Ángel
Manuel Rodríguez
Revelation
14:7 calls the human race to "fear God," but I'm not sure I understand
that phrase. What does it mean to fear God? And how do I know that I
fear Him?
Fear
is perceived by some as a negative emotional experience that should not
play any particular role in our relationship with God. It is certainly
true that fear is a strong emotion, which creates deep anxiety and tends
to paralyze the individual, often making him or her ineffective. But fear
is also an internal reaction that is followed by a specific course of
action on the part of the individual who experiences it.
Obviously,
no one would want to relate to a God perceived as a threatening, destructive
being. Nevertheless, the Bible provides several reasons for fearing the
Lord. I will mention only three of them.
1.
God's Majestic Presence. The fear of the Lord is based on the
fact and recognition of the greatness and singularity of God. He is indeed
a fearful being, a terrifying presence. His theophany, that is,
His visible manifestation, inspires fear, even terror, among those who
experience it, because their lives seem to be endangered (e.g., Deut.
7:21; 10:17; Gen. 16:13).
This
is a natural reaction to God's majestic presence. His unique holiness
is beyond our comprehension, and we fear that which we do not understand.
For instance, the disciples "were exceedingly afraid" after witnessing
Jesus' transfiguration (Mark 9:2-6, RSV).
To help eliminate anxiety, God says
"Fear not" (e.g., Gen. 15:1; Judges 6:23). This is an invitation to trust
the Lord, to come closer to Him, to find in Him loving concern rather
than intimidation. Thus the phrase "fear of the Lord" expresses in the
Scriptures the idea of trusting the Lord. The reaction of an individual
to God's fearsome presence is submission to Him.
2.
God's Powerful Deeds. God is active in history, and His powerful
actions make those who witness them afraid. During the exodus from Egypt
the Lord miraculously delivered His people from the Egyptians. As a result
"the people feared the Lord" (Ex. 14:31). Jesus' healing miracles (e.g.,
Luke 7:16; 8:35), as well as His power over nature (Mark 4:41; John 6:19),
inspired fear in the hearts of the people. This is the fear that results
from being confronted by the incomprehensible.
Since
God's actions are of a salvific nature, the fear that they elicit results
in praising and worshiping Him. Thus to fear the Lord is to praise and
trust Him; and those who do so are the ones who fear the Lord (Ps. 40:3;
Luke 7:16). They are also the ones who rejoice in the Lord (Ps. 64:9,
10).
3.
God's Righteous Judgments. This is closely related to God's powerful
deeds, because His judgments are actualized within history. His judgments
against the nations create fear and terror among them (Ps. 9:19, 20).
But those who fear the Lord in the sense of trusting Him find in His judgments
a manifestation of His righteousness and His saving power, and they worship
Him (Rev. 15:3, 4).
There
is in the concept an element of dread motivated by the majesty and greatness
of a God who is beyond our comprehension in His being and in His actions.
But those who fear Him discover that they can trust Him, that He is not
a threat to their existence, but the exclusive source of their salvation.
They do not run away from Him terrorized and anxious; rather, their reaction
is one of submission to Him in obedience to His loving will.
The
Bible defines the individual who fears the Lord as a person who obeys
God's will and praises and worships Him (Deut. 8:6). The emotional element
is never totally eliminated, but the reaction to it is one of submission
and fellowship with a God who is greater than any of us, who yet speaks
to us and says "Fear not, trust in me."
In
Revelation 14:7 the call to fear the Lord is given in the context of a
conflict between God's followers and the forces of evil. Humankind is
invited to recognize God's majesty and the great salvation that He provides
for us through Christ, and to submit willingly and obediently to His loving
will.
The
verse goes on to add that fearing God is extremely important because "the
hour of his judgment has come" (RSV). The implication is clearly that
those who fear the Lord do not have to fear the final judgment. They know
God as their loving Saviour.
10/10/96
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