Lookahead:  But we don’t see an immobilizing fear (pachad) in the matchless psalmist, King David; and ironically, not even in Saul, his predatorial predecessor.  David feared God enough to confess, and repent, i.e., change his behavior.  Yet this wasn’t the brand or magnitude of fear that a godless heathen in David’s day would have. That fear would drive him to, for example, sacrifice a couple of his tiny children on a fiery altar to appease a fake god like Molech.  Instead, David’s fear caused him to write one of the most beautiful psalms of all time–about how sorry he was for his sin.

In the last post, we discussed the heathen worship style or paradigm. My theory is that people’s worship will change as a result of what or Whom they are worshiping.  

Recently I’ve been watching the Ed People Instagrams that essentially focus on the Universal Language of Dance.  It is so entertaining to see People break down the social and cultural barriers and totally bond with everyone he encounters from any nation–just by asking them to teach him a few dance steps.  But to my point – we all seem to be wired with a universal desire to celebrate with the dance (like the Fred Hammond song, “Dance like David Danced”). Additionally, as Romans 1:20 says, back in Moses’ day there seemed to be a universal belief that somebody, who was way above our level in the cosmic hierarchy, was running the show; although people had differing opinions on exactly who that was, and only the select chosen pursued the actual Creator.  

In the meantime, downright weird, outrageous, and obnoxious characteristics were attributed to the fake idols of Moses’ day; characteristics that also applied to the legendary accounts that surrounded their alleged genesis. Therefore, any respect that the fake idols garnered probably arose from the fear of what they were supposedly capable of doing to humans.  

So this brings us to a comparison of fear-based versus awe-based worship. 

Once again, the Google AI Response seemed to provide a good summary: In Hebrew, the two primary words for fear are Pachad (פחד) and Yirah (יראה). Pachad generally refers to a more irrational, overreactive, and sometimes debilitating fear, often involving worst-case scenario thinking or panic. Yirah, on the other hand, can encompass a wider range of meanings, including reverence, awe, respect, and even the fear that motivates one to step into new and challenging situations. 

So it’s two words with shades of meaning…  

As in the word “love,” the ancient Greek language has multiple words for fear (Google AI, again):  

 While the concept of “fear” exists in ancient Greek, there isn’t one single, all-encompassing word for it like the English word “fear”. Instead, ancient Greeks used a variety of words, each with slightly different nuances and connotations, to express      different aspects or degrees of fear. Here’s a breakdown of some key terms:

Phobos (φόβος):

This is perhaps the most well-known Greek word for fear. It often implies a more intense fear, bordering on terror or panic. (Mine – this does seem to be a catch-all word, and there are many instances in scripture in which the translation is more benign i.e., not exactly terror.  As in Romans 3:17, 18 The way of peace they have not known.  They have no fear of God at all.)

Deos (δέος):

This word also refers to fear, but it can also convey a sense of awe or reverence, especially in relation to the divine. 

Ektroma (ἔκτρωμα):

…used metaphorically to describe something that has been abruptly terminated or destroyed, suggesting a sense of fear or dread associated with loss or failure.  (Mine – in today’s world, this type of fear might equate to anxiety disorder.)

Ptoeomai (πτώσσω):

This word implies a more physical reaction to fear, like shrinking back or cowering. (Mine – could this relate to phobic reactions/responses?)

Dru Hammer, on a recent Christian TV Talk Show, said something along the lines of, “I have always loved Jesus.  But I didn’t always fear Him until my world came crashing down.”  This implied that she began to fear God when her perfect life imploded. Without reading her new book, yet based on the peace that flowed out of her on the show, I’m believing that she was overwhelmed by God’s grace in the valley — and the realization that God would not give her husband wandering eyes or tempt him to run off with another woman.  That would not be in God’s domain; we’d have to look in a “whole nother department” for that.  

But we don’t see an immobilizing fear (pachad) in the matchless psalmist, King David; and ironically, not even in Saul, his predatorial predecessor.  David feared God enough to confess, and repent, i.e., change his behavior.  Yet this wasn’t the brand or magnitude of fear that a godless heathen in David’s day would have. That fear would drive him to, for example, sacrifice a couple of his tiny children on a fiery altar to appease a fake god like Molech.  Instead, David’s fear caused him to write one of the most beautiful psalms of all time–about how sorry he was for his sin.  It’s possible that when he wrote that psalm, David was still interceding for his infant, but definitely not sacrificing him.  However, his main concern was that God not take His Holy Spirit away.  (Note: This also confirms that, at that time, the Holy Spirit was still with him despite the Uriah murder.) David knew, better than many of us even today, Whom He served.  One could say that David feared God, and yet I think it was more a matter of David “awing God” (yirah).

Compare this with David’s predecessor, Saul, who never truly repented; and nonetheless seemed to have less fear of God than even David had.  The main reason that Saul did not do an about-face was that he actually feared people (and rejection) more than God.  Absent in all this was David’s awe of God. 

In my view, this juxtaposed balance of “fear/awe” might be indicative of a functional Father-God/son relationship (and was probably cultivated by God Himself).  But how about a healthy (lower case f) father/son relationship? 

I found a real classic on Google that had been written by a Harvard Professor, named R. H. Pfeiffer, for the Israel Exploration Journal in 1955.  Dr. Pfeiffer wrote, “…In addition to fear there was always, no matter in what small measure, a feeling of longing for the presence of the deity, trust in a God’s benevolence and helpfulness, and even love…one might compare this mixture of fear and longing in religion with the normal attitude of a small boy toward his father: respect, submissiveness, and fear on the one hand, but admiration, affection, and trust in the other.”¹

This may explain why a lot of fathers and sons seem to be comfortable with the idea of a God Who is constantly challenging them and growing them–via difficult, unpleasant trials.  I believe that this idea often emerges due to the male dynamic in their families.  I saw that same dynamic growing up, and it actually continued until my father went to be with Jesus.  If I wanted to spend time with my father, I had to join him in his projects, whatever they might be.  We always had a lot of fun working together, but I was invariably on the learning end – and it was hard work.  Nevertheless, on more than a couple of occasions, I saw/heard about my father risking pain, even injury, to rescue any one of his children–he would do whatever it took to save us…because he genuinely loved us.  I guess that’s called, being a good dad.   

However, the part that was missing from that dynamic was the assurance, that my heavenly father always gives me, that He is perfectly happy with me – just the way I am.  After all, He deliberately designed and made me that way!  And just like Him, His design was perfect…and complete…except for one missing component that He intentionally left out; and the empty space for that component was just the right shape…for Him. 

In living out Hebrews 12:6 (The Lord corrects the people he loves and disciplines those he calls his own), we may experience a kind of tension which really derives from trying to resolve “the Old Testament God/New Testament God” dichotomy. Thus we can understand Dru Hammer’s default position in which she questioned, “Is this mountainous speed bump from God?” or “Is God trying to teach me some huge lesson here?” or “What behavior can I correct so this never happens again?”

Today I do not view God, my Father, as someone Who is constantly putting me through painful trials to teach me a lesson.  I view trials as pop-quizzes like the ones Jesus gave to the apostles.  One example was Jesus telling Philip to feed 5000 people.  (Please search my blog site on “pop quiz” as it seems, I keep going back to this topic.)  And I have found that, for those of us who are focused on relationship v. religion, we see God’s unending willingness to bring contextual meaning to any trial.  He doesn’t hold a grudge, and He doesn’t make us do penance.  Once we repent, that sin goes into the Sea of Forgetfulness.  It’s totally on us if, for some reason, we need to keep strapping on the scuba gear and diving back in.  

The Millennial Christian perspective today is probably more along the lines of reveling in the fact that we are in the Dispensation or Age of Grace.  Because Jesus bore our sins and paid our punishment forward at Calvary, we don’t have to fear painful tests and trials for our supposed good.  And in 2025, the good news is going out to every nook and cranny around the world, that–first and foremost–GOD IS LOVE.  And perfect love casts out fear (phobos).  I believe that trying to have both in healthy, reliable operation, in the life of a Christian, is oxymoronic.  And when one is simultaneously trying to worship the LORD in accordance with John 4:24, it’s a recipe for frustration.  

I had planned to include a sub-topic on, “How did Jesus worship the Father?” in this post, but that probably merits its own post. And as a preface to that, I will review “How did the gentiles worship their false gods as the real deal walked about the earth?”

Therefore, to be continued…

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¹R. H. Pfeiffer, “The Fear of God,” Israel Exploration Journal Vol. 5, No. 1 (1955), pp. 41-48