Fear God, 205

 ~ The Meaning of “Fear God” ~

God does not want His children living in fear.  “Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue” (2 Peter 1:2-3). 

Definition  ~  There are two Hebrew words for “fear” in the Bible.  One is pachad (pakh'-ad), which means terror.  That’s not the word used in most of the verses we have looked at in this series.  The word used is yir'ah (yir-aw'), which means a reverence for God.  Reverence to God includes a humility towards self. 

 

This second expression is a reverential attitude (a holy fear) is the result of thinking clearly and intelligently about God, the Creator of all.  Many references in Scripture about the fear of God refer to understanding His sovereignty and our place in the scheme of things.  In other words, it is about a proper awe and reverence to our Creator and Sustainer.  With this kind of wisdom a person sees God in everything.  This is true wisdom of the kind often referenced in the Book of Proverbs.  The wise person will not only see the hand of God in everything, God will become the focus of their lives.  In essence the “fear of God”” is living every moment with an awareness of the presence of God.  “The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; pride and arrogance and the evil way and the perverse mouth I [God] hate” (Proverbs 8:13).

Fearing God Results in Salvation  ~  “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:31).  “A wise person fears and departs from evil, but a fool rages and is self-confident” (Proverbs 14:16).  This does not mean the Christian is to live a fearful life—but a life which reverences God and seeks to do His will. 

Fearing God Results in Fearlessness  ~  “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?  The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” (Psalm 27:1).  The answer is: only God.  With the gift of salvation comes responsibility.

Fearing God Results in Witnessing  ~  “Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will declare what He has done for my soul” (Psalm 66:16). 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

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EXTRA: What a Time?

 ~ 21 times 5 ~

Tonight at 21 seconds after 9:21 pm it will be…

The 21^st second of

The 21^st minute of

The 21^st hour of

The 21^st day of

The 21^st century!

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

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Noah Introversion

 ~ The Symmetrical Account of Noah ~

A~ Noah (6:10a)
__B~ Shem, Ham, and Japheth (6:10b)
___C~ Ark to be built (6:14-16)
____D~ Flood announced (6:17)
_____E~ Covenant with Noah (6:18-20)
______F~ Food in the ark (6:21)
_______G~ Command to enter the ark (7:1-3)
________H~ 7 days waiting for flood (7:4-5)
_________I~ 7 days waiting for flood (7:7-10)
__________J~ Entry to ark (7:11-15)
___________K~ The LORD (YHWH) shuts Noah in (7:16)
____________L~ 40 days of flood (7:17a)
_____________M~ Waters increase (7:17b-18)
______________N~ Mountains covered (7:19-20)
_______________O~ 150 days: water prevail (7:21-24)
________________P~ GOD REMEMBERS NOAH (8:1)
_______________O’~ 150 days: waters abate (8:3)
______________N’~ Mountain tops visible (8:4-5)
_____________M’~ Waters abate (8:5)
____________L’~ 40 days (end of) (8:6a)
___________K’~ Noah opens window of ark (8:6b)
__________J’~ Raven and dove leave ark (8:7-9)
_________I’~ 7 days waiting for waters to subside (8:10-11)
________H’~ 7 days waiting for waters to subside (8:12-13)
_______G’~ Command to leave ark (8:15-17 [22])
______F’~ Food outside ark (9:1-4)
_____E’~ Covenant with all flesh (9:8-10)
____D’~ No flood in the future (9:11-17)
___C’~ Ark left (9:18a)
__B’~ Shem, Ham and Japheth (9:18b)
A’~ Noah (9:19)

Comment  ~  Abundant Life Now has previously published introverted outlines (or parallel outlines known as chiasms).  For those who would like to review them here are the links to those prior posts. 

Does History Repeat Itself? ~  Around and around we go! ~ January 25, 2011  

Bible Introversion  ~ Introversion Outline of the Bible ~ April 15, 2017

Bible Hourglass   ~ This Bible Outline Encompasses All Time ~ April 22, 2017

10 Commandments Today, 14of14  ~ Notice the Introversion of the Ten Commandments ~ June 28, 2018

Bible Introversion, 2 ~ Introversion Outline of the Bible, 2 ~ September 10, 2020

EXTRA: 2020 Election ~ Nation’s Historical Cycle Throughout History ~ October 21, 2020

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

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Psalmist Cries, 2of5

 ~ Lament of Tears ~

Introduction  ~  Throughout the Book of Psalms we find a Psalmist crying out to God – lamenting the circumstances surrounding him.  In this series we look at five types of laments found in the Psalms – it is by no means an exhaustive list of the types of laments or the number of psalms in each of the types we look at.  Also, a particular psalm can be labeled in more than one way. 

Example Psalm  ~  “Restore us, O God; cause Your face to shine, and we shall be saved!  O Lord God of hosts, how long will You be angry against the prayer of Your people?  You have fed them with the bread of tears, and given them tears to drink in great measure.  You have made us a strife to our neighbors, and our enemies laugh among themselves.  Restore us, O God of hosts; cause Your face to shine, and we shall be saved!  …  Return, we beseech You, O God of hosts; look down from heaven and see, and visit this vine and the vineyard which Your right hand has planted, and the branch that You made strong for Yourself.  It is burned with fire, it is cut down; they perish at the rebuke of Your countenance.  Let Your hand be upon the man of Your right hand, upon the son of man whom You made strong for Yourself.  Then we will not turn back from You; revive us, and we will call upon Your name” (Psalm 80:3-7, 14-18).

Comment  ~  Have you ever cried out to God in tears?

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

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