The Fear of God
There are several words for fear in the Bible. One of the words for fear in the Old Testament is Yare. It means to be afraid, to fear, to be in awe of. According to Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words, the emphasis on Yare is a reverential fear - a person that is in an exalted position so the one revered is given proper respect. One of the Greek words for fear is phobeo. It is where we get the English word phobia. The world does not fear their Creator at all. As a matter of fact, they hate Him. A healthy fear of God means we acknowledge that He is the Almighty. We revere and worship Him. We realize He is the Creator of all things good. We honor His name instead of blaspheming Him. We do not mock or curse Him or His children. Remember, Jesus said that God is His Father. Anyone that attacks the Father’s children attacks the Father Himself - it's personal, very personal. ...