What does "Fear God and give Him glory" mean in Revelation 14:7 for believers today? Canon, Context, and the Exact Wording Revelation 14:7 : “He said in a loud voice, ‘Fear God and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come. Worship the One who made the heavens and the earth and the sea and the springs of waters.’ ” This declaration is the first clause in the first of three angelic messages (vv. 6-13). It is delivered “in mid-heaven” so that the entire earth can hear it; therefore the command is universal and urgent, not provincial or optional. Original-Language Nuances • “Fear” (φοβήθητε, phobēthēte) is aorist imperative. It calls for decisive, whole-person commitment, not progressive suggestion. • “God” (τὸν Θεόν, ton Theon) is articular, specifying the unique Creator in explicit contrast to the beast (14:9-11). • “Give” (δότε, dote) is likewise aorist imperative—an immediate transfer of honor. • “Glory” (δόξαν, doxan) denotes weightiness, splendor, intrinsic worth. John’s diction echoes 1 Chronicles 16:28-30 LXX, linking worship with God’s kingship over created order. Intertextual Echoes 1. Exodus 20:20—Moses: “Do not fear; for God has come to test you, that the fear of Him may be before you.” Paradoxically, proper fear drives out paralyzing dread. 2. Psalm 96:4-5—“For great is the LORD … worship the LORD in holy fear.” The angel re-packages this psalm for the eschaton. 3. Ecclesiastes 12:13—“Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.” Solomon’s wisdom is universalized in Revelation. 4. Matthew 10:28—Jesus: “Fear Him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” The continuity binds Gospel and Apocalypse. 5. Romans 1:20-23—Failure to glorify the Creator is the root of idolatry; the angel reverses that failure. Eschatological Frame “The hour of His judgment has come.” In Johannine literature “hour” (ὥρα) marks climactic divine intervention (cf. John 2:4; 12:23). Here it signals imminent, irreversible adjudication (14:8-20). Because judgment is cresting, the first and best human response is reverent awe and vocal honor toward the Judge. Theological Expanse of “Fear” Biblically, fear (Heb. יִרְאָה, Greek φόβος) is: 1. Reverential awe of God’s majesty (Psalm 33:8). 2. Consciousness of accountability to a holy Lawgiver (Hebrews 10:30-31). 3. Catalyst for wisdom (Proverbs 1:7). 4. Deterrent against sin (Exodus 20:20). 5. Foundation for worship (Revelation 15:4). Thus, to “fear God” is to realign the entire self—thoughts, emotions, volition—under His sovereign authority. For the believer, it is not servile terror but filial reverence empowered by the Spirit (Romans 8:15). Theological Expanse of “Give Him Glory” To “give” glory is not to add something lacking in God but to publicly recognize what is already His: • Verbal praise (Psalm 29:1-2). • Moral obedience (1 Corinthians 10:31). • Missional testimony (Revelation 12:11). • Corporate worship (Hebrews 10:25). Failure to do so is cosmic treason (Acts 12:23). Creator Emphasis and Intelligent Design The angel explicitly links fear and glory to creation: “the heavens … earth … sea … springs of waters.” The fourfold merism mirrors Exodus 20:11 and Nehemiah 9:6, buttressing a literal, recent creation timeframe. Modern design inference research—irreducible complexity in molecular machines (e.g., bacterial flagellum, Behe 1996) and finely tuned cosmological constants (Gonzalez & Richards 2004)—empirically corroborates that the cosmos is the product of an intelligent, purposeful Mind, validating the angel’s call. Historical-Grammatical and Covenant Continuity In redemptive history God ties fear and glory to major covenantal pivots: • Noahic—Gen 9:1-2: the dread of man upon animals. • Mosaic—Deut 10:12: “What does the LORD require … but to fear the LORD … .” • Davidic—2 Sam 6:2: reverent transport of the ark after judgment on Uzzah. • New—Acts 2:43: “Fear came upon every soul,” birthing church growth. Revelation 14:7 universalizes the pattern one final time before consummation (Revelation 21-22). Patristic Witness • Irenaeus, Against Heresies V.30.4: interprets “fear God” eschatologically, stressing the Creator over Gnostic demiurges. • Hippolytus, Treatise on Christ and Antichrist 59-60: sees the angel as evangelistic, inviting repentance before judgment. Their readings show uninterrupted early Christian consensus on literal judgment and Creator worship. Archaeological and Manuscript Corroboration The Greek text of Revelation 14:7 on Papyrus 47 (Chester Beatty III) matches later codices verbatim. Archaeological finds at Patmos (1st-c. quarry inscriptions “of Domitian”) confirm the historical setting where John received the vision, anchoring the command in real geography and timeframe. Practical Discipleship Trajectories 1. Daily Awe Practices—begin mornings with Scriptures that magnify divine attributes (e.g., Isaiah 40). 2. Confessional Obedience—examine actions by 1 Corinthians 10:31 standard. 3. Creation Appreciation—regular outdoor worship; integrate Genesis truth in family catechesis. 4. Evangelistic Urgency—use Revelation 14:7 as a conversational bridge: “If judgment were today, would you be ready?” 5. Corporate Liturgy—include a call to fear and glorify God in congregational prayers (Acts 4:24-31). Pastoral Caveats “Fear” divorced from grace can morph into legalism. Conversely, “grace” detached from fear degenerates into license (Jude 4). Scripture secures the balance: “Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling” (Psalm 2:11). Eternal Stakes Revelation pairs 14:7 with 14:9-11. To heed the first angel is life; to ignore him is everlasting torment. Therefore, for believers today, obeying “Fear God and give Him glory” is not peripheral spirituality but the core of covenant fidelity and mission, shaping our worship, ethics, worldview, and hope. Summary Definition “Fear God and give Him glory” summons every person—mind, heart, will, body—to a present, decisive, reverent surrender that praises, obeys, and proclaims the Creator-Redeemer in light of impending judgment and eternal gospel grace (14:6). |
    |