Water. Food. Shelter. Protection.
When we started developing our pasture-based sustainable farm, these were the first basic necessities we had to ensure were set up properly for our animals. We planned with experts and scoped out the fields. We planted seed and set hundreds of poles and thousands of yards of fencing into place to define the pasture boundaries.
We then re-planned based on our learning to adjust for the quantity and variety of animals.
We ran water lines, planted seed, set up buildings and shade structures, ran electricity, planted seed again, and set hundreds of poles and thousands of yards of fencing into place to define the pasture boundaries.
Our goal is to establish a safe and enjoyable habitat for our animals. And the result has been extremely rewarding- watching our animals thrive, being with animals that are content, and receiving great reports from the veterinarians.
While our farm does not advertise as a rescue shelter, we have taken in multiple animals that have been near their end of their life, sick, stranded, abused, or stressed almost to the point of death. We’ve been honored to watch as wide eyed frantic or hurt animals gradually over months develop trust and health. It’s amazing to experience a bond grow as physical needs are met.
Water. Food. Shelter. Protection. Love. Respect. Opportunity. Hope. Trust.
These are some of our basic needs.
We live in a fear based society. We are continually told that one or more of these needs is at risk. I don’t think we’re unique as we see this tool used throughout history. Some civilizations have a common foe, some are internally cast each against another. The fear agenda forces us into a sustained fight or flight, amygdala hijack way if life. Fear is the easiest form of control. And, it’s effective. It bypasses reason, feeds on itself, multiplies and destroys.
This isn’t how we were created to live.
Water. Food. Shelter. Protection. Love. Respect. Opportunity. Hope. Trust.
To be clear- these needs are extremely important for life, and a primary goal of our family is to help reach these needs for others. We don’t write much of our personal side, but as much as it may be evident that we love our farm and animals- seeking to meet these basic needs for others is a much higher passion.
Water. Food. Shelter. Protection. Love. Respect. Opportunity. Hope. Trust.
Without these basic needs, our body cannot survive. With these basic needs, we can be dead while still living.
In our daily lives, we are driven through a fear based control to do whatever is necessary to preserve and enhance or protect our basic needs. God calls us to ignore the call of fear.
Fear is an abuser. We are treated like the abused, abandoned or starving animals that have been rescued at our farm. We are coerced with whatever base level driver is necessary to secure the currency of the world. And, even worse, we are intentionally kept from being able to even recognize our deeper needs. Like an unwilling addict, we keep going back for more base level rewards in vain hope of satisfaction.
What would we do to preserve our needs, to save our own life? Sadly we don’t need to look far. The side effects of permanent fear are destructive. The impact of each individual frantically searching for his own best interests tears communities and lives apart. We are so easily tricked into an “us versus them” situation that devalues and robs of life.
We are deceived that these basic physical needs are the most important for life.
However, when our soul experiences and knows true shelter, we know we can go without physical shelter. Once we have tasted the spiritual quenching, then we know we can do without the physical if necessary. Once we live, we know we can die.
Part of the lie however is an irrational logic that fear provides shelter. It’s familiar. It helps us cope. We are in control…
We are also led to believe that God treats His people like this. We are led to believe that God uses fear to force obedience.
One potential source for this may be in the limitation of language and how it impacts the translations of Scripture we read.
There are a lot of Hebrew words translated as “fear” in Scripture. See the end of this post for more. Each Hebrew word is attempted to be defined by one of multiple English variants in the translation depending on the meaning and usage of the words around it.
There are words translated fear that can also mean terror, fright, dread, and anxiety. There are also words translated fear which include the other side of the spectrum - one of awe.
By far the most often word I’ve found translated fear and connected with God is the word yareh (verb) or yireh (noun). We see this in the following passage:
“Now when all the people saw the thunder and the flashes of lightning and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking, the people were afraid and trembled, and they stood far off and said to Moses, “You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, lest we die.” Moses said to the people, ‘Do not fear, for God has come to test you, that the fear of him may be before you, that you may not sin.’” Exodus 20:18–21 (ESV)
Why would Moses tell the people not to fear (yareh), but that the fear (yirah) of YHWH should be before them? Both verb and noun have the same root form.
The word yareh/yireh clearly has deeper meaning than its English counterpart if we are not to fear God in a way that would just away from Him.
To be clear, by all respects we should fear God- He is entirely powerful and in Him is no darkness…. But we don’t see God using that power to drive people through a base level fear. In fact, this account in Exodus 20 is the closest that the leaders came and they’re told not to fear.
It appears rather we are to have a fear of God in a way that allows us to be with Him.
I’ve added some examples at the end of this post for other words translated as fear towards God. From these examples and the word studies I’ve done with dictionaries etc, I see the “fear (yireh) of YHWH” as a respectful state of obedience, recognizing power but not driven by force. We also see in these examples a value and love for others that results from this yireh. The yareh of God, living in yireh of His Word actually leads to a peace between people. It sets the boundaries, the protection that we need, to establish and truly support each other. It’s the exact opposite result of a fear based society.
……
Allow yourself to fear- not to be afraid, but to be in awe of the Creator of the universe that wants you to shelter in Him.
God’s outstretched arm of his salvation, His Yeshua, calls us to ignore the cry of the abuser and listen to His voice.
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.” John 10:10–15 (ESV):
I’m writing this during the celebration of Sukkot, actually finished the majority while listening to the rain hit the tent in the early morning. Sukkot is an amazing physical participation each year that also allows and points to spiritual shelter. We camp outside in the cold, rain, wind and stars for a week with our community, reading Scripture every night, remembering when God dwelled among His people. His tabernacle was in the middle of His people’s camp over three thousand years ago. His outstretched arm of salvation became flesh and dwelled among us over two thousand years ago. His Spirit dwells among us until His return and reign.
Before I could post I was reminded there are days when for whatever reason we run from God’s shelter. Today, September 25th 2021, is the first (and hopefully last) time our horses have escaped.
Our Icelandic sheep broke loose multiple times the first year they were here until they realized the grass in the other side wasn’t any better. There’s not a fence in the world that will keep a ram from where he wants to be.
Our cows have gotten loose when one of the kids left a gate open (happened a few times before we set up a double gate system) or we were moving them. They come back easily once the immediate excitement is over.
But never before our horses. Something spooked them today and they knocked the gate off the hinges and ran. Once they entered unknown territory they ran even more frantically.
It was a horrible, terrifying period. It was surreal watching these massive animals run where they shouldn’t be. We were all praying, running barefoot through mud, and praying. We prayed that they wouldn’t get hit by a car, or get hurt on any number of things. We prayed fervently that they wouldn’t run far, that they would slow down, that they would just come back.
I think it’s a small taste for how God feels when we choose to leave His boundary of protection.
We desperately wanted our horses back, risking much in the process to do so. We wanted to minimize the impact but were committed even knowing that they may become hurt and need immediate or long term medical attention. Everything was on the line.
Thankfully our horses want to be back as well. They trust us. Once we finally caught up to them, Fox and Lady calmly let us put on their halters on and Roscoe followed all the way back.
We know the horses could get out whenever they want. They could easily jump our fences or knock the gate down again. If they want out, they can. Thankfully they’re back (and they’re happy as can be).
Now we need to figure out what scared them. Maybe a coyote or a fox. We aren’t perfect, the earthy shelter isn’t perfect as much as we wish it could be.
And it’s wild out there…
“For thus says the Lord God: Behold, I, I myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out. As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out my sheep, and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness. And I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land. And I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the ravines, and in all the inhabited places of the country. I will feed them with good pasture, and on the mountain heights of Israel shall be their grazing land. There they shall lie down in good grazing land, and on rich pasture they shall feed on the mountains of Israel. I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I myself will make them lie down, declares the Lord God. I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them in justice.” - Ezekiel 34:11–16 (ESV): 11
Words Translated "Fear" in English Scriptures
Hebrew: פָּחַד (pachad) , חֲרָדָה ,(יִרְאָה (yirah) , יָרֵא (yareh)
I absolutely love doing word studies from the Hebrew. This was my favorite part of graduate school. I would gather at least 4 or 5 different grammar books and lexicons from the library shelves, make the photocopies, and pour over the meanings, usages and linkages. For me, this is one way to open up linkages in the Hebrew text which are hidden from us in the English. There can be one Hebrew word translated into different English forms-- thereby losing the intended linkages to prior context and examples. Likewise, there can be multiple Hebrew words translated into the same English word-- thereby confusing the reader. The example of "fear" here is one example. There are clearly different Hebrew forms of "fear", which are combined together.
Word studies were an expensive exercise for a student- costing lots of money in photocopies and several hours each word study. But- it is very much like a treasure hunt. The benefits are worth it.
And, now anyone can do it with free resources at the touch of a button, it's amazing! One example is Bible Hub, which provides the forms and usage of words- for example here for יָרֵא (yareh). https://biblehub.com/hebrew/3372.htm. I recommend using the resource Logos, which has many free base features. An example is shown below here.
Please try this for yourself. Conduct a search for “fear” through these apps using the original forms or links and see how many times God’s people are not to be afraid of God. In contrast Scriptures reiterate the value of having a fear of God or His Word. This fear drives a respectful obedience and brings benefits to the person holding the fear. As can be seen in the examples below, it is also benefits others and society at large.
"Fear" - פָּחַד (pachad)
One word translated “fear” is פָּחַד (pachad) - to dread, be in dread or in awe:—afraid, come in dread, come trembling, dread, fear, fears, shake, stands in awe, terrified, thrill, tremble, turned in fear. We don't see this often applied to God. Here is a fair representation of the usage below (search for yourself to see).
Ps 27:1 The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid (pachad)?
Ps 78:53 He led them in safety, so that they were not afraid (pachad), but the sea overwhelmed their enemies.
Pr 3:24 If you lie down, you will not be afraid (pachad); when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet
Job 3:25 For the thing that I fear (pachad) comes upon me, and what I dread befalls me.
Pr 28:14 Blessed is the one who fears (pachad) the Lord always, but whoever hardens his heart will fall into calamity. Is 19:17And the land of Judah will become a terror to the Egyptians. Everyone to whom it is mentioned will fear (pachad) because of the purpose that the Lord of hosts has purposed against them.
Is 44:8 Fear (pachad) not, nor be afraid; have I not told you from of old and declared it? And you are my witnesses! Is there a God besides me? There is no Rock; I know not any.”
Is 51:12-13 “I, I am he who comforts you; who are you that you are afraid of man who dies, of the son of man who is made like grass, and have forgotten the Lord, your Maker, who stretched out the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth, and have forgotten the Lord, your Maker, who stretched out the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth, and you fear (pachad) continually all the day because of the wrath of the oppressor, when he sets himself to destroy? And where is the wrath of the oppressor?
"Fear" - חֲרָדָה (charadah)
Another of the words translated “fear” is חֲרָדָה (charadah)- trembling, fear, anxiety:—care, dread, terror, trembling, violently. Again, we don't see this often applied to God. Here is another fair representation of the usage below (search for yourself to see).
“The fear (charadah) of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe.” Proverbs 29:25 (ESV)
Sa 14:15And there was a panic (charadah) in the camp, in the field, and among all the people. The garrison and even the raiders trembled, the earth quaked, and it became a very great panic (charadah).
Is 21:4 My heart staggers; horror has appalled me; the twilight I longed for has been turned for me into trembling (charadah).
Eze 26:16 Then all the princes of the sea will step down from their thrones and remove their robes and strip off their embroidered garments. They will clothe themselves with trembling (charadah); they will sit on the ground and tremble (charadah) every moment and be appalled at you.
Da 10:7And I, Daniel, alone saw the vision, for the men who were with me did not see the vision, but a great trembling (charadah) fell upon them, and they fled to hide themselves.
The only time found that I see a form of charadah applying to God is in reverence to His Word. “But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles (charadah) at my word.”- Isaiah 66:2
"Fear" - יָרֵא (yareh, verb) & יִרְאָה (yirah, noun)
And then we have yareh and yireh. This fear is a reverence, piety, respect. At times it is used as terror, but you can see why in the examples. I’ll put a representative segment of the ones I found below and encourage you to dig for yourself. Write to me if you find differently (or if you find the same). Notice the differences through these examples. The difference in usage points also to the difference in meaning.
Fear, verb, יָרֵא (yareh)
Ex 1:17 But the midwives feared (yareh) God and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but let the male children live.
Ex 1:21 And because the midwives feared (yareh) God, he gave them families.
Le 19:14 You shall not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block before the blind, but you shall fear (yareh) your God: I am the Lord.
Le 19:32 “You shall stand up before the gray head and honor the face of an old man, and you shall fear (yareh) your God: I am the Lord.
Le 25:17 You shall not wrong one another, but you shall fear (yareh) your God, for I am the Lord your God.
Le 25:36 Take no interest from him or profit, but fear (yareh) your God, that your brother may live beside you.
Le 25:43 You shall not rule over him ruthlessly but shall fear (yareh)your God
Dt 5:29 Oh that they had such a heart as this always, to fear (yareh) me and to keep all my commandments, that it might go well with them and with their descendants forever!
Dt 6:2 that you may fear (yareh) the Lord your God, you and your son and your son’s son, by keeping all his statutes and his commandments, which I command you, all the days of your life, and that your days may be long. Dt 6:24 And the Lord commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God, for our good always, that he might preserve us alive, as we are this day.
Dt 8:2 And you shall remember the whole way that the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not. And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. Your clothing did not wear out on you and your foot did not swell these forty years. Know then in your heart that, as a man disciplines his son, the Lord your God disciplines you.So you shall keep the commandments of the Lord your God by walking in his ways and by fearing (yareh) him.
Dt 10:12“And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear (yareh) the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul,
Dt 10:20 You shall fear (yareh) the Lord your God. You shall serve him and hold fast to him, and by his name you shall swear.
Dt 13:4 You shall walk after the Lord your God and fear him and keep his commandments and obey his voice, and you shall serve him and hold fast to him.
Dt 13:11 And all Israel shall hear and fear (yareh) and never again do any such wickedness as this among you.
Dt 14:23 And before the Lord your God, in the place that he will choose, to make his name dwell there, you shall eat the tithe of your grain, of your wine, and of your oil, and the firstborn of your herd and flock, that you may learn to fear (yareh) the Lord your God always.
Fear, noun form, יִרְאָה (yirah)
2 Sa 23:3 The God of Israel has spoken; the Rock of Israel has said to me: When one rules justly over men, ruling in the fear (yirah) of God, he dawns on them like the morning light, like the sun shining forth on a cloudless morning, like rain that makes grass to sprout from the earth.
2 Ch 19:92 Chronicles 19:6–10 (ESV): “Consider what you do, for you judge not for man but for the Lord. He is with you in giving judgment. Now then, let the fear of the Lord be upon you. Be careful what you do, for there is no injustice with the Lord our God, or partiality or taking bribes.” Moreover, in Jerusalem Jehoshaphat appointed certain Levites and priests and heads of families of Israel, to give judgment for the Lord and to decide disputed cases. They had their seat at Jerusalem. And he charged them: “Thus you shall do in the fear (yirah) of the Lord, in faithfulness, and with your whole heart: whenever a case comes to you from your brothers who live in their cities, concerning bloodshed, law or commandment, statutes or rules, then you shall warn them, that they may not incur guilt before the Lord and wrath may not come upon you and your brothers. Thus you shall do, and you will not incur guilt.
Nehemiah 5:9–11 (ESV): The thing that you are doing is not good. Ought you not to walk in the fear (yirah) of our God to prevent the taunts of the nations our enemies? Moreover, I and my brothers and my servants are lending them money and grain. Let us abandon this exacting of interest. Return to them this very day their fields, their vineyards, their olive orchards, and their houses, and the percentage of money, grain, wine, and oil that you have been exacting from them.”
Ne 5:15 The former governors who were before me laid heavy burdens on the people and took from them for their daily ration forty shekels of silver. Even their servants lorded it over the people. But I did not do so, because of the fear (yirah) of God.
Job 4:6 Is not your fear (yirah) of God your confidence, and the integrity of your ways your hope?
Job 6:14 “He who withholds kindness from a friend forsakes the fear (yirah) of the Almighty.”
Ps 19:9 the fear (yirah) of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether. Ps 90:11 Who considers the power of your anger, and your wrath according to the fear (yirah) of you?
Ps 111:10 The fear (yirah) of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever!
Pr 1:7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Pr 1:29 Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord,
Pr 2:5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.
Pr 8:13The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil. Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate.
Pr 9:10 The fear (yirah) of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.
Pr 10:27 The fear (yirah) of the Lord prolongs life, but the years of the wicked will be short.
Pr 14:26 In the fear (yirah) of the Lord one has strong confidence, and his children will have a refuge.
Pr 14:27 The fear (yirah) of the Lord is a fountain of life, that one may turn away from the snares of death.
Pr 15:16 Better is a little with the fear (yirah) of the Lord than great treasure and trouble with it.
Pr 15:33 The fear (yirah) of the Lord is instruction in wisdom, and humility comes before honor.
Pr 16:6 By steadfast love and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for, and by the fear of the Lord one turns away from evil.
Pr 19:23 The fear (yirah) of the Lord leads to life, and whoever has it rests satisfied; he will not be visited by harm.
Pr 22:4 The reward for humility and fear (yirah) of the Lord is riches and honor and life.
Pr 23:17 Let not your heart envy sinners, but continue in the fear (yirah) of the Lord all the day.
I hope you've made it this far. I hope you've seen the differences- plead with you to search the treasure on your own and evaluate for yourself. Let me know if you have any questions or I can help in any way.
Shema - :)
Comments