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Question

What does phobethete ton theon ('fear God') mean as the first imperative of the everlasting gospel? How does the OT yare/phobos tradition inform this command — is it servile terror or reverent awe? How does Deuteronomy 6:13 and 10:12-13 pair fear and love? Does 'fear God' conflict with 'perfect love casts out fear' (1 John 4:18)? Parse the 1 John 4:18 text carefully — what does phobos meta kolaseos ('fear with punishment') mean, and is that the same kind of fear as Rev 14:7? How does fearing God function as the foundation for refusing to fear the beast and his threats (Rev 13:15, Matt 10:28)? How does Ecclesiastes 12:13 ('Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man') provide the OT template for the first angel's message?

FEAR — REVERENCE

  • Gen 35:5
  • Exo 18:21
  • Exo 20:18-20
  • Lev 22:32
  • Deu 4:10
  • Deu 5:29
  • Deu 6:2
  • Deu 6:13
  • Deu 10:12
  • Deu 10:20-21
  • Deu 13:4
  • Jos 24:14
  • 1Sa 2:30
  • 1Sa 12:14
  • 1Sa 12:24
  • 2Sa 23:3
  • Job 28:28
  • Psa 2:11
  • Psa 15:4
  • Psa 19:9
  • Psa 22:23
  • Psa 33:8
  • Psa 33:18
  • Psa 34:7
  • Psa 34:9
  • Psa 96:4
  • Psa 96:9
  • Psa 111:10
  • Psa 112:1
  • Psa 128:1
  • Psa 130:4
  • Pro 1:7
  • Pro 2:5
  • Pro 3:7
  • Pro 8:13
  • Pro 9:10
  • Pro 14:26-27
  • Pro 16:6
  • Pro 19:23
  • Pro 22:4
  • Ecc 3:14
  • Ecc 5:7
  • Ecc 8:12
  • Ecc 12:13
  • Isa 8:13
  • Isa 29:13
  • Isa 33:6
  • Jer 32:39-40
  • Mal 1:6
  • Mal 3:16
  • Mal 4:2
  • Mat 10:28
  • Luk 1:50
  • Luk 12:5
  • Luk 23:40
  • Act 10:35
  • Rom 11:20
  • 2Co 7:1
  • Php 2:12
  • Heb 5:7
  • Heb 12:28-29
  • 1Pe 1:17
  • 1Jn 4:16-18
  • Rev 11:18
  • Rev 14:7
  • Rev 19:5

FEAR — REVERENCE: GEN 35:5; EXO 18:21; 20:18-20; LEV 22:32; DEU 4:10; 5:29; 6:2,13; 10:12,20,21; 13:4; 14:23; 28:49,58; JOS 4:24; 24:14; 1SA 2:30; 12:14,24; 2SA 23:3; 1KI 8:40; 2KI 17:28,36,39; 1CH 16:30; 2CH 19:7,9; EZR 10:3; NEH 5:9; JOB 28:28; 37:24; PSA 2:11; 4:4; 15:4; 19:9; 22:23,25; 25:12-14; 31:19; 33:8,18; 34:7,9; 46:10; 52:6; 60:4; 64:9; 66:16; 67:7; 72:5; 76:7; 85:9; 86:11; 89:7; 90:11; 96:4,9; 99:1; 102:15; 103:11,17; 111:5,10; 112:1; 115:11,13; 118:4; 119:63,74,79; 128:1,4; 130:4; 135:20; 145:19; 147:11; PRO 1:7; 2:5; 3:7; 8:13; 9:10; 10:27; 13:13; 14:2,16,26,27; 15:16,33; 16:6; 19:23; 22:4; 23:17; 24:21; 28:14; 31:30; ECC 3:14; 5:7; 7:18; 8:12; 12:13; ISA 2:10,19-21; 8:13; 25:3; 29:13,23; 33:6,13; 50:10; 59:19; 60:5; JER 5:22; 10:7; 32:39,40; 33:9; MIC 7:16,17; ZEP 1:7; 3:7; ZEC 2:13; MAL 1:6; 3:16; 4:2; MAT 10:28; LUK 1:50; 12:5; 23:40; ACT 10:35; 13:16,26; ROM 11:20; 2CO 7:1; EPH 5:21; 6:5; PHP 2:12; COL 3:22; HEB 5:5,7; 12:28,29; JAS 2:19; 1PE 1:17; 2:17,18; 3:2,15; 1JN 4:16-18; REV 11:18; 14:7; 19:5

FEAR — A MOTIVE OF OBEDIENCE

  • Lev 19:14
  • Lev 19:32
  • Lev 25:17
  • Deu 6:13-15
  • Deu 10:12-13
  • Deu 13:4
  • Jos 23:11-16
  • 1Sa 12:14-15
  • 1Sa 12:24-25
  • Pro 16:6
  • Mat 10:28
  • Luk 12:4-5
  • 2Co 5:10-11
  • Rev 14:9-10

FEAR — A MOTIVE OF OBEDIENCE: LEV 19:14,32; 25:17,36,43; NUM 32:15; DEU 6:13-15; 7:4; 8:5,6; 10:12,13,20; 13:4,6-11; 14:23; 15:9; 17:11-13; 19:16-20; 21:18-21; 28:14-68; 31:11-13; JOS 23:11-16; 1SA 12:14,15,24,25; JOB 13:21; 31:1-4,13-15,23; PRO 16:6; ISA 1:20; JER 4:4; 22:5; MAT 10:28; LUK 12:4,5; 2CO 5:10,11; 2TI 4:1,2; 2PE 3:10-12; REV 14:9,10

FEAR — CONSPICUOUS INSTANCES

  • Gen 22:12
  • Heb 11:7
  • Exo 1:17
  • Jon 1:9
  • Act 10:2

FEAR — CONSPICUOUS INSTANCES OF THOSE WHO FEARED: Noah (HEB 11:7), Abraham tested in offering Isaac (GEN 22:12), Jacob vision (GEN 28:16-17; 42:18), Midwives of Egypt (EXO 1:17,21), Obadiah sheltering prophets (1KI 18:3-4), Nehemiah (NEH 5:15), Hanani (NEH 7:2), Job (JOB 1:8), David (PSA 5:7; 119:38), Jonah (JON 1:9), Cornelius (ACT 10:2)

WORSHIP — TO BE RENDERED ONLY TO GOD

  • Exo 20:3
  • Deu 5:7
  • Deu 6:13
  • Mat 4:10
  • Luk 4:8
  • Rev 19:10
  • Rev 22:8

WORSHIP — To be rendered only to God: EXO 20:3; DEU 5:7; 6:13; MAT 4:10; LUK 4:8; ACT 10:26; 14:15; COL 2:18; REV 19:10; 22:8

OBEDIENCE — ENJOINED

  • Deu 10:12-13
  • Deu 13:4
  • Jos 22:5
  • Jos 24:14-15
  • 1Sa 12:24
  • Ecc 12:13
  • Rev 14:12

OBEDIENCE — ENJOINED: GEN 17:9; EXO 23:22; DEU 4:1-40; 5:1-33; 6:1-25; 10:12,13; 11:1-3,8,9,13-28,32; 13:4; 26:16-18; JOS 22:5; 23:6,7; 24:14,15; 1SA 12:24; 15:22; PSA 76:11; ECC 12:13; JER 26:13; MAL 4:4

JUDGMENT — THE GENERAL

  • Ecc 3:17
  • Ecc 12:14
  • Dan 7:9-10
  • Mat 12:36
  • Rom 2:5-10
  • 2Co 5:10
  • 1Jn 4:17
  • Rev 11:18
  • Rev 14:7
  • Rev 20:11-15

JUDGMENT — THE GENERAL: 1CH 16:33; JOB 14:17; 21:30; PSA 9:7; 50:3-6; 96:13; 98:9; ECC 3:17; 11:9; 12:14; DAN 7:9,10; MAT 3:12; 12:36,37; 25:1-46; ROM 2:5-10; 14:10-12; 1CO 3:13; 2CO 5:10; HEB 9:27; 1JN 4:17; REV 11:18; 20:11-15

COWARDICE — GENERAL

  • Lev 26:36-37
  • Pro 28:1
  • Pro 29:25
  • Isa 51:12-13
  • 2Ti 4:16

COWARDICE: LEV 26:36,37; DEU 20:8; 32:30; JOS 7:5; PRO 28:1; 29:25; ISA 51:12,13; GAL 6:12; 2TI 4:16

LOVE — OF MAN FOR GOD

  • Deu 6:5
  • Deu 10:12
  • Deu 11:1
  • Deu 30:6
  • Jos 22:5
  • Mat 22:37-38
  • 1Jn 4:16-21
  • 1Jn 5:1-3

LOVE — OF MAN FOR GOD: EXO 20:6; DEU 5:10; 6:5; 7:9; 10:12; 11:1,13,22; 13:3; 30:6,16,20; JOS 22:5; 23:11; MAT 22:37,38; MRK 12:29,30; 1JN 2:5,15; 4:12,16-21; 5:1-3