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Hi Jazzmanrd. Not sure whether you're wanting to better understand this phrase in Nehemiah 1:5, or not. In case you are, Nehemiah, in his anguished prayer to God, described how he viewed this mighty God, Who alone could save His people & prosper his (Nehemiah's) request to the Babylonian king, Artaxerxes.
Sometimes, our present understanding of English words have changed as culture & word usage evolves. So here in this verse, Nehemiah describes the Almighty God as "great and terrible". In Hebrew, the word used for 'terrible' is 'yare', which means 'to take fright'. One might think, why should we be frightened or terrified of a God Who is merciful, kind & gracious? Though many Christians today hold only to such a view of God, we know from reading all the Scriptures, that God is also a God of Wrath & of Justice, all within His Glorious Holiness. So, in confronting such a God, anyone whose heart is not right with Him, would do well to tremble & shake in His Presence, even as Nehemiah knew this God Who had the Power to consign all of Israel to destruction for their many sins. Even the Hebrews writer could state, "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God" ( Hebrews 10:31).
So the word we could use today instead of 'terrible' would be 'awesome', not as the world uses the word, but unto the Living God before Whom we would stand struck with awe in both His Power, but also His great Grace.
The proper translation of that Hebrew word is "being feared". In the ancient times the mighty people were being feard, because they were poweful and could do to other people anything they wished. As you said it actually shows the power of God, the almighty God. The Bible says that God is love but He also is a "consuming fire" (Hebr 12:29)
Sometimes, our present understanding of English words have changed as culture & word usage evolves. So here in this verse, Nehemiah describes the Almighty God as "great and terrible". In Hebrew, the word used for 'terrible' is 'yare', which means 'to take fright'. One might think, why should we be frightened or terrified of a God Who is merciful, kind & gracious? Though many Christians today hold only to such a view of God, we know from reading all the Scriptures, that God is also a God of Wrath & of Justice, all within His Glorious Holiness. So, in confronting such a God, anyone whose heart is not right with Him, would do well to tremble & shake in His Presence, even as Nehemiah knew this God Who had the Power to consign all of Israel to destruction for their many sins. Even the Hebrews writer could state, "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God" ( Hebrews 10:31).
So the word we could use today instead of 'terrible' would be 'awesome', not as the world uses the word, but unto the Living God before Whom we would stand struck with awe in both His Power, but also His great Grace.
The proper translation of that Hebrew word is "being feared". In the ancient times the mighty people were being feard, because they were poweful and could do to other people anything they wished. As you said it actually shows the power of God, the almighty God. The Bible says that God is love but He also is a "consuming fire" (Hebr 12:29)
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