2826. 'For now I know that you fear God' means glorification from Divine love. 'This is clear from the meaning of 'knowing', in reference to the Lord's Divine, as nothing other than being united, or what amounts to the same, being glorified, for the Human was being united to the Divine by means of temptations, 1737, 1813; and from the meaning of 'fearing God', or the fear of God, as in this case Divine love. As this has reference to the Lord's Divine Rational as regards truth, the expression 'fearing God' is used here, not 'fearing Jehovah', for when truth is the subject the name God occurs, but when good is, the name Jehovah occurs, 2586, 2769, 2822. For it was by means of Divine love that the Lord united the Human Essence to the Divine Essence, and the Divine Essence to the Human Essence, or what amounts to the same, glorified Himself, see 1812, 1813, 2253. What is meant in the Word by 'fearing God' becomes clear from very many places there when these are understood as to the internal sense. In the Word the fear of God means worship, and indeed worship based either on fear, or on good that flows from faith, or on good that flows from love. Worship based on fear is meant when those who are not regenerate are the subject, worship based on good flowing from faith when regenerate spiritual people are the subject, and worship based on good flowing from love when regenerate celestial people are the subject.

[2] I The fear of God in general means worship. This is evident in the Book of Kings,

The children of Israel feared other gods and walked in the statutes of the nations. The nations brought into Samaria did not at the beginning fear Jehovah; therefore Jehovah sent lions among them. Then came one of the priests whom they had made captives in Samaria, and he dwelt in Bethel and was teaching them how to fear Jehovah. Jehovah had made a covenant with the children of Israel and had commanded them, You shall not fear other gods, nor bow yourselves down to them, and you shall not serve them, nor sacrifice to them, but you shall fear Jehovah, and bow yourselves down to Him, and sacrifice to Him. 2 Kings 17:7-8, 24-25, 28, 32-33, 35-37, 41.

Here 'fearing' clearly stands for worshipping. In Isaiah,

Because this people have drawn near with their mouth, and honoured Me with their lips, but their heart has been far from Me, and their fear of Me has been a commandment of men that has been taught to them.... Isaiah 29:13.

Here 'their fear of Me' stands for worship in general, for it is said that that fear was 'a commandment of men'. In Luke,

There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God and did not regard man. Luke 18:2.

'Who did not fear God' stands for not worshipping Him.

[3] II The fear of God means worship based on fear when those who are not regenerate are the subject

This is evident from the following places: In Moses, when the Law was delivered on Mount Sinai to the people,

The people said to Moses, You yourself speak to us and we will listen; and do not let God speak to us lest perhaps we die. And Moses said to the people, For God has come to tempt you, and to the end that His fear may be before your faces, so that you do not sin. Exodus 20:19-20.

And elsewhere in the same author,

Now why should we die? For this great fire will devour us; if we hear the voice of Jehovah our God any more we shall die. You go near and hear all that Jehovah our God will say, and then you tell us all that Jehovah our God will say to you, and we will listen and act. And Jehovah said to Moses, Who will grant it that they have this heart within them to fear Me and to keep all My commandments all their days? Deuteronomy 5:25, 27, 29.

Here 'the fear of God before your faces, so that you do not sin' and 'a heart to fear Me and to keep all My commandments' means worship based on fear attributable to them because they are by nature what they are. Indeed people whose worship is external, and not at all internal, are led through fear to respect the law and to obey it; but they do not enter into any internal worship, which is holy fear, unless the good of life is present in them, and they know what is internal, and believe it. In the same author,

If you do not take care to do all the words of this Law that are written in this Book, to fear this glorious and fearful name, Jehovah your God, Jehovah will make your plagues exceptional, ¹ and the plagues of your seed, plagues great and persistent, and diseases bad and persistent. And He will bring back on you all the sicknesses of Egypt which you fear, and they will cling to you. Deuteronomy 28:58-60.

Here also 'fearing the glorious and terrible name of Jehovah God' means worship based on fear; and in order that this fear might exist among such persons all evils, even cursings, were attributed to Jehovah, 592, 2335, 2395, 2447. In Jeremiah,

Your wickedness will chasten you, and your backslidings will reprove you. Know and see that it is evil and bitter for you to forsake Jehovah your God, and for My fear not to be in you. Jeremiah 2:19.

In Luke,

I tell you, Do not fear those who kill the body, but after that have no more that they can do. But I will show you whom you ought to fear; fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into Gehenna; yes, I tell you, fear Him. Luke 12:4-5; Matthew 10:28.

Here also 'fearing God' implies worship based on some kind of fear, for fear drove those people to obey, as has been stated.

[4] III Fearing God or Jehovah means worship based on good that flows from faith, when regenerate spiritual people are the subject.

This is evident from the following places: In Moses,

The king will write for himself a copy of this Law in a Book before the Levite priests. And it will be with him, and he will read from it every day of his life, so that he may learn to fear Jehovah his God, keeping all the words of this Law and these statutes to do them. Deuteronomy 17:18-19.

'The king' in the internal sense stands for the truth of faith since the office of a king represented the Lord's spiritual kingdom, 1672, 1728, 2015, 2069. Consequently 'fearing Jehovah his God' means worship of Him based on the truth of faith, which, being inseparable from the good of charity, is described as 'keeping the words of the Law and these statutes to do them'. In Samuel,

Behold, Jehovah has set a king over you. If you will fear Jehovah and serve Him, and hearken to His voice, both you, and the king who reigns over you, will be following Jehovah your God. 1 Samuel 12:13-14.

Here too 'fearing Jehovah' stands in the internal sense for worship based on the good and truth of faith, as previously, since a king or the kingly office is the subject.

[5] In Joshua,

Now fear Jehovah, and serve Him in sincerity and truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served. Joshua 24:14.

Here also 'fearing Jehovah' stands for worship based on good and truth which exist with the spiritual man, for 'sincerity' is used in reference to the good of faith, 612, 'truth' to the truth of faith. In Jeremiah,

They will be My people and I will be their God; and I will give them one heart and one way, to fear Me all their days, for their own good and that of their sons after them. And I will make with them an everlasting covenant, that I will not turn back from doing good to them, and I will put My fear into their heart of not departing from Me. Jeremiah 32:38-40.

Here 'fearing God' means worship based on the good and truth of faith. This becomes clear from the train of thought and from the fact that the words 'people' and 'God' are used - 'people' being used in reference to those with whom the truth of faith exists, see 1259, 1260, and 'God' being used when truth is the subject, 2586, 2769, 2807 (end). In Isaiah,

A powerful people will honour You, the city of strong nations will fear You. Isaiah 25:3.

Here also 'fearing God' stands for worship based on spiritual truth, since the expressions 'people' and 'city' are used - 'the city' meaning doctrinal teaching that is true, see 402, 2268, 2449, 2451.

[6] In David,

Who is the man that fears Jehovah? He will teach him the way that he should choose. Psalms 25:12.

Here 'the man that fears Jehovah' stands for one who worships Him. This refers to the spiritual man, as is evident from the fact that it is said 'He will teach him the way' - 'way' meaning truth, see 627, 2333. In the same author,

Blessed is everyone who fears Jehovah and walks in His ways! Psalms 128:1.

Here the meaning is similar. In the same author,

Those who fear Jehovah will glorify Him, all the seed of Jacob will glorify Him; and they will stand in awe of Him, all the seed of Israel. Psalms 22:23.

Here 'standing in awe of Him' stands for worship based on the truth of faith, for 'the seed of Israel' is the spiritual side of the Church, that is, the good and truth of faith, 1025, 1447, 1610. In Moses,

Now Israel, what does Jehovah your God require of you but to fear Jehovah your God, to walk in all His ways, and to love Him, and to serve Jehovah your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, to keep Jehovah's commandments and His statutes? Deuteronomy 10:12-13.

Here a description occurs of what 'fearing God' entails in the case of the spiritual man, meant by 'Israel', namely 'walking in the ways of Jehovah, loving Him, serving Him, and keeping His commandments and statutes'. In John,

I saw an angel flying in mid-heaven, having an eternal gospel, and saying in a loud voice, Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgement has come. Revelation 14:6-7.

Here 'fearing God' stands for holy worship based on the good and truth of faith. In Luke,

Jesus said to the paralysed man, Rise, take up your bed and go away to your home. As a consequence amazement seized them all, and they glorified God, and were filled with fear. Luke 5:24-26.

Here 'fear' stands for holy fear as it exists in people who by means of the truth of faith are being introduced into the good of love.

[7] IV Fearing God or Jehovah means worship based on good that flows from love, when regenerate celestial people are the subject.

In Malachi,

My covenant with Levi was [a covenant] of life and peace, and I gave them to him with fear; and he feared Me, and for My name he was crushed. The law of truth was in his mouth, and perversity was not [found] on his lips. He walked with Me in peace and uprightness. Malachi 2:5-6.

This refers to the Lord, meant here by 'Levi' in the internal sense. 'Levi' means the priesthood, and he means love. 'Fear' in this instance stands for the good that flows from Divine Love, 'the law of truth' for the truth that accompanies it, 'peace and uprightness' for both.

[8] In Isaiah,

There will come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch will grow out of his roots. And the Spirit of Jehovah will rest upon Him, the Spirit of wisdom and intelligence, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of Jehovah. And His delight ² will be in the fear of Jehovah. Isaiah 11:1-3.

This too refers to the Lord. 'The Spirit of knowledge and the fear of Jehovah' stands for the Divine love of truth, 'His delight will be in the fear of Jehovah' for the Divine love of good.

[9] In David,

The commandments of Jehovah are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of Jehovah is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of Jehovah is clean, standing for ever; the judgements of Jehovah are truth, righteous altogether. Psalms 19:8-9.

Here 'the fear of Jehovah is clean' stands for love, 'the judgements of Jehovah are truth' for faith. 'Righteousness' is used in reference to good that is the good of love, 'judgements' to truth that is the truth of faith, see 2235; and these are called 'righteous altogether' when truth consists in good, or faith in charity.

[10] In the same author,

Behold, the eye of Jehovah is on those who fear Him, on those who await His mercy. Psalms 33:18.

And elsewhere in the same author,

Jehovah takes no delight in the might of the horse, nor pleasure in the legs of man Jehovah's pleasure is in those who fear Him and in those who await His mercy. Psalms 147:10-11.

'The might of the horse' stands for a person's own power to think what is true; for 'a horses means the understanding, see 2760-2762. 'The legs of man' stands for a person's own power to do good. 'Those who fear Jehovah' stands for people whose worship of Him is based on a love of truth, and 'those who await His mercy' stands for those whose worship is based on a love of good. In the Prophets when good is spoken of so also is truth, and when truth is spoken of so also is good, on account of the heavenly marriage of good and truth that exists in every individual part [of the Word], see 683, 793, 801, 2516, 2712, 2731.

[11] In the same author,

Jehovah will bless the house of Israel, He will bless the house of Aaron, He will bless those who fear Jehovah, both small and great. Psalms 115:12-13.

Here 'those who fear Jehovah' stands for people whose worship is based on the good that flows from faith, meant by 'the house of Israel', and on the good that flows from love, meant by 'the house of Aaron' - both of them on account of the heavenly marriage which exists, as has been stated, in every individual part of the Word.

[12] In Isaiah,

The stability ³ of your times will be strength to save, wisdom and knowledge; and the fear of Jehovah itself the treasure. Isaiah 33:6.

Here 'wisdom and knowledge' stands for the good of faith joined to the truth of faith, 'the fear of Jehovah' for the good of love. In the same prophet,

Who among you fears Jehovah? [Who] listens to the voice of His servant? Isaiah 50:10.

'Who fears Jehovah' stands for one whose worship is based on love, 'who listens to the voice of His servant' for one whose worship is based on faith. When one goes with the other the heavenly marriage is in that case present.

[13] From these places that have been quoted from the Word it is clear that 'the fear of God' means worship based either on fear, or on the good that flows from faith, or on the good that flows from love. But the more there is of fear present in worship the less there is of faith, and still less of love. Conversely, the more there is of faith present in worship, and even more so of love, the less there is of fear. Present within all worship there is fear, but this fear takes on a different form and nature; for it is holy fear. But holy fear is not so much a fear of hell and of damnation, as a fear lest anything whatever be done or thought that is contrary to the Lord and contrary to the neighbour, thus anything whatever that is contrary to the good of love and to the truth of faith. It is an abhorrence which on the one side forms the boundary of the holiness of faith and of the holiness of love. And since, as has been stated, it is not a fear of hell and damnation, it exists with those who abide in the good of faith, less so with those who abide in the good of love, that is, who abide in the Lord. Therefore,

[14] V Fearing also means distrusting, or having no faith and love.

As in Isaiah,

Thus said your Creator, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel, Do not fear, for I have redeemed you, and have called you by your name; you are Mine. Isaiah 43:1, 5; 44:8

In Luke,

The oath which He swore to Abraham our father, to grant us, that without fear we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve Him, in holiness and righteousness before Him. Luke 1:73-75.

In the same gospel,

Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Luke 12:32.

In Mark,

Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, Do not fear, only believe. Mark 5:36; Luke 8:49-50.

In the same gospel,

Jesus said, Why are you so afraid? How is it that you have no faith? Mark 4:40.

In Luke,

The hairs of your head are numbered. Do not fear, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. Luke 12:7.

In all these places 'fearing' means distrusting or having no faith and love.

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2235. That 'righteousness' means in regard to good, and 'judgement' to truth, becomes clear from the meaning of 'righteousness' and from the meaning of 'judgement'. Righteousness and judgement are mentioned together many times in the Word, but what they mean in the internal sense has not yet been known. In the proximate sense 'righteousness' has reference to that which is righteous, and 'judgement' to that which is upright. That which is righteous occurs when something is judged from good, and according to conscience, but that which is upright when it is judged from law, and so from the righteous demands of the law, thus also according to conscience since the law gives conscience its standards. In the internal sense however, 'righteousness' is that which stems from good, and 'judgement' that which stems from truth. Good is everything that belongs to love and charity, truth everything that belongs to faith derived from love and charity. Truth derives its essence from good, and is called truth derived from good, just as faith is derived from love, and so also judgement from righteousness.

[2] That such is the meaning of 'righteousness and judgement' is clear from the following places in the Word: In Jeremiah,

Thus said Jehovah, Do judgement and righteousness, and deliver the plundered out of the hand of the oppressor. Woe to him who builds his house in unrighteousness, and his upper rooms not in judgement! Did not your father eat and drink, and do judgement and righteousness? Then it was well with him. Jeremiah 22:3, 13, 15.

'Judgement' stands for the things connected with truth, 'righteousness' for those connected with good. In Ezekiel,

If the wicked man turns away from his sin and does judgement and righteousness, all his sins which he has committed will not be remembered; he has done judgement and righteousness; he will surely live. When the wicked turns away from his wickedness and does judgement and righteousness he will live because of these. Ezekiel 33:14, 16, 19.

Here similarly 'judgement' stands for the truth of faith, and 'righteousness' for the good of charity.

[3] In Amos,

Let judgement flow like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream. Amos 5:24.

Here the meaning is similar. In Isaiah,

Thus said Jehovah, Keep judgement and do righteousness, for My salvation is near to come, and My righteousness to reveal itself. Isaiah 56:1.

In the same prophet,

To peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it in judgement and righteousness, from now and even for evermore. Isaiah 9:7.

Here 'judgement and righteousness' stands for the existence with them of the truths of faith, and of the goods of charity. In the same prophet,

Jehovah is exalted, for He dwells on high. He has filled Zion with judgement and righteousness. Isaiah 33:5.

'Judgement' stands for faith, 'righteousness' for love, 'Zion' for the Church. 'Judgement' is mentioned first because love comes through faith; but when 'righteousness' is mentioned first it is for the reason that faith is derived from love, as in Hosea,

I will betroth you to Me for ever, and I will betroth you to Me in righteousness and judgement, and in mercy and in compassion, ¹ and I will betroth you to Me in faith, and you will know Jehovah. Hosea 2:19-20.

Here 'righteousness' is mentioned first, as also is 'mercy', which are the attributes of love, while 'judgement' is mentioned second, as also is 'compassion', which are the attributes of faith that is derived from love. And both are called 'faith' or faithfulness.

[4] In David,

O Jehovah, Your mercy is in the heavens; Your truth reaches up to the skies. Your righteousness is like the mountains of God, Your judgements like the great deep. Psalms 36:5-6.

Here both 'mercy' and 'righteousness' are in a similar way the attributes of love, while 'truth' and 'judgements' are those of faith. In the same author,

Let truth spring out of the ground, and let righteousness look down from heaven. Jehovah will indeed give what is good, and our land will give its increase. Psalms 85:11-12.

Here 'truth', which constitutes faith, stands for judgement, and 'righteousness' for love or mercy. In Zechariah,

I will lead them and they will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem, and they will be My people, and I will be their God in truth and in righteousness. Zechariah 8:8.

From this place also it is evident that 'judgement' is truth and 'righteousness' good, since 'truth' is mentioned here in place of judgement. Similarly in David,

He who walks blameless and performs righteousness and speaks the truth. Psalms 15:2.

[5] Because faith is grounded in charity, that is, because truth is grounded in good, truths rooted in good are in various places called 'the judgements of righteousness', so that 'judgements' has virtually the same meaning as commandments, as in Isaiah,

Let them seek Me day by day and desire the knowledge of My ways, as though a nation that does righteousness and does not forsake the judgement of their God. Let them ask of Me the judgements of righteousness, let them desire the approach of God. Isaiah 58:2.

That 'commandments' means virtually the same may be seen in David,

Seven times in the day I have praised You for Your judgements of righteousness. All Your commandments are righteousness. Psalms 119:164, 172.

It is said in particular of the Lord that He performs 'judgement and righteousness' when He creates man anew, as in Jeremiah,

Let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am Jehovah who performs mercy, judgement and righteousness in the earth; for in these things I am well pleased. Jeremiah 9:24.

Here mercy, which is an attribute of love, is described as 'judgement and righteousness'. In the same prophet,

I will raise up for David a righteous branch, and he will rule as king, and act intelligently, and execute judgement and righteousness in the land. Jeremiah 23:5; 33:15.

[6] Hence the following in John,

If I go away I will send the Paraclete to you. And when He comes He will convince the world in regard to sin and righteousness and judgement: in regard to sin, because they do not believe in Me; in regard to righteousness, because I go away to the Father, and you will see Me no more; in regard to judgement, because the prince of this world is judged. John 16:7-11.

'Sin' here stands for all faithlessness. 'He will convince in regard to righteousness' means in regard to everything that is contrary to good, when yet the Lord united the Human to the Divine to save the world, meant by 'I go away to the Father and you will see Me no more'. 'In regard to judgement' means in regard to everything that is contrary to the truth, when yet evils were cast down into their own hells so that they could not do harm any more, meant by 'the prince of this world is judged'. In general 'He will convince in regard to sin, righteousness, and judgement' means in regard to all faithlessness contrary to good and truth, and so means that no charity and faith exist. For in ancient times righteousness and judgement were used, in reference to the Lord, to mean all mercy and grace, but in reference to man all charity and faith.

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