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 replied, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself.
The day that thou didst stand before the LORD thy God in Horeb, when the LORD said unto me, Gather the people together unto me, and I will make them hear my words that they may learn to fear me all the days that they shall live upon the earth and that they may teach their sons.
Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God and serve him and shalt swear by his name.
And now, Israel, what does the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways and to love him and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul,
The rebellion of the wicked saith to my heart that there is no fear of God before his eyes.
Pe He sent redemption unto his people; Tzaddi he has commanded his covenant for ever: Koph Holy and reverend is his name. Resh The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; Schin A good understanding have all those that do his will; Tau His praise endures for ever.
Aleph Halelu-JAH. Blessed is the man that fears the LORD, Beth that delights greatly in his commandments.
Enter into the rock, and hide thee in the dust from the terrible presence of the LORD and from the glory of his majesty.
And they shall go into the holes of the rocks and into the caves of the earth, because of the terrible presence of the LORD and because of the glory of his majesty when he shall arise to smite the earth.
to go into the clefts of the rocks and into the caverns of the cliffs from before the fearful presence of the LORD and from the glory of his majesty, when he shall arise to smite the earth.
And fear not those who 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.
Then the congregations had rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria and were edified, walking in the fear of the Lord, and with the comfort of the Holy Spirit they were multiplied.
a devout man and one that feared God with all his house, who gave many alms to the people and prayed to God always.
For ye have not received the spirit of slavery to be in fear again, but ye have received the Spirit of adoption of sons, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.
Therefore being certain of that terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God, and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.
Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
Therefore, my beloved, as ye have always hearkened, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own saving health with fear and trembling.
and deliver those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to slavery.
Let us, therefore, fear, lest a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.
Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, was heard because of his reverent fear;
It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
In charity there is no fear; but charity that is perfect casts out fear; because fear has torment; from which he that fears is not complete in charity.
And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh.
saying with a loud voice, Fear God and give glory to him, for the hour of his judgment is come; and worship him that has made the heaven and the earth and the sea and the fountains of waters.
Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and magnify thy name? for thou only art holy; therefore, all the Gentiles shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest.
And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye his slaves and ye that fear him, both small and 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 thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou anything unto him; for now I know that thou doest fear God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.
If the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, were not with me, surely thou would send me away now empty. God has seen my affliction and the work of my hands and rebuked thee last night.
But the former captains that had been before me had charged the people and had taken of them for bread and wine, upon forty shekels of silver; and in addition to this their servants bore rule over the people; but I did not do so because of the fear of God.
For the arrows of the Almighty are within me; my spirit drinks of the poison; and terrors of God combat me.
The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever; the rights of the LORD are true, they are all just.
Caph Come, ye children, hearken unto me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
I am afflicted and destitute; from my youth up I have feared thee and been in awe of thee.
The fear of the LORD is to hate evil; pride, arrogancy, the evil way, and the perverse mouth, do I hate.
In the house of the righteous is much provision, but in the fruit of the wicked is trouble.
The conclusion of the entire sermon is heard: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole happiness of man.
and I will make an eternal covenant with them, that I will not turn away from doing them good, and I will put my fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from me.