Apocalypse Revealed # 527
527. "And those who fear Your name, small and great." This symbolizes people who love things having to do with the Lord, in a lesser or greater degree.
To fear the Lord's name means, symbolically, to love things having to do with the Lord. To fear means, symbolically, to love, and the Lord's name symbolizes everything by which He is worshiped (no. 81). People small and great symbolize people who fear the Lord in a lesser or greater degree.
To fear here means, symbolically, to love because everyone who loves another is afraid of injuring the one he loves. There is no genuine love without that fear. Accordingly, someone who loves the Lord is afraid of doing evil, because evils go counter to the Lord, as they go counter to His Divine laws in the Word - the Word that originates from the Lord and thus embodies Him. Indeed, they go counter to His Divine essence, which is to will the salvation of all. For He is a savior. But He cannot save a person unless the person lives in accordance with the Lord's laws and commandments. What is more, someone who loves evils also desires to injure the Lord, indeed to crucify Him. This desire is inmostly present in every evil, even in people who in the world acknowledge Him with the lips. The reality of this is something unknown to people, but well known to angels.
[2] That to fear God means, symbolically, to love things having to do with God, by doing them and refusing to do things which go counter to Him, is apparent from the following passages:
...what does Jehovah your God require of you, but to fear Jehovah your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him... (Deuteronomy 10:12)
You shall walk after Jehovah your God and fear Him, that you may keep His commandments... (Deuteronomy 13:4)
You shall fear Jehovah your God; you shall serve Him, and to Him you shall hold fast... (Deuteronomy 10:20. Cf. 6:2, 6:13-14, 6:24; 8:6; 17:19; 28:58; 31:12)
Who will grant them to have a heart to fear Me and keep... My commandments... (Deuteronomy 5:29)
Teach me Your way, O Jehovah...; unite my heart to a fear of Your name. (Psalms 86:11)
Blessed is he who fears Jehovah, who walks in His ways. (Psalms 128:1, cf. 112:1, Jeremiah 44:10)
If I am a Father, where is My honor? If I am Lord, where is the fear of Me? (Malachi 1:6, cf. 2:5, Isaiah 11:2-3)
I will give them one heart, and one way, to fear Me... and I will put fear of Me in their hearts so that they do not turn away from Me. (Jeremiah 32:39-40)
The beginning of wisdom is fear of Jehovah... (Psalms 111:10)
And so on elsewhere, as in Isaiah 8:13; 25:3; 29:13; 50:10; Jeremiah 33:9; Psalms 22:23; 33:8, 18; 34:7, 9; 55:19; 115:11, 13; 147:11; Revelation 14:7; Luke 1:50.
A fear of God in evil people, on the other hand, is not love, but a fear of hell.
Isaiah 8
1
Yahweh said to me, "Take a large tablet, and write on it with a man's pen, 'For Maher Shalal Hash Baz;'
2
and I will take for myself faithful witnesses to testify: Uriah the priest, and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah."
3
I went to the prophetess, and she conceived, and bore a son. Then Yahweh said to me, "Call his name 'Maher Shalal Hash Baz.'
4
For before the child knows how to say, 'My father,' and, 'My mother,' the riches of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria will be carried away by the king of Assyria."
5
Yahweh spoke to me yet again, saying,
6
"Because this people have refused the waters of Shiloah that go softly, and rejoice in Rezin and Remaliah's son;
7
now therefore, behold, the Lord brings upon them the mighty flood waters of the River: the king of Assyria and all his glory. It will come up over all its channels, and go over all its banks.
8
It will sweep onward into Judah. It will overflow and pass through; it will reach even to the neck; and the stretching out of its wings will fill the breadth of your land, Immanuel.
9
Make an uproar, you peoples, and be broken in pieces! Listen, all you from far countries: dress for battle, and be shattered! Dress for battle, and be shattered!
10
Take counsel together, and it will be brought to nothing; speak the word, and it will not stand: for God is with us."
11
For Yahweh spoke thus to me with a strong hand, and instructed me not to walk in the way of this people, saying,
12
"Don't say, 'A conspiracy!' concerning all about which this people say, 'A conspiracy!' neither fear their threats, nor be terrorized.
13
Yahweh of Armies is who you must respect as holy. He is the one you must fear. He is the one you must dread.
14
He will be a sanctuary, but for both houses of Israel, he will be a trap and a snare for the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
15
Many will stumble over it, fall, be broken, be snared, and be captured."
16
Wrap up the testimony. Seal the law among my disciples.
17
I will wait for Yahweh, who hides his face from the house of Jacob, and I will look for him.
18
Behold, I and the children whom Yahweh has given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from Yahweh of Armies, who dwells in Mount Zion.
19
When they tell you, "Consult with those who have familiar spirits and with the wizards, who chirp and who mutter:" shouldn't a people consult with their God? Should they consult the dead on behalf of the living?
20
Turn to the law and to the testimony! If they don't speak according to this word, surely there is no morning for them.
21
They will pass through it, very distressed and hungry; and it will happen that when they are hungry, they will worry, and curse by their king and by their God. They will turn their faces upward,
22
and look to the earth, and see distress, darkness, and the gloom of anguish. They will be driven into thick darkness.
