Scarier Than The Storm

What Ails You, O Jordan, That You Flee?

Why Would Anyone Be Afraid of God? Or, An Introduction

When I was in high school, a group of students would meet fifteen minutes before the first period on the back patio of the school to pray. Most of the students were fellow Christians from our church, but people from all kinds of backgrounds would walk up. One day, after we had finished praying, a girl who had just started coming to these impromptu prayer meetings came up to me.

“What is that written on your arm?” she asked. And she was right to ask; during that time in my life¹, I was learning to write the Hebrew and Greek alphabets. I would often practice on my arm with a broad-edge sharpie. I had written, “Fear God” in Hebrew on my arm that day. When I told her what it said, her smile turned to a frown, and she barked, “Why would anyone be afraid of God?” It was more of an accusation than a question. This started an excellent discussion that lasted until the bell. 

Before getting to her question, let us join some fishermen on Lake Tiberias, also known as the Sea of Galilee, on the Jordan River. 

What Ails You, O Jordan?

On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” (Mark 4:35–40)

Jesus’ disciples were terrified of the storm that was sinking their boat. Their fear finally overcame their inhibitions, and they woke up their sleeping Lord. Christ “awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, ‘Peace! Be still!’” And the wind stopped.

Following this incident, the gospel of Mark records the response of the disciples:

And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” (Mark 4:41)

The storm was scary; the Son was scarier. They were worried that the boat would sink when they felt the weight of the storm. They were greatly afraid when the felt the weight of the glory of the Son of God. These fishermen knew about storms. But who is this, that the sea obeys him? These local boys, lords of their little section of the Jordan river, realize they are in the presence of the Lord Himself.

The Destruction of Leviathan by Gustave Doré (1865)

The One who “cut Rahab in pieces, who pierced the monster through,” (Isaiah 51:9) stood in a fishing boat with them. The One who can call out Leviathan, and make him sit like a dog, did the same thing with the storm.

Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the LORD! He who slept in the storm put the storm to sleep when He awoke. The disciples feared the storm, but the storm fears Christ.

Let Him Be Your Fear

So, why would anyone be afraid of God?

Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. (Revelation 20:11)

From God’s presence, earth and sky flee. But there is nowhere for them to go. The literal heavens and earth recoil from the utmost holiness, majesty, and power of God. When a large stone is dropped in a pool of water, water picks up and moves pretty quickly. When the Living God takes his seat on the throne, heaven and earth, the space-time continuum, and the set of all the physical properties and spiritual properties of God’s creation that we call the universe, try to run, but are not able to go anywhere.

The sight of God on the throne is a terrible one. It is terrible and awesome. I use the word “terrible” in accord with its etymology from Latin terrere, to frighten. It is a terrible thing the same way it is terrible to be in the middle of a choppy ocean in a mighty storm. It is awesome. How terrible can that sight be that the physical creation flees from his sight? The sky looks down on the rise and fall of kings. He sees nations come and go. What terrible, mighty, and awesome sight is there that causes him to find a hiding place?

What ails you, O sea, that you flee? O Jordan, that you turn back? O mountains, that you skip like rams? O hills, like lambs? Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob, who turns the rock into a pool of water, the flint into a spring of water. (Psalm 114:5–8)

We fear God because He is the only One we were created to fear. We fear God because He is holy. Because He is Creator, and we are creature. A phrase used to describe the wickedness of man in rebellion to God is, “There is no fear of God before their eyes (Romans 3:18).” That phrase has always hit me hard; I think it is the ‘before their eyes’² part. Trustworthy eyes are eyes that have the fear of God before them.

The prophet Isaiah was told,

Do not fear what [this people] fears, nor be in dread. But the Lord of hosts, him you shall honor as holy. Let him be your fear, and let him be your dread. (Isaiah 8:12-13)

God is the one we are to fear. Even the un-fallen seraphim, who minister to the Lord before his throne day and night, cover their faces. And we think we are above the fear of God?

Grace That Taught My Heart to Fear

The second verse of that famous hymn, Amazing Grace, starts like this:

’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
 And grace my fears relieved;

The grace of God is what causes us to see the fear of God in its true light. Grace teaches our hearts to fear God, and simultaneously relieves our fears. These two are inseperable: righteousness and peace kiss. Throughout scripture, we see those who fear God are those who have their fears ultimately relieved.

Through the gospel, we can be reconciled to God. When we were God’s enemies, we had the sort of fear that paralyzes, that causes us to run away, that causes us to kick and bite against His authority. When we are reconciled through Christ, we have the fear of a subject to his King. We now fear and honor and reverence our God, as His people, no longer as His enemies. Grace has taught our heart to fear, and grace our fear relieved. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the Living God. But, while it is the day of salvation, we are invited to look to the hands of Christ, see the holes in His hands, and find forgiveness.

Jacob says, “I have seen God, I am going to die!” But God, in His grace, makes His covenant with him. Manoah expected death after seeing the one whose name is Wonderful. But, Manoah’s wife rightly says, “if the LORD had intended to kill us, He would not have accepted the burnt offering” (Judges 13:23).

The Son did not come to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him (John 3:17).

If God had intended to destroy us, he would not have accepted the Offering. But the Father has accepted the Offering, and proved it by raising Him from the dead. We have come to the sprinkled blood, that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. We have come to the gathering of innumerable angels. We have come to the city of the Living God. 

Let us not neglect such a great salvation.

The Storm on the Sea of Galilee, 1633, Rembrandt van Rijn.

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The men of the Gadarenes were afraid and begged Christ to leave the region in this post:

Repentance Ruins Everything

More sea-parting goodness in these posts:

The Red Sea & The Jordan

Never See Your Sins Again

1. If you are interested in some of my calligrpahy work, check it out here, or some prints for sale here.

2. See this page for a collection of posts titled, “His Sufferings Were Before Your Eyes”, on selections from the Church Fathers on the sufferings of Christ.