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Rejoice and Tremble: The Surprising Good News of the Fear of the Lord
Fear is one of the strongest human emotions, and it is one that often baffles Christians.
When they turn to the Bible, the picture seems equally confusing: Is fear a good thing or a bad thing? While God commands his people to fear him, they are also told to fight fear. Michael Reeves brings clarity where there is confusion as he encourages readers to rejoice in the strange paradox that the gospel both frees them from sinful fear and leads them to godly fear. This book argues from Scripture that godly fear is the opposite of being afraid of God or his punishment, as if he were a tyrant. Instead, it is the intensity of the saints' love for, delight in, and enjoyment of all that God is. Rejoice and Tremble examines what it looks like when a believer is filled with a right and healthy fear of God, and how this fear is the means by which the people of God exhibit to the world the divine qualities of holiness, blessedness, happiness, wholeness, and beauty as they point to Christ Jésus.
©2021 Michael Reeves (P)2021 Crossway
When they turn to the Bible, the picture seems equally confusing: Is fear a good thing or a bad thing? While God commands his people to fear him, they are also told to fight fear. Michael Reeves brings clarity where there is confusion as he encourages readers to rejoice in the strange paradox that the gospel both frees them from sinful fear and leads them to godly fear. This book argues from Scripture that godly fear is the opposite of being afraid of God or his punishment, as if he were a tyrant. Instead, it is the intensity of the saints' love for, delight in, and enjoyment of all that God is. Rejoice and Tremble examines what it looks like when a believer is filled with a right and healthy fear of God, and how this fear is the means by which the people of God exhibit to the world the divine qualities of holiness, blessedness, happiness, wholeness, and beauty as they point to Christ Jésus.
©2021 Michael Reeves (P)2021 Crossway
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First published January 1, 2021
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About the author
Michael Reeves
76 books576 followersMichael Reeves (PhD, King's College, London) is President and Professor of Theology at Union School of Theology in the UK (www.ust.ac.uk). He is Director of the European Theologians Network, and speaks and teaches regularly worldwide. Previously he has been Head of Theology for the Universities and Colleges Christian Fellowship and an associate minister at All Souls Church, Langham Place, London.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 481 reviews
May 24, 2024
I’ll never forget my visit to St. Andrews Chapel in Sanford, Florida. It was a rare opportunity to see Dr. R.C. Sproul preach. I entered the sanctuary to a bustle of people. Some were visiting. Others were preparing to enter the sanctuary. After several minutes of exploring, I made my way into the sanctuary. Posted above the main entryway were words that said in essence, “You are moving from the profane to the holy.”
I made my way to the fourth row where I engaged in some conversation with others. Before I knew it, an older woman seated in front of me turned around to face me, put one finger to her mouth, and made it clear that this was not the time to chit-chat. This woman was convinced that we had moved from the profane to the holy. Is it any wonder that R.C. Sproul says, “We have made our worship services more secular than sacred, more common than uncommon, more profane than holy.” Tragically, many churches fail to see the gravity of worship. They have turned worship into a three-stage circus.
One of the most reoccurring themes in Scripture is the command to fear the Lord. Michael Reeves drives this point home in his recent book, Rejoice & Tremble: The Surprising Good News of the Fear of the Lord. Reeves argues strenuously and persuasively that “the fear of God is just the tonic we need.”
Few books have been written that explore the theme of fearing God, so Dr. Reeves's book is a much-welcomed and much-needed guest. In a stroke of biblical genius, the author distinguishes between “sinful fear” and “right fear.” It appears that many people have misunderstood what it means to fear God. Reeves is set on correcting this dilemma.
Sinful fear, of course, is prohibited in Scripture. Adam is the first example of one whose sinful fear caused him to flee from God. “This is the fear of God,” writes Reeves, “that is at odds with the love of God. Dreading, opposing, and retreated from God, this fear generates the doubt that rationalizes unbelief. It is the motor for both atheism and idolatry, inspiring people to invent alternative ‘realities’ in place of the living God.” The end result of this sinful fear leads to marginalizing God’s beauty and abandoning him, in the final analysis.
The solution, according to Dr. Reeves, is manifesting “right fear” of God, which involves a blend of fear and joy: “There is no tension between this fear and joy. Rather, this trembling “fear of God” is a way of speaking about the sheer intensity of the saints’ happiness in God. In other words, the biblical theme of the fear of God helps us to see the sort of joy that is most fitting for believers.” Reeves continues:
Rejoice & Tremble will challenge and encourages readers and push them forward in ways that are God-honoring. Indeed, this is just the tip of the iceberg as Michael Reeves challenges followers of Christ to make their ascent to the summit of God’s glory. In the end, as the author makes clear, the fear of the Lord subdues and eliminates fears that plague the people of God.
I made my way to the fourth row where I engaged in some conversation with others. Before I knew it, an older woman seated in front of me turned around to face me, put one finger to her mouth, and made it clear that this was not the time to chit-chat. This woman was convinced that we had moved from the profane to the holy. Is it any wonder that R.C. Sproul says, “We have made our worship services more secular than sacred, more common than uncommon, more profane than holy.” Tragically, many churches fail to see the gravity of worship. They have turned worship into a three-stage circus.
One of the most reoccurring themes in Scripture is the command to fear the Lord. Michael Reeves drives this point home in his recent book, Rejoice & Tremble: The Surprising Good News of the Fear of the Lord. Reeves argues strenuously and persuasively that “the fear of God is just the tonic we need.”
Few books have been written that explore the theme of fearing God, so Dr. Reeves's book is a much-welcomed and much-needed guest. In a stroke of biblical genius, the author distinguishes between “sinful fear” and “right fear.” It appears that many people have misunderstood what it means to fear God. Reeves is set on correcting this dilemma.
Sinful fear, of course, is prohibited in Scripture. Adam is the first example of one whose sinful fear caused him to flee from God. “This is the fear of God,” writes Reeves, “that is at odds with the love of God. Dreading, opposing, and retreated from God, this fear generates the doubt that rationalizes unbelief. It is the motor for both atheism and idolatry, inspiring people to invent alternative ‘realities’ in place of the living God.” The end result of this sinful fear leads to marginalizing God’s beauty and abandoning him, in the final analysis.
The solution, according to Dr. Reeves, is manifesting “right fear” of God, which involves a blend of fear and joy: “There is no tension between this fear and joy. Rather, this trembling “fear of God” is a way of speaking about the sheer intensity of the saints’ happiness in God. In other words, the biblical theme of the fear of God helps us to see the sort of joy that is most fitting for believers.” Reeves continues:
The fear of God as a strong biblical theme thus stands as a superb theological guard dog. It stops us from thinking that we are made for either passionless performance or a detached knowledge of abstract truths. It backs us into the acknowledgment that we are made to know God in such a way that our hearts tremble at his beauty and splendor, that we are remade at the deepest level. It shows us that entering the life of Christ involves a transformation of our very affections so that we begin actually to despise - and not merely renounce - the sins we once cherished, and treasure the God we once abhorred.
Rejoice & Tremble will challenge and encourages readers and push them forward in ways that are God-honoring. Indeed, this is just the tip of the iceberg as Michael Reeves challenges followers of Christ to make their ascent to the summit of God’s glory. In the end, as the author makes clear, the fear of the Lord subdues and eliminates fears that plague the people of God.
April 7, 2022
2022: Fantastic, definitely a favorite. I listened to the audiobook and as I soon as I finished, I ordered the hardback and can’t wait to read it now and underline it and make notes on the margins.
August 16, 2021
August 2021 — One benefit of being plagued with fatigue is that I haven't got much fight in me, so I have more moments of being more humble and vulnerable before God. Listening to this again (this time at a more reasonable speed), I wept a lot...just sort of saying yes to Him. Yes, I can see where I'm off the rails. Yes, I can see a little more clearly what needs to change. Yes, I can see that it's my sin that I haven't believed right and haven't feared right, my responsibility to repent. Of course the fight that's gone out of me on the one hand hasn't left much fight on the other for battling with sin. But still...a baby step in the right direction, I think. (I think I may be babbling a bit incoherently at this point...)
*****
July 2021 — I had to rush through chapters 5–6 last week before the study, and then I had to rush through chapters 7–8 even faster this week. But it was chapters 3–4 that were the money for me. (Probably 3 or 4, but I can’t remember which.) I’ve been trying for decades to get my head around what exactly the fear of the Lord is, and this section gave me significant progress.
The illustration that ought to give the greatest clarity is also one of the names for the right fear of God: filial fear. But that is just as great a mystery for someone like me who’s never experienced it...never even seen it. But the descriptions in this section put me in mind of another image: a dog greeting his good master after a long separation. Fido rejoices and trembles, for sure—complete ecstasy at seeing his person, complete submissiveness, quivering with excitement, can't get close enough. So I need to be Fido toward the Lord. Trouble is, I've spent most of my life as a whipped puppy hiding under the couch — a picture of the sinful fear Reeves also describes. It’s a big change, but at least I can see now that it needs to be made and from what to what.
*****
July 2021 — I had to rush through chapters 5–6 last week before the study, and then I had to rush through chapters 7–8 even faster this week. But it was chapters 3–4 that were the money for me. (Probably 3 or 4, but I can’t remember which.) I’ve been trying for decades to get my head around what exactly the fear of the Lord is, and this section gave me significant progress.
The illustration that ought to give the greatest clarity is also one of the names for the right fear of God: filial fear. But that is just as great a mystery for someone like me who’s never experienced it...never even seen it. But the descriptions in this section put me in mind of another image: a dog greeting his good master after a long separation. Fido rejoices and trembles, for sure—complete ecstasy at seeing his person, complete submissiveness, quivering with excitement, can't get close enough. So I need to be Fido toward the Lord. Trouble is, I've spent most of my life as a whipped puppy hiding under the couch — a picture of the sinful fear Reeves also describes. It’s a big change, but at least I can see now that it needs to be made and from what to what.
February 17, 2023
Magnificent! Best book on this topic (the fear of the Lord) I’ve seen.
March 9, 2021
A great little book on an often forgotten and misunderstood topic. Chapter 3 is the key chapter, defining the fear of God and opening up the passages that explain it. Overall a very needed book today, as we have neglected so much of what past generations of Christians once knew and preached. Highly recommended.
July 14, 2021
Rich meditation on the fear of God. At times the prose is too eclipsed by quotes from Bunyan, Edwards, and Spurgeon. There is a way to do it seamlessly and devotionally (e.g., Gentle and Lowly) without interrupting the main text, but it was a tad bit overdone in this volume. Still, whatever Reeves writes makes the heart sing and this book is no exception.
January 30, 2022
Absolutely wonderful. What a great book—*eminently* helpful while *thoroughly* theological.
January 30, 2022
3.5 Stars
Michael Reeves' "Rejoice and Tremble" is a short theological treatment of the fear of the Lord. Reeves' book explains the difference between sinful and right fear, and that our fear of God should be motivated by a vision of God and all His attributes. Right fear of the Lord comes from seeing God in all His goodness and then running to Him, rather than from Him. And we can grow in the fear of the Lord by looking to the cross and loving the gospel more.
Reeves' book is an excellent devotional and theological reminder of the fear of the Lord. This book stirred my heart to not only rejoice in the Lord but to tremble before Him as well. Yet, although Reeves' book had moments of grand theological insights and gospel reminders, it suffers from poor execution. Reeves does not open his book with a central thesis, so I felt directionless throughout the remainder of the book. It seemed as if Reeves was repetitive and rambling, rather than heading towards a main goal or arguing a central point. As well Reeves drowns his book in quotations. There are times when quotations are helpful and illuminate the central point, and other times when they distract from the main flow of argumentation – unfortunately, Reeves' book falls into the latter.
Overall Reeves addresses a topic that is difficult to tackle, "the fear of the Lord," and brings helpful new insights. As well he rightly reminds us of the centrality of the gospel and our need to rejoice in God as well as tremble before Him. Yet his execution made it difficult for me to give him a higher rating. I'm hoping that Reeves comes back and offers us a second edition of this book that is more organized and less inundated with quotations.
Michael Reeves' "Rejoice and Tremble" is a short theological treatment of the fear of the Lord. Reeves' book explains the difference between sinful and right fear, and that our fear of God should be motivated by a vision of God and all His attributes. Right fear of the Lord comes from seeing God in all His goodness and then running to Him, rather than from Him. And we can grow in the fear of the Lord by looking to the cross and loving the gospel more.
Reeves' book is an excellent devotional and theological reminder of the fear of the Lord. This book stirred my heart to not only rejoice in the Lord but to tremble before Him as well. Yet, although Reeves' book had moments of grand theological insights and gospel reminders, it suffers from poor execution. Reeves does not open his book with a central thesis, so I felt directionless throughout the remainder of the book. It seemed as if Reeves was repetitive and rambling, rather than heading towards a main goal or arguing a central point. As well Reeves drowns his book in quotations. There are times when quotations are helpful and illuminate the central point, and other times when they distract from the main flow of argumentation – unfortunately, Reeves' book falls into the latter.
Overall Reeves addresses a topic that is difficult to tackle, "the fear of the Lord," and brings helpful new insights. As well he rightly reminds us of the centrality of the gospel and our need to rejoice in God as well as tremble before Him. Yet his execution made it difficult for me to give him a higher rating. I'm hoping that Reeves comes back and offers us a second edition of this book that is more organized and less inundated with quotations.
April 7, 2023
Someone said Michael Reeves is the best theologian who writes and it’s true. He writes succinctly, clearly, and in an engaging and inspiring way that connects biblical truth directly to your heart. Heartily recommended for everyone who needs to rightly order their fears so that fear of the Lord is the only true and lasting fear because “to grow in this sweet and quaking wonder at God is to taste heaven now.”
March 13, 2022
After my initial reading, I taught Dr. Reeves’s book during the spring semester of adult Sunday school at my church. The alternately neglected and misunderstood doctrine of the fear of the Lord was a timely one for me and well-received by the class. The author teases apart the supposed dichotomy of Christ, freeing us from fear and being told to fear, and to fear God no less. He marshals writers, Scripture, historical theologians, and preachers to paint a vivid portrait of God, luminous in all His attributes and wonderful as God the Redeemer in Christ. Recommended.
May 29, 2023
A very insightful book that explores great depth into a topic that is scattered throughout the bible, the commentary and explanation is very very helpful as we consider how we should fear God. My only fault is that Michael Reeves always leaves me adding two or three more Spurgeon books to my want to read and there's no way I'll ever get through them all...
January 24, 2021
It's January the 24th but I don't expect to read a better book in 2021. Beautiful, glorious and very, very timely. Such a delightful read - and the feel of the hardback is worth it.
December 27, 2022
A really useful book on how the filial fear of the Lord differs from a slavish fear of God. Michael Reeves not only handles the scriptural doctrine concerning this subject appropriately, but also cites various earlier theologians such as Martin Luther, John Calvin, John Bunyan, Thomas Boston, Jonathan Edwards, C. H. Spurgeon, and Thomas Chalmers, enabling the reader to learn from the wisdom of the past. His portrayal of Aristotle and the theology of Thomas Aquinas was a little crass, but that was only a minor point in the book. While this volume is aimed at the general reader as well as scholars, I strongly commend the editorial decision to use footnotes for the references. Doing so assists scholars and does no harm to the general reader.
March 12, 2025
One of the most beautifully written books I have read. Will be coming back to it again and again.
June 23, 2021
Rejoice and Tremble is a stunning exploration into the true and biblical meaning of 'the fear of the Lord'.
Advertised almost as a companion book to Dane Ortlund's Gentle and Lowly, it shares the same sort of sensitivity in the way its written and is a beautifully approachable read. Michael Reeves guides us through the topic in a logical and Christ focused way, and corrects a lot of our misconceptions on the somewhat neglected and misunderstood subject. A right fear of the Lord does not make the Christian afraid of God or His punishment, but rather makes us tremble in light of His love, majesty and all that He is.
Thankful for this book. Definitely recommend.
"The fear of God... is the ultimate affection and very aroma of heaven. It is the affection that expels our sinful fears and our anxieties... To grow in this sweet and quaking wonder at God is to taste heaven now."
Advertised almost as a companion book to Dane Ortlund's Gentle and Lowly, it shares the same sort of sensitivity in the way its written and is a beautifully approachable read. Michael Reeves guides us through the topic in a logical and Christ focused way, and corrects a lot of our misconceptions on the somewhat neglected and misunderstood subject. A right fear of the Lord does not make the Christian afraid of God or His punishment, but rather makes us tremble in light of His love, majesty and all that He is.
Thankful for this book. Definitely recommend.
"The fear of God... is the ultimate affection and very aroma of heaven. It is the affection that expels our sinful fears and our anxieties... To grow in this sweet and quaking wonder at God is to taste heaven now."
December 22, 2023
Die Leute sollten lieber dieses Buch zu Gottesfurcht lesen und das Buch von Natha schnell wieder vergessen.
September 18, 2021
I will probably find myself in the minority with a rating below four or five stars, but it is an honest reflection of my thoughts on this book.
Reeves loves the Lord deeply, and that comes across in everything he writes. This book is no exception - it is warm, encouraging, and conveys a deep desire to see readers fear the Lord rightly. There was much I found helpful.
However, the absolutely constant quotations from other writers (while admirably humble), make it feel disjointed. The quotes themselves are often without enough context to fully appreciate them, and a bit repetitive, and I found my eyes glazing over the third of fourth quotation every couple of pages.
By the end of the book I also found myself not entirely convinced of Reeves' main thesis - that the fear of the Lord is nothing other than an overwhelmed appreciation of God and what he has done. He makes a good case for a few of the Puritans thinking it, but I don't think he makes the case for the bible saying it as strongly, leaving out verses that might seem to challenge or contradict his argument, and making a few leaps in his interpretation of the texts he does deal with.
Finally, the section on 'how to grow in this fear' seemed to me to contain little in the way of practical advice. I understand that Reeves wants to make the point that it is not simply 'do these 5 things and you will fear the Lord mightily' - it is a matter of the heart. Still, this section could have been much more helpful than it was.
Overall, this was still a helpful book, and has caused me to consider afresh what it means to fear the Lord, correcting some of my erroneous assumptions of what that means. A good book. I am just not sure it is a great book.
Reeves loves the Lord deeply, and that comes across in everything he writes. This book is no exception - it is warm, encouraging, and conveys a deep desire to see readers fear the Lord rightly. There was much I found helpful.
However, the absolutely constant quotations from other writers (while admirably humble), make it feel disjointed. The quotes themselves are often without enough context to fully appreciate them, and a bit repetitive, and I found my eyes glazing over the third of fourth quotation every couple of pages.
By the end of the book I also found myself not entirely convinced of Reeves' main thesis - that the fear of the Lord is nothing other than an overwhelmed appreciation of God and what he has done. He makes a good case for a few of the Puritans thinking it, but I don't think he makes the case for the bible saying it as strongly, leaving out verses that might seem to challenge or contradict his argument, and making a few leaps in his interpretation of the texts he does deal with.
Finally, the section on 'how to grow in this fear' seemed to me to contain little in the way of practical advice. I understand that Reeves wants to make the point that it is not simply 'do these 5 things and you will fear the Lord mightily' - it is a matter of the heart. Still, this section could have been much more helpful than it was.
Overall, this was still a helpful book, and has caused me to consider afresh what it means to fear the Lord, correcting some of my erroneous assumptions of what that means. A good book. I am just not sure it is a great book.
March 12, 2021
This is a very good book, and very important. In my estimation, one of the greatest problems with American Christians today is general indifference to God. We do not worship in fear and trembling, awe and adoration. We don't really believe that our God is a consuming fire. So naturally, when I saw Michael Reeves publish an entire book on the subject, I was very excited. He mostly delivered. In many ways, he is a curator of voices from the past--were you to take out all the quotes from reformers and puritans, "Rejoice and Tremble" would shrink down quite a bit. I don't mind that in the least. I can't sing the praises of this book highly enough.
May 18, 2023
I wish could give this one a 4.5, mostly because it’s slightly repetitive and is at some points hard to follow. However, this is a topic I’ve been thinking on and wanting to learn more about, and I do feel as though I’ve learned a lot from this book. You can tell it’s well researched, and I absolutely loved all the quotes from puritans!
October 15, 2025
This is a most excellent and well-written introduction to the biblical concept of the fear of the Lord as a holy, reverent, joyful, and doxological affection for God. I highly recommend it.
July 24, 2021
Excellent book! I highly recommend it. Reeves distinguishes between godly and sinful fear. We should not be afraid of God, running away from him; rather, we fall on our faces toward him. We love and rejoice in God, but the kind of love and joy is a fearful kind.
He borrows deeply from the writings of Luther, Spurgeon ("A Fear to Be Desired"), and Bunyan ("Treatise on the Fear of God"). The book is a bit repetitive and can feel unorganized, but as a devotional book this actually helped to work the truths into my heart. As a side note, this is a beautifully published book, including the hard cover, dust jacket, pages, and font.
I read this book July of 2021 as I prepared to teach on the fear of the Lord (Proverbs series) at our church in Brazil.
He borrows deeply from the writings of Luther, Spurgeon ("A Fear to Be Desired"), and Bunyan ("Treatise on the Fear of God"). The book is a bit repetitive and can feel unorganized, but as a devotional book this actually helped to work the truths into my heart. As a side note, this is a beautifully published book, including the hard cover, dust jacket, pages, and font.
I read this book July of 2021 as I prepared to teach on the fear of the Lord (Proverbs series) at our church in Brazil.
September 2, 2025
I thought I understood this topic…but I now understand far more deeply. Highly recommend!
March 29, 2022
5 stars because this book set out and accomplished it’s intended purpose. The fear of the Lord is great and the beginning of wisdom. Really great for every Christian that has a hard time reconciling the attribute of fear of the Lord in our walk with Him. The “filial” fear as Mike referred to it in the book.
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December 5, 2020
Michael Reeves is an excellent writer. His "Delighting in the Trinity" and "Rejoicing in Christ" are must reads for any believer. "Rejoice and Tremble" now joins them as a must-read trio! In it Reeves examines the seeming inconsistency in Scripture where one of the most frequent commands is "Do not fear", and yet the "fear of the Lord" is frequently praised and commanded. The author gives clear definitions of these fears. He explains them well to give not only a helpful understanding of them, but also a way to grow in the right kind of fear. The best books on theology show the applicability and importance of them in a believer's life. ALL theology is practical; good writers and preachers make that clear! Reeves is excellent at this. This is a book that shows both the application of and the blessings of understanding and growing in the fear of the Lord! I was so glad to get an advanced copy, and I highly recommend you pick it up when it comes out. You won't regret it, and you might be changed by it!
May 16, 2022
After reading Gentle and Lowly I thought I would love the next book in the Union series… however I was a little disappointed.
I definitely think this is a needed topic in the modern world and church. We don’t even understand what true fear is and we find it hard to reconcile godly fear with our sinful fear. This book gave me a great definition of the fear of God.
But the execution was subpar. Much of it was quotes from other theologians (some of whom I strongly disagree with, ie George Macdonald), and there seemed very little original writing.
I am grateful to this book for opening up my eyes to this topic and I look forward to reading Al Martin’s and maybe John Bunyan’s books on the subject!
I definitely think this is a needed topic in the modern world and church. We don’t even understand what true fear is and we find it hard to reconcile godly fear with our sinful fear. This book gave me a great definition of the fear of God.
But the execution was subpar. Much of it was quotes from other theologians (some of whom I strongly disagree with, ie George Macdonald), and there seemed very little original writing.
I am grateful to this book for opening up my eyes to this topic and I look forward to reading Al Martin’s and maybe John Bunyan’s books on the subject!
June 23, 2025
Ugh! I think I should’ve stopped the book at chapter one but I just kept thinking it would get better. The writing was super hard to read and I would guess it was about 70% quotes and almost all of them were inserted with little to no explanation. And they could be over a page long in length! The author also would make huge jumps between quotes without any clear connection or flow to the next point. The other thing that really irked me was he was arguing a point about fear of God and he would use a few massive quotes that all talk about love for God and then he would say “the word love could be replaced for fear” and then he would move on. Like huh? Sure maybe but why would you use a page long quote that doesn’t actually support the point you are making? It seemed to me that the author lacked a clear audience because at times it was as if he needed to site every source ever written on the subject (writing for skeptics) and then there were times when he would recite off 10-20 Bible verses (writing for an in depth Bible study) and others he would be clearly speaking to pastors and still there would be other times when I found it was more devotional and easily digestible (🙌for a few short glorious pages.) Anyway, good subject with some wonderful points and things to learn but presented in such an awful way, I failed to take much away from it 🙃
November 20, 2023
Michael Reeves is such a poetical and theologically rich author, which makes his works such a pleasure to read and listen to. Hearing the audio book read in his voice was a really nice way to experience this book. I love the way he distinguishes between sinful, worldly fear and right, godly fear. Yet, he doesn’t do away with the word fear altogether; he lets it sit with all of its nuance and delicacy. His approach in building an understanding of godly fear was helpful: start with fear of God as all powerful Creator (even non-Christians can do this), then understand God as merciful Redeemer, and finally, for the most complete and joyful version of fear, see God as loving Father. Only with all of these elements can you have a godly, delightful fear of God. He then describes how this ought to look at the personal and church levels, in practice and in preaching. This work is enormously helpful, and I hope to return to it in the future.
January 2, 2025
an excellent dive into a topic that we don't think or talk about often enough -- the fear of God! michael reeves does a great job incorporating and explaining old and new testament texts, as well as quotes from many respected puritans and reformers. i found the book very readable and simultaneously edifying!
June 12, 2024
Exquisite.
Reeves does well to show us what it means to tremble in awe before God. A right fear of God eclipses the other fears that often molest and vex the soul. Truly, a needful work in an age of increasing anxiety and fear.
Reeves does well to show us what it means to tremble in awe before God. A right fear of God eclipses the other fears that often molest and vex the soul. Truly, a needful work in an age of increasing anxiety and fear.
April 23, 2021
A timely and timeless book. Reeves' emphasis on the fear of God as the central element in godliness is helpful in tracing a way beyond mechanical solemnity and flippant frenzy that pervade much of the evangelical and Reformed world. In the work, he develops the idea that fear comes not only from a recognition of God as Creator but also as gracious Redeemer. Omnipotence and grace are both fearful and produce the filial fear that calls God "Father" while trembling. Excellent in every way!
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