Al Tirah – Fear Not!

We are living in uncertain times in the world and this uncertainty will naturally cause some to experience anxiety and fear

yet,

we know that God’s Word tells us

to fear not.

Fear not little children for it is your fathers good pleasure to give you the kingdom and that kingdom is righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.

For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.

Romans 7:14

This is His will for us.

Righteousness – Yashar – ישר

Peace – Shalom – שָׁלוֹם

and Joy – Sim•cha – שִׂמְחָה

Letters for JOY – sameach – mem – chet – hey.

The Hebrew words tsadiyq, translated as righteous,

and ישר (yashar, Strong’s #3477),

translated as upright,

are paralleled many times in the Bible; indicating that in the Hebrew mind, they were similar in meaning.

Upright is another abstract word but it is used in a ‘concrete manner’, such as in Jeremiah 31:9, where it means:

straight – as in a straight path.

(The straight path/WAY of Jesus/Yeshua).

As a noun:

יוֹשֶׁר. integrity, honesty, equity, probity, straightness.

Hebrew words for righteousness:

Another noun:

tsadiyq,

צֶדֶק.

justice, Jupiter, right, justness, rightness.

PEACE – Shalom – שָׁלוֹם

and JOY – Simchah – שִׂמְחָה

Strong’s Hebrew: 8057. שִׂמְחָה (simchah)

joy, gladness, mirth, exceedingly, gladness, joyfulness, mirth, pleasure, rejoicing

From sameach;

Strong’s Hebrew: 2304. חֶדְוָה (chedvah) — joy KJV: strength and gladness [are] in his place.

Strong’s Hebrew: 7321. ר֫וּעַ (rua) — to raise a shout … …cry aloud (1), crying (1), jubilant

As far as fear is concerned, worries, and anxious thoughts will try to encircle us, seeking entrance.

On so many occasions Jesus/Yeshua said

Fear is such a basic human emotion that many constantly live in the grip of fear, worry and anxiety.

God told us to fear not because He knew that we would all wrestle with fear of one sort or another, sooner or later.

Instead of fear, we are to let trust and thankfulness stand guard at the doorways to our hearts; turning back fear before it can gain a foothold.

When our focus is firmly on the Lord, His love casts out all fear and His shalom/peace, which He gives to us, fills our hearts and minds; so there is no room for anything else.

Fear/yare is displaced by love/ahava and peace/shalom.

The same way that light displaces darkness.

If we are anxious, then the scripture reminds us that His love is not yet perfected in us; and as fear is the opposite of faith, we are not moving, walking and thinking by faith; and without that faith we cannot please God.

The WAY to build our faith is to read and listen to His Word…

Al tirah – Fear Not or Be Not Afraid

Books about fear are helpful but if we want to change and conquer fear once and for all, we have to live continually, which means we are to abide in His Word. As Jesus/Yeshua is the Living Word, we are to abide/live our lives in and through Him.

NOTHING compares to the living word.

There are two ways to look at fear; it can that of the feeling of being afraid or terrified of something, and it can also be termed;

the fear of the Lord

where we are to have a reverential respect of Who He is, and to know the reverential fear, the awe that His presence inspires.

Some definitions of awe:

Awe is an overwhelming feeling of reverence, admiration, fear, veneration, and wonder produced and inspired by that which is grand, sublime, extremely powerful, or the like: in awe of God;

Awe is the feeling we get in the presence of something vast that challenges our understanding. When people say something is awesome, they are really saying it is causing or inducing fearful awe; inspiring an overwhelming feeling of reverence, reverential fear, sadly it has become a byword and we have lost its efficacy.

You may have even heard that the words fear not are in Scripture as many as 365 times. While unable to find those exact two words 365 times in Scripture, He did give that direct command over 100 times; God’s Word addresses our fears again and again.

The subject of fear and anxiety is mentioned in the Bible over 365 times and that doesn’t even include all the many fear God (reverence) verses. Adding all the relevant scriptures may indeed give us a daily mannabite to take us through a year without fear!

Link to longer list at the end:

Fear is spoken of over 500 times in the KJV. Furthermore, in addition to the Fear nots, many times the Bible teaches us to Fear God, which really as already mentioned, means reverence God alone and do not fear anyone or anything else.

What we think of as fear of the Lord,

this type of fear is good and should be encouraged.

As mentioned previously fear of the Lord is a fear of, as in awe, reverence or respect. This type of fear will result in blessings and will greatly benefit us in life; unlike the spirit of fear that we may experience, which is the type of fear that we must look to God for His help to overcome.

On the other hand, there is also a spirit of fear, this type of fear should be avoided.

A spirit of fear will hinder our walk with the Lord.

We find this in 2 Timothy 1:7, which says,

“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

Some versions use the words timidity or fawning fear.

We can overcome fear by looking to God and receiving His Love to fill our hearts and minds and overcome the thoughts that engender fear. Again, scripture tells us that perfect love casts out fear.

Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another… There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love” (1 John 4:11, 18).

The key is to allow the love of God to rule and reign in our hearts and let His Word/debar, dwell in us richly.

Satan does not want us to embrace the love of God, instead he wants us to remain alone in our fears. He will use this to cause us to doubt God.

Many times we allow our worldly fears to get in the way of our relationship with God. The good news is that we do not have to remain in our fears. God’s Word tells us to call out to Him in our times of fear.

Psalm 34:4 says, “I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.” (ESV)

This means we must first take our fears to God in prayer. At first, this can often be difficult to do but over time once we make this a good new habit, we will be willing to keep going, as we experience Our Fathers Holy Spirit/Ruach, calming our anxieties and fears with the breath of His Ruach and the Oil of Joy.

It has been said that all fear is rooted in fear of death, and as we are now in the kingdom of His dear Son the scripture/His Word tells us that death has no power over us – then fear has no power over us either.

When we fully realize we have gone

from death to life in Christ Jesus/Yeshua HaMashiach;

the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus, (Romans 8:2),

has made us free from the law and its’ consequences of sin the wages/result of which is death.

It is, the Truth shall make you free, not set you free. John 8:32

Once we know the truth, the bonds and the thoughts of others no longer matter or have any power over us. We are made free and their hold no longer applies, this includes the bonds and chains of satans devices.

This is the truth that makes us free.

And might deliver all them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. – American Standard Version (1901) And let those who all their lives were in chains because of their fear of death, go free. Hebrews 2:15

It is a proven fact that our body gives off a physical response when our brain believes or perceives a threatening situation. An increase in adrenaline occurs, making the brain choose to either fight the situation or flight/flee from it.

Our body reacts and it is said that animals can not only sense fear in and from us, but that fear has a distinct odour and they can smell the fear we are feeling.

Anytime we feel emotional, mental, or physical pain or other trauma, this can cause us to be fearful. Yet, even in those moments, God calls us to trust in Him by the spirit, rather than in what we can see in the physical realm. We must focus on Him and believe in the evidence of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1

The moments when we cannot see or feel God are prime times to experience fear, yet God promises we can overcome fear.

In a biblical sense, fear is an opportunity to choose faith.

When God asks you to put your trust in Him and believe He will do things in our best interest, our human nature resists that, choosing instead to take a position independent from God. We naturally tend to try to control outcomes, and this can be a hindrance and keep us apart from God.

Fear is the enemy of God because God gives peace/shalom. He promises it to those who trust in Him wholeheartedly, even in the midst of inevitable fear.

As already noted the Bible teaches us to Fear God, which really means reverence God alone and do not fear anyone or anything else.

yirah: a fear

yir-aw’

3374

יִרְאָה

Of the 10 Hebrew nouns and 8 verbs that are regularly translated fear, to fear, to be afraid, and those similar, only one of each is commonly used in the Old Testament and they both come from the root yr.

The noun being yira [ h’a.rIy] or mora [ a’r/m] and the verb yare [ aer”y ]).

The English word fear is used to translate several Hebrew and Greek words. In the Old Testament, the most common word used to express fear is yir’ ah , which means fear/terror ( Isaiah 7:25 ; Jonah 1:10,16 ).

The word most often translated in the Old Testament as fear is the Hebrew word (transliterated as yirah) which can possibly mean fear, but also means awe, reverence, respect and devotion. A closely related Hebrew word is (transliterated as yare) which can mean fearful, but also means to stand in awe, reverence or honor.

Similarly, the King James translators also chose to translate the Hebrew (transliterated as mowra) as fear, although it also means reverence, object of reverence, or an awe inspiring spectacle or deed. Another word that the King James translators chose to call fear is the Hebrew (transliterated as guwr) which can mean fear, but which also means to stir up, sojourn, dwell with, remain, dwell in or to stand in awe.

Fortunately, some of the newer bible translations are slowly beginning to correct this situation and are beginning to use fitting terms such as honor and reverence to express our relationship with God. What a magnificent difference it is to change from an attitude of fear of a dreadful, vengeful God into the beautiful, loving attitude of awe, reverence, respect and devotion towards a kind, loving God.

The Fear (yirah) of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Prov 9:10

Here fear is the word YaRATh (sometimes written with a letter Hey).

The root meaning of the word yara is to flow

and is related to words meaning:

rain or stream – as a flowing of water.

In Hebrew thought, fear can be what is felt when in danger;

or

what is felt when in the presence of an awesome sight or person of great authority.

The word fear in the this verse is the noun יראה yirah ^[H:3374], derived from the verb yarah.

The common understanding of this verse is if one is afraid of or in great awe of Yahweh, he will have wisdom, however, this is not consistent with its use in the Hebrew language.

The Hebrew for fear of the LORD (as found in the verse above) is written with two nouns,

יהוה יראת yirat Yahweh

(Yirat is a feminine noun ending with the letter ה, such as yirah, it is used in the construct state, the ה is converted to a ת, in this case it becomes yirat.)

When a noun precedes another noun, the first noun is in the construct state, meaning it is connected to the second noun-two words together forming one concept. In the phrase is an example of a construct noun:

אלהים מלכות malkut elohiym (kingdom of God).”

Here the first noun, kingdom, ‘belongs’ to the second noun, God.

Yud Reysh Alef Tav

Below are the paleo letters

Below their meanings:

Yud/Yood – the Hand /Branch Endowed with All Power and Authority. Set to the task – doing all the work..to complete the Plan/Task, according to the process of entering in through the instructor – the Ddoor/dalet, the Way dereck ,Truth emet, and Life chaim. Strength – resolute – force.

Resh /Reysh – His power made evident Esteemed exalted and regarded as supreme and soverign. Could be summed up in the words: Goal objective destination

Alaph/alef – the first, leader – the strength to carry out to the completion. The infinite, eternal,vsupreme authority, the commander represented in His instruction,(Torah), His governing spoken established written. Could be summed up in the words: certain established surety guaranteed confirmed.

Tav/Tau/Tuh the promise of the word of YHVH DaBaR YaHUaH to be united together with His restored creation forever.

The YaRATh /fear of the Lord/ YaHUaH is the beginning of wisdom.

Fear is an abstract concept, but the Hebrew words translated as fear have a more concrete definition behind them.

The first root is פחד pahhad ^[H:6342].

Fear (pahhad – noun/object) came upon me, and trembling, and caused all my bones to shake (pahhad – verb/action). Job 4:14

In this verse, the word fear is the noun פחד pahhad [H:6343] meaning shaking, while the word shake is the verb פחד pahhad [H:6342]meaning to shake.

The second Hebrew root is ירא yara [H:3372].

In the following verse, we read that this verb means fear in the sense of what we would consider fear.

So when the Lord says once more I will shake the earth, there is fear attached to that event.

The second Hebrew root is ירא yara ^[H:3372].

In the following verse, this verb means fear in the sense of what we would consider fear.

And he said, I heard your voice in the garden and I feared (yarah) because I was naked and I hid myself. Genesis 3:10

In the next verse, the same Hebrew word is used in a more positive context.

You will revere (yarah)Yahweh your Elohiym and you will serve him and in his name you will swear. Deuteronomy 6:13

From these two passages this Hebrew word would appear to have 2 different meanings, fear and reverence.

In translation with many Hebrew words this is often the case, but often caused by a lack of understanding of the Hebrew vocabulary seen from a non Hebraic perspective.

This is explained by realizing that each Hebrew word has only one meaning – but can have different applications.

The meaning of yara

in the literal concrete sense

is a flowing of the gut,

which can be applied to fear or reverence.

This feeling is the meaning of this word felt when an individual is so scared or was in the presence of something so incredible that it could be felt in the gut. There is also that similar feeling of having butterflies in the tummy when one is nervous.

Because the Hebrew people are often considered to be very emotional, it follows that in many cases their words are describing a feeling, rather than an action.

Why do we put the emphasis of the word fear as being our fear and not Yahweh’s/God’s in the phrase fear of Yahweh?

We know that it is not possible for God to have fear, however as previously mentioned, the Hebrew verb yara literally means to flow out of the gut.

So, then, the question has to be asked:

What flows out of the gut of God/Yahweh?

2 other scriptures, may illuminate what the fear of Yahweh could be.

But his delight is in the law of the LORD ; and in his law doth he meditate day and night Psalm 1:2 (KJV)

The Hebrew for the law of the LORD is:

יהוה תורת torat Yahweh.

The definition the word

תורה torah ^[H:8451]

as teachings.

Torat is the form of the feminine noun torah.

This word is derived from the verb ירה yarah ^[H:3384] meaning:

to throw

(in the sense of flowing)

and is closely related to the verb yara.

They related in the sense both are from the same root, יר yar, and they are also related by their meaning.

In Judges 3:10 is the 2nd scripture.

And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him… (RSV)

In the words יהוה רוח ru’ahh Yahweh

the word ru’ahh, meaning wind

We are familiar with this as:

Ruahh/ruach HaKodesh Spirit/ Holy Spirit;

another type of flowing and,

it can also mean an individuals character.

So, what is it that flows out of the gut of God/Yahweh?

His teachings and His character/traits, showing us Who He Is.

Look at Proverbs 9:10 again from a Hebrew perspective.

The flowings (Yirah – the teachings (torah)

and character (ru’ahh) of Yahweh

is the beginning of wisdom

(Hhakhmah – the ability to distinguish between good and bad.):

and an intimate relationship with the special one is understanding.

Yeshua/Jesus Himself said:

Out of your belly/gut will flow rivers of living water…

Who and what is the living water?

Yeshua/Jesus is the source of living water

the river of life

and

water is the symbol of the torah/teaching instructions

for living a life before the Lord as in

following Yeshua/Jesus

and

when we do then John 7:38 will be fulfilled in us.

He that believes on me, as the scripture has said,

out of his belly shall flow

rivers of living water.

While preparing this post an interesting point to note is that the word yara/yare is in the word yarah/yareh/Yireh which is Hebrew for – will provide – coming from Yahuah Yarah/Yireh. Genesis 22:11-18.

Abraham trusted in God as he offered his son and did not fear; then God stepped in to provide the ram instead.

So when the presence of God manifested

He changed the situation

from death to life

and

from any fear to faith

with His provision.

The difference in the 2 words is the letter H Hei/Hey and we associate with breath when we pronounce the letter!

When the breath (Hei/Hey) of God is added to the word for fear (yara/yare), is it telling us:

Hey look, God’s breath of life/His presence, changes fear to faith by His provision! Yareh?

We may be more familiar with it written as Jehovah Jireh.

So when fear tries to overwhelm us ….

breathe deeply

and think on the point that we are one breath of Gods’ life away from His provision of faith to sustain us –

hen breathe out that faith life… Hhhhhey….

and

dispel that fear in Jesus/Yeshuas name!

This is the WAY to be an overcomer trusting completely in Him and not be one of those of whom Jesus/Yeshua said in Luke 21:26

Men‘s hearts failing them for fear, and for apprehension of those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.

But rather verse 36

Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

Our confidence and trust is in Him…

strongs 3374 yirah a fear

Phonetic Spelling: (yir-aw’)

יִרְאָה

strongs 3372 Yare/ Yara – to fear – affright – to fear to revere

Phonetic Spelling: (yaw-ray’)

יָרֵא