A Good Word – יָרֵא (Fear)

For those living in a sin-ridden, fallen world there is much to fear. Yet dozens of times God tells his people, “Fear not!” We are not to succumb to dread or terror, the primary meaning of the Hebrew verb and its related noun. In Isaiah 41:10, 13–14 the Lord, speaking through the prophet to the future exiles, tells them “Fear not”—not once, but three times, with “don’t be frightened” thrown in for good measure. The exiles would have plenty to fear. Living in distant Babylon they might wonder if God had abandoned them or was unable to deliver them. The Lord assures them he is able and willing to restore them to their homeland. He says, “for I am with you . . . for I am your God.” He tells them he will hold their hand and calls himself “Protector.” God’s protective presence would make all the difference.

David models how to respond to God’s assuring “fear not.” When running from Saul, he lamented “all day long hostile enemies are tormenting me.” Yet in the face of terrifying opposition, he prayed: “When I am afraid, I trust in you.” Twice he boldly affirmed: “In God I trust, I am not afraid. What can mere men do to me?”

God tells us not to fear when we encounter trials and danger, but, at the same time, we are to fear God. While running from Saul, David also said: “Fear the Lord, you chosen people of his . . . I will teach you what it means to fear the Lord.” He explains that fearing the Lord means rejecting evil, avoiding deceptive speech, and doing what is right. The primary meaning of “fear” as dread or terror has receded into the background and the word, when used of God’s people fearing him, refers to respecting his authority and submitting to his will.

The theme of fearing the Lord unifies the Old Testament wisdom books: Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Job. According to Proverbs 1:7 and 9:10, fearing the Lord is foundational to genuine wisdom. One must intentionally choose to fear the Lord by being teachable and humble. Proverbs 3:5–7 says: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not rely on your own understanding. Acknowledge him in all your ways, and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own estimation; fear the Lord and turn away from evil.” The one who fears the Lord lives uprightly, hates evil, and refuses to envy sinners. The Lord richly rewards those who fear him.

The Book of Ecclesiastes concludes that people should fear God by obeying his commandments. In this book, the Teacher frustrates readers with his “under the sun” description of the world. Recognizing that everything is rendered meaningless by the world’s apparent contradictions and the reality of death, the Teacher prompts people to submit to God and fear him. Ecclesiastes builds on the foundation that the book of Proverbs establishes. Ecclesiastes attempts to drive readers to the starting point of fearing God by showing them the futility of life when one does not fear him.

In his debate with his know-it-all, so-called friends, Job argues that people cannot fully know how God operates in the world. He concludes that genuine wisdom is to fear God and obey him: “The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.”

Those who trust in God need not fear when trouble comes because God’s presence drives away fear, that is, dread and terror. However, we do need to fear God by respecting and obeying him. Ironically, fearing God in this way insulates one from fearing the trouble that characterizes the fallen world in which we live.

¹ The Hebrew verb “to fear” is pronounced “yah-ray.”
² See, for example, Deut 2:25; Isa 7:25; Ezek 30:13; Jon 1:10, 16.
³ See also 2 Chr 19:9; Isa 11:2; 33:6; Pss 19:9; 111:10.
⁴ For a detailed study of this theme, see Robert B. Chisholm, Jr. “The Fear of the Lord/God: A Thematic Key to the Unity of the Wisdom Books,” in The Law, the Prophets, and the Writings: Studies in Evangelical Old Testament Hermeneutics in Honor of Duane A. Garrett, ed. A. M. King, W. R. Osborne, and J. M. Philpot (B & H Academic, 2021), 271–90.