of Israel he was known as 'one that feareth God' (Ac 10:2; cf. 2Co 7:1; Php 2:12; 1Pe 1:17; 2:17; Re 14:7; 15:4; 19:5). Although the usual Gr. word for 'fear' is not used in Heb 5:7, the reference to the 'godly fear' of the perfect Son emphasizes the contrast between reverent awe and slavish terror.
The fear which 'hath punishment' (1Jo 4:18) is the result of sin (Ge 3:10). The sinner, under condemnation of the Law, is in 'bondage unto fear' (Ro 8:15), and inasmuch as 'the sting of death is sin' (1Co 15:56), he is also through fear of death
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And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.
the day that thou stoodest before Jehovah thy God in Horeb, when Jehovah said unto me, Assemble me the people, and I will make them hear my words, that they may learn to fear me all the days that they live upon the earth, and that they may teach their children.
Thou shalt fear Jehovah thy God; and him shalt thou serve, and shalt swear by his name.
And now, Israel, what doth Jehovah thy God require of thee, but to fear Jehovah thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve Jehovah thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul,
The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart, There is no fear of God before his eyes.
He hath sent redemption unto his people; He hath commanded his covenant for ever: Holy and reverend is his name. The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of wisdom; A good understanding have all they that do his commandments : His praise endureth for ever.
Praise ye Jehovah. Blessed is the man that feareth Jehovah, That delighteth greatly in his commandments.
Enter into the rock, and hide thee in the dust, from before the terror of Jehovah, and from the glory of his majesty.
And men shall go into the caves of the rocks, and into the holes of the earth, from before the terror of Jehovah, and from the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake mightily the earth.
to go into the caverns of the rocks, and into the clefts of the ragged rocks, from before the terror of Jehovah, and from the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake mightily the earth.
And be not afraid of them that kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
So the church throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria had peace, being edified; and, walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, was multiplied.
a devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, who gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God always.
For ye received not the spirit of bondage again unto fear; but ye received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
The sting of death is sin; and the power of sin is the law:
Knowing therefore the fear of the Lord, we persuade men, but we are made manifest unto God; and I hope that we are made manifest also in your consciences.
Having therefore these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
So then, my beloved, even as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;
and might deliver all them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
Let us fear therefore, lest haply, a promise being left of entering into his rest, any one of you should seem to have come short of it.
Who in the days of his flesh, having offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and having been heard for his godly fear,
It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
There is no fear in love: but perfect love casteth out fear, because fear hath punishment; and he that feareth is not made perfect in love.
and some save, snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.
and he saith with a great voice, Fear God, and give him glory; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made the heaven and the earth and sea and fountains of waters.
Who shall not fear, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy; for all the nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy righteous acts have been made manifest.
And a voice came forth from the throne, saying, Give praise to our God, all ye his servants, ye that fear him, the small and the great.
Watsons
FEAR, a painful apprehension of danger. It is sometimes used for the object of fear; as, "the fear of Isaac," that is, the God whom Isaac feared, Ge 31:42. God says that he will send his fear before his people, to terrify and destroy the inhabitants of Canaan. Job speaks of the terrors of God, as set in array against him, Job 6:4; the Psalmist, that he had suffered the terrors of the Lord with a troubled mind, Ps 88:15. Fear is used, also, for reverence: "God is greatly to be feared" in the assembly of his saints. This kind of fear, being compatible with confidence and love, is sometimes called filial fear; while "the fear which hath torment," being the result of conscious guilt, and the anticipation of punishment, is removed by that "love" to God which results from a consciousness of our reconciliation to him.
The filial fear of God is a holy affection, or gracious habit, wrought in the soul by God, Jer 32:40, whereby it is inclined and enabled to obey all God's commandments, even the most difficult, Ge 22:12; Ec 12:13; and to hate and avoid evil, Ne 5:15; Pr 8:13; 15:6. Slavish fear is the consequence of guilt; it is a judicial impression from the sad thoughts of the provoked majesty of the heaven; it is an alarm within that disturbs the rest of a sinner. Fear is put for the whole worship of God: "I will teach you the fear of the Lord," Ps 34:11; I will teach you the true way of worshipping and serving God. It is likewise put for the law and word of God: "The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever," Ps 19:9. The law is so called, because it is the object, the cause, and the rule of the grace of holy fear.
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And he said, Lay not thy hand upon the lad, neither do thou anything unto him. For now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son, from me.
Except the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the Fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely now hadst thou sent me away empty. God hath seen mine affliction and the labor of my hands, and rebuked thee yesternight.
But the former governors that were before me were chargeable unto the people, and took of them bread and wine, besides forty shekels of silver; yea, even their servants bare rule over the people: but so did not I, because of the fear of God.
For the arrows of the Almighty are within me, The poison whereof my spirit drinketh up: The terrors of God do set themselves in array against me.
The fear of Jehovah is clean, enduring for ever: The ordinances of Jehovah are true, and righteous altogether.
Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of Jehovah.
I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up: While I suffer thy terrors I am distracted.
The fear of Jehovah is to hate evil: Pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, And the perverse mouth, do I hate.
In the house of the righteous is much treasure; But in the revenues of the wicked is trouble.
This is the end of the matter; all hath been heard: fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man.
and I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from following them, to do them good; and I will put my fear in their hearts, that they may not depart from me.