Fear Not Devotional Day 6, Prove Me Now

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Day 6
Verse:
Exodus 20:20 "Fear not: for God is come to prove you."
Reflection:
Testing times aren't meant to destroy us; they are meant to strengthen our trust in God's character.
Prayer:
"Lord, strengthen my faith through every test. Help me to trust Your purpose for me."
Confession:
"I fear not! God's tests are for my growth and good."

"Fear Not... But Fear Him"
📖 Verse:
“Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not.” Exodus 20:20
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It sounds like a contradiction: "Fear not..." and then, "that His fear may be before your faces." But it's not a contradiction, it's a divine tension. God is not calling His people to panic or dread; He is calling them to reverence.
At Mount Sinai, God descended in fire, thunder, smoke, and the sound of a trumpet that grew louder and louder. The people were terrified and rightly so. But Moses clarified the purpose: God didn’t show up to destroy them; He came to test them. He came to plant His holy fear in their hearts so they wouldn’t sin.
This is not the fear of punishment, it’s the fear of dishonoring a holy God. It’s the awe that grips your soul when you realize the Almighty is watching, listening, and near. It’s the kind of fear that keeps your steps pure and your heart clean, not out of terror, but out of honor.

Fear not the noise, the shaking, or the testing, for God is proving your heart. But never lose the fear of God Himself. It is the fear of the Lord that keeps you from sin when no one else is watching.

I feel led to further explain the difference of the two ‘fears’ in Hebrew.
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Breakdown of the Two Hebrew Words for "Fear"
1. Strong’s H3372 – יָרֵא (yare’)
Part of Speech: Verb
Root Meaning: To fear, to revere, to be afraid
Usage:
This form is an action word, it describes the experience or expression of fear. It’s often used to express:
• Genuine terror or dread
• Reverence or awe before God
• The emotional response to a threat or divine encounter
Examples of usage:
• Genesis 3:10 – “I was afraid [yare’] because I was naked…”
• Exodus 20:20 – “Fear not [yare’]: for God is come to prove you…”
Insight:
In Exodus 20:20, God says “Fear not [yare’]”, meaning don’t panic, don’t flee, don’t dread His presence as if He came to destroy you.
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2. Strong’s H3374 – יִרְאָה (yir’ah)
Part of Speech: Noun
Root of: yare’ (H3372)
Meaning: Fear, reverence, piety
Usage:
This form is a noun describing the quality or condition of fear. It’s often translated as:
• Reverence or awe toward God
• Godly fear that leads to obedience
• A spiritual disposition, not just an emotion
Examples of usage:
• Proverbs 1:7 – “The fear [yir’ah] of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.”
• Exodus 20:20 – “...that His fear [yir’ah] may be before your faces, that ye sin not.”
Insight:
In the second part of Exodus 20:20, God says “...that His fear [yir’ah] may be before your faces”, meaning let reverence and awe for God settle on your soul so deeply that it keeps you from sin.
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Summary: The Divine Tension
Hebrew Term Strong’s Type Meaning In Exodus 20:20
יָרֵא (yare’) H3372 Verb To be afraid / to revere / to dread “Fear not…” (don’t panic, run, or resist)
יִרְאָה (yir’ah) H3374 Noun Reverence / awe / Godly fear “…that His fear may be before your faces…” (a lasting disposition that keeps you from sin)
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Devotional Insight:
God says “Don’t fear Me as a threat… but fear Me as holy.”
He isn’t calling you to hide, He’s calling you to honor. The verb fear is cast out by love (1 John 4:18), but the noun fear, reverence, is what true love produces.

 
Lyrics
[Verse]
When the thunder roars, and the mountains shake
We feel the power move, and our hearts awake
Moses speaks with might, as the trumpet sounds
We stand in awe and fear, on holy ground
[Chorus]
Lift your voices high, we are called to be
Walking in His light, in His love we're free

[Verse 2]
In the shadows cast by sacred might
We gather close, in the holy light
Moses leads us through, with a faithful heart
In our weakness, He’s our strength, He won’t depart

[Chorus]
Fear not, for His love is near, so true
Guiding us through storms, we are made brand new

© 2025 David Paxton, The Hidden Day
www.TheHiddenDay.com