The fear of Elohim and the love of Elohim are not opposites. Together they carry us upward.
Every human being is moving in one of two directions. There is no neutral ground. Scripture presents two paths: one that descends toward darkness, pride, sin, and death, and another that ascends toward righteousness, humility, holiness, and eternal life. The journey of every believer is not merely about avoiding evil but about continually growing upward into the image of Messiah.
Remember What Amalek Did
Moses reminds Israel of one of the clearest pictures of spiritual warfare.
Deuteronomy (דברים) 25:17-18
“Remember what Amalek did unto thee by the way, when ye were come forth out of Egypt; how he met thee by the way, and smote the hindmost of thee, even all that were feeble behind thee, when thou wast faint and weary; and he feared not Elohim.”
וְאַתָּה עָיֵף וְיָגֵעַ וְלֹא יָרֵא אֱלֹהִים
“Ve’atah ayef v’yagea, v’lo yarei Elohim.”
“You were faint and weary, and he did not fear Elohim.”
Amalek did not attack Israel at its strongest point. He attacked the weak, the exhausted, the isolated, and those falling behind. That has always been the strategy of the enemy. Weariness often precedes temptation. Isolation often precedes discouragement. Discouragement often precedes compromise.
Notice what Scripture identifies as the root of Amalek’s behaviour:
וְלֹא יָרֵא אֱלֹהִים
“He did not fear Elohim.”
The fear of Elohim is not merely terror. It is reverence, awe, honour, submission, and recognising His absolute authority. Amalek’s cruelty flowed from a heart completely devoid of reverence. Once people convince themselves there is no higher authority, morality quickly becomes whatever benefits themselves. Human history has supplied more examples than anyone would ever want.
The opposite of Amalek is not merely kindness. It is reverence.
The Fear of YHWH Upon Messiah
Isaiah gives us one of the greatest descriptions of the Spirit resting upon Messiah.
Isaiah (ישעיהו) 11:2
“And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD.”
The sevenfold description includes:
- The Spirit of יהוה
- Wisdom
- Understanding
- Counsel
- Might
- Knowledge
- The fear of יהוה
Notice how the list ends. The fear of יהוה is not an outdated Old Testament concept. It is part of the very character of Messiah Himself. The believer who grows in reverence grows into the likeness of Messiah.
Weariness affects more than the body. Scripture consistently reveals that mankind is body, soul, and spirit. Physical exhaustion can influence emotional stability, and emotional discouragement can cloud spiritual vision. That is why the enemy delights in attacking when people are depleted.
History gives heartbreaking reminders of what hopelessness can produce. During the Holocaust, some prisoners, stripped of hope by unimaginable suffering, threw themselves onto the electrified fences. Their bodies had not simply become exhausted; hope itself had been extinguished. When hope dies, the soul begins to collapse. Scripture continually calls us to guard hope because hope anchors both soul and spirit.
Love as the Greatest Motivation
Yet Scripture never leaves us in despair. Elohim continually calls His people upward.
The greatest motivation for that upward journey is not fear alone.
It is love.
Paul writes:
1 Corinthians (א׳ לקורינתים) 13:1-3
“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not love, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal… Though I understand all mysteries… and have all faith… and have not love, I am nothing… Though I give my body to be burned… and have not love, it profiteth me nothing.”
Everything without love becomes empty.
Knowledge without love produces pride.
Power without love produces abuse.
Faith without love becomes cold religion.
Even sacrifice without love profits nothing.
Love is the atmosphere of Heaven because Elohim Himself is love.
Rescued by Yeshua the Messiah
Think about a hostage who has just been rescued.
When Israeli hostages were rescued through the courageous sacrifice of men such as Arnon Zamora, their first overwhelming emotion was not merely relief. It was overwhelming gratitude, safety, and love. Someone willingly entered danger to bring them home.
That picture points us toward an even greater rescue.
Every believer has been rescued by Yeshua the Messiah.
He willingly entered death to bring us into life.
Our response is not merely intellectual agreement.
Our response is worship.
Our response is love.
James reminds us that genuine faith always produces visible fruit.
James (יעקב) 2:26
“For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.”
Paul beautifully balances this truth.
Galatians (גלטים) 5:6
“Faith working through love.”
Faith works.
Love serves.
Hope endures.
These three continually strengthen one another.
Work of Faith and Labour of Love
Paul writes to the Kehilah in Thessalonica:
1 Thessalonians (א׳ לתסלוניקים) 1:3
“Remembering before our Elohim and Father your work of faith and labour of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Yeshua the Messiah.”
Notice the progression.
Work of faith.
Labour of love.
Steadfastness of hope.
The Greek word for “labour” is kopos, describing exhausting effort, toil that costs something. Biblical love is not sentimental emotion. It is costly obedience.
This also helps explain an interesting Hebrew word. The root יָגַע (yaga), behind the form יֹגַעַת (yoga’at), does not mean “love.”
It means:
- to labour
- to toil
- to become weary
- to work hard
Love often produces that kind of labour. Real love serves. Real love sacrifices. Real love continues when emotions fluctuate.
Yeshua Himself teaches that no one comes into this relationship through human effort alone.
John (יוחנן) 6:44
“No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day.”
Salvation begins with the gracious initiative of the Father.
Even our response is enabled by His drawing.
That should produce humility rather than pride.
Endurance and Today’s Strength
The writer of Hebrews encourages believers facing persecution.
Hebrews (עברים) 10:32-37
They endured public shame.
They lost property.
They identified with prisoners.
Yet they refused to abandon confidence because they knew they possessed something eternal.
The writer concludes:
“You have need of endurance… Yet a little while, and the Coming One will come and will not delay.”
Endurance is built before the greatest trial arrives.
Elohim does not usually give tomorrow’s strength today.
He gives today’s strength today.
Tomorrow’s grace arrives tomorrow.
Many believers throughout history have demonstrated this reality.
One well-known account comes from the early centuries of persecution. A group of believers were reportedly forced into freezing water and ordered to deny their faith in order to live. As they endured suffering, witnesses described a guard seeing what he believed were heavenly crowns awaiting those remaining faithful. Instead of participating in the executions, he joined the condemned believers, choosing temporary suffering over eternal loss. Whether every historical detail can be independently verified or not, the lesson reflects countless documented testimonies throughout history: faithful believers have often found supernatural courage precisely when they needed it most.
Habakkuk understood this principle centuries earlier.
Habakkuk (חבקוק) 2:1-4
“I will stand upon my watch… Write the vision… Though it tarry, wait for it… The righteous shall live by his faith.”
Faith waits.
Faith watches.
Faith obeys.
Faith perseveres.
The righteous do not live by feelings.
They live by faith.
What Standard Am I Living By
Every believer must honestly ask one important question: what standard am I living by?
Every culture has standards. The world constantly redefines morality. Today’s celebrated virtue often becomes tomorrow’s embarrassment. But Elohim’s character never changes, and Scripture continually directs our eyes upward.
Romans (רומים) 12:2
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”
Colossians (קולוסים) 3:1-2
“Seek the things that are above… Set your minds on things above.”
Isaiah (ישעיהו) 5:20
“Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil.”
Matthew (מתי) 6:33
“Seek first the Kingdom of Elohim and His righteousness.”
Philippians (פיליפים) 3:20
“Our citizenship is in Heaven.”
This applies to everyday decisions.
Consider smoking beside someone who does not smoke. Even if you personally believe it is your freedom, love asks a different question.
Does this honour the other person?
Does this consider their health?
Does this help or harm?
Love willingly limits personal freedom for another person’s good.
The same principle applies to entertainment.
The real question is not simply, “Should I watch this movie?”
The deeper question is, “What standard am I using to decide?”
Every film, every song, every social media feed, every conversation is shaping our loves and loyalties.
Ask instead:
- What is this teaching me to admire?
- What is this encouraging me to celebrate?
- What desires is this cultivating?
Scripture provides practical guidance.
Psalm (תהילים) 101:3
“I will set no worthless thing before my eyes.”
Job (איוב) 31:1
“I have made a covenant with my eyes.”
Yeshua teaches that lust begins long before the outward action.
Matthew (מתי) 5:28
Philippians (פיליפים) 4:8
“Whatever is true… honourable… just… pure… lovely… think on these things.”
Love Proven Through Obedience
Finally, Yeshua brings everything together.
Love is proven through obedience.
John (יוחנן) 14:15
“If you love Me, keep My commandments.”
John (יוחנן) 14:21
“Whoever has My commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves Me.”
John (יוחנן) 14:23
“If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word.”
John (יוחנן) 15:10
“If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love.”
Fear without love becomes legalism.
Love without reverence becomes compromise.
Together they produce holiness.
The fear of יהוה keeps us from going down.
The love of Elohim draws us upward.
Faith keeps us walking.
Hope keeps us enduring.
Love keeps us becoming like Messiah.
The enemy still looks for the weary.
Messiah still strengthens the weary.
Amalek sought the faint and discouraged at the rear of the camp.
The Good Shepherd seeks the weary and carries them on His shoulders.
Therefore, stand your watch like Habakkuk.
Endure like the believers in Hebrews.
Labour in love like the Thessalonians.
Walk by faith like James teaches.
Love as Paul commands.
Fix your eyes on Yeshua, the Author and Perfecter of our faith, and continue climbing upward until the day He comes, for the righteous shall live by faith, and those who fear יהוה and love Him will never labour in vain.
Continue in this series with Do Views and Likes Run Our Lives? and Hosting the Presence, or browse everything on our Resources page. You can read Deuteronomy 25 in full at Sefaria.
