Yara
The Hebrew root word for Fear is Yara meaning “to flow”. In Hebrew the idea of fear can be what is felt when in danger or what is felt when in the presence of an awesome sight or person of great authority. These feelings flow out of the person in such actions as shaking when in fear or bowing down in awe of one in authority.
I recently had the privilege to attend a celebration (fest) in a local village. As the fest started two “Mask” dancers came into the crowd. The large wood and metal mask had six sets of eyes and the top part had small mirrors front and back. The other mask was cloth with caraway shells sewn around the eyes and the outfit was cloth and dried grass. As the large mask dancer went around the crowd he would stop and great people like the chiefs of neighboring villages and other sorcerers. Sometimes he trembled as if in fear as he looked at the people. As the large mask went around the crowd, a piece of his outfit fell to the ground and the mask loosened from his head. He stopped as if something bad was happening. He quickly left the crowd to go somewhere and appease the spirits. The reason for the celebration was honorable but the acts of the celebration were in fear of spirits. Fear “flowed” throughout the crowd and the performers.
This is just one example of what we children of Adam will try to do to handle our fears of death. Franklin Roosevelt almost had it right in his famous speech in 1933. “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself – nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance.”
In reality, the only thing we have to fear is God. All other fear is nameless. We naturally fear death but we must learn to fear God (Psa 34:11). In today’s world, we are encouraged to be afraid. Fear is big industry. 24/7 news mixed with a ticker of news at the bottom. Stories of disasters, attacks, and rumors of wars are replayed hourly. Names have been given for all types of fears like Panphobia. The unconscious anxiety about our own fears might lead to aggression or the alienation of others. In the case of the fest I attended, fears lead to worshiping gods before God.
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.
(Joh 14:27)
Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him!
(Psa 33:8)
