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The word “awesome” is found 316 times in the Old Testament.    You might be surprised to learn that this Hebrew word means “fearful; terrible” and is most often translated that way.  33 times it is translated as “awesome” in reference to God.  Our God is an awesome God!

In the front of your Bible, write: Our God is Awesome- Gen. 28:17

He was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place!  This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.”

Jacob had just had the dream of angels going up and down a ladder to heaven.  When he awoke, he said, “The Lord is in this place” (v. 16).  Notice how he reacted to the presence of God.  In verse 17, circle “awesome,” underline “house of God,” and squiggly underline “afraid.”  At the end of the verse, write Ex. 15:11-13.

Who is like You among the gods, O Lord?  Who is like You, majestic in holiness, awesome in praises, working wonders?…

In verse 11, circle “awesome” and underline “O Lord.”  Notice what Moses says about God in the next couple of verses.  “Right hand” (v. 12) represents power.  He also mentions mercy and strength (v. 13).  Because of these things, God leads, redeems, and guides His people.  At the end of verse 13, write 34:5-10.

The Lord descended in a cloud and stood there with him as he called upon the name of the Lord…

Underline every occurrence of “the Lord” and “God” in verses five through 10.  Pay attention to the descriptions of God in verses six and seven.  Circle “fearful” in verse 10 (same word for “awesome”).  At the end of verse 10, write Deut. 7:21.

You shall not dread them, for the Lord your God is in your midst, a great and awesome God.

Dread whom?  Verse 17 mentions the nations that are greater than them.  Moses is telling them not to be afraid of the greater nations because their “fearful” God is with them.  Circle “awesome” and underline “the Lord your God” and “God.”  Also notice how often the word “great” is tied to the word “awesome” when describing our God.  At the end of the verse, write 10:17-22.

For the Lord your God is the God of gods and the Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God who does not show partiality nor take a bribe.

Circle “awesome” (v. 17 & 21).  Underline all occurrences of “Lord” and “God.”  At the end of v. 22, write 28:58.

If you are not careful to observe all the words of this law which are written in this book, to fear this honored and awesome name, the Lord your God.

Circle “awesome.”  Underline “Lord your God.”  At the end of the verse, write 2 Sam. 7:22-23.

For this reason You are great, O Lord God; for there is none like You, and there is no God besides You, according to all that we have heard with our ears…

In verse 22, underline “O Lord God” and “God.”  In verse 23, circle “awesome” and underline “God.”  At the end of verse 23, write Neh. 1:5.

I said, “I beseech You, O Lord God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who preserves the covenant and lovingkindness for those who love Him and keep His commandments.

Circle “awesome” and underline “O Lord God” and “God.”  Again, notice how Nehemiah describes the greatness of the God he is praying to.  At the end of the verse, write 4:14.

When I saw their fear, I rose and spoke to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people:  “Do not be afraid of them; remember the Lord who is great and awesome…”

Circle “awesome” and underline “Lord.”  Nehemiah encouraged the people not to be afraid of the enemy by reminding them that God is more fearful and He is on their side.    At the end of the verse, write Ps. 33:8.

Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him.

Circle “awe,” squiggly underline “fear” and underline “Lord.”  If you like, go through the rest of the psalm and underline every occurrence of “Lord.”  At the end of verse eight, write 66:3-5.

Say to God, “How awesome are Your works!  Because of the greatness of Your power Your enemies will give feigned obedience to You…”

Circle “awesome” (v. 3, 5) and underline “God” (v. 3, 5).  The rest of the psalm describes how God is awesome.  At the end of verse five, write 68:35.

O God, You are awesome from Your sanctuary.  The God of Israel Himself gives strength and power to the people.  Blessed by God!

Circle “awesome” and underline all three occurrences of “God.”  Notice the strength and power He gives His people.  At the end of the verse, write 89:6-8.

For who in the skies is comparable to the Lord?  Who among the sons of the mighty is like the Lord…

Circle “awesome” (v. 7), underline all occurrences of “God/ Lord,” and squiggly underline “greatly feared” (v. 7).  At the end of verse eight, write 99:1-3.

The Lord reigns, let the peoples tremble; He is enthroned above the cherubim, let the earth shake!…

Circle “awesome” (v. 3), underline all occurrences of “Lord/ God,” and squiggly underline “tremble” (v. 1).  At the end of verse three, write 111:7-10.

Circle “awesome” (v. 9), underline “Lord” (v. 10), and squiggly underline “fear” (v. 10).  At the end of verse 10, write Isa. 64:1-3.

Oh, that You would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains might quake at Your presence…

Notice how even the earth responds to God’s presence!  Circle “awesome” (v. 3) and squiggly underline “quake/ quaked” (v. 1,3).  At the end of verse three, write Dan. 9:4.

I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed and said, “Alas, O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and lovingkindness for those who love Him and keep His commandments.

Circle “awesome” and underline all occurrences of “Lord/ God.”  Notice why God is “great and awesome.”  At the end of the verse, write Zeph. 2:11.

The Lord will be terrifying to them, for He will starve all the gods of the earth, and all the coastlands of the nations will bow down to Him, everyone from his own place.

Circle “terrifying” (same word translated “awesome”) and underline “Lord.”  At the end of the verse, write Mark 4:39-41.

And He got up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Hush, be still.”  And the wind died down and it became perfectly calm.

We’re looking at an Old Testament word for this study, but I wanted to include some incidents in the New Testament that demonstrate this same trait.  Notice the disciples’ reaction to Jesus’ power over the elements.  Underline “They became very much afraid” (v. 41).  At the end of the verse, write Matt. 27:50-54.

…When they saw the earthquake and the things that were happening, they became very frightened and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!”

Circle “very frightened” and underline all occurrences of “Jesus” and “Son of God.”  At the end of verse 54, write Rev. 15:3-4.

Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify Your name?  For You alone are holy; for all the nations will come and worship before You, for Your righteous acts have been revealed.

Circle “fear” (v. 4) and underline all references to deity.  At the end of verse four, write Ecc. 3:14.

I know that everything God does will remain forever; there is nothing to add to it and there is nothing to take from it, for God has so worked that men should fear Him.

These final two verses seemed like the perfect conclusion to our study.  Circle “fear” and underline both occurrences of “God.”  At the end of the verse, write 12:13-14.

The conclusion, when all has been heard, is:  fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person.  For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil.

Circle “fear” and underline both references to God.

To round out this study, you might like to Bible-mark “Fear of the Lord,” which shows exactly how we do that and the blessings that come from it.

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Kathy Pollard

Kathy is married to Neal Pollard, who preaches for the Lehman Ave. church of Christ in Bowling Green, KY. They have three grown sons, all married, 2 new grandsons, and a granddaughter on the way! Kathy attended Faulkner University and Bear Valley Bible Institute and has a bachelor’s degree in Bible. She is the author of the book, Return to Me…What to Do When Loved Ones Fall Away. She and Carla Moore host a weekly podcast for Christian women called Looking Up. Kathy enjoys spending time with family, traveling to Israel, tending her gardens, and getting to know her new dairy cow, Peaches.

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