Revelation 14:7 kjv
Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.
Revelation 14:7 nkjv
saying with a loud voice, "Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water."
Revelation 14:7 niv
He said in a loud voice, "Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water."
Revelation 14:7 esv
And he said with a loud voice, "Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come, and worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water."
Revelation 14:7 nlt
"Fear God," he shouted. "Give glory to him. For the time has come when he will sit as judge. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and all the springs of water."
Revelation 14 7 Cross References
Verse | Text | Reference |
---|---|---|
Deut 6:13 | "You shall fear the Lord your God and serve Him..." | Command to fear and serve God |
Ecc 12:13 | "Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man." | Fear of God is fundamental duty |
Ps 2:11 | "Serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling." | Fear of God as reverential service |
Prov 1:7 | "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge..." | Fear of God as source of wisdom |
1 Pet 2:17 | "Fear God. Honor the king." | Command to fear God and respect authority |
Ps 29:2 | "Ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name..." | Call to give God glory |
Is 42:8 | "I am the Lord; that is My name; My glory I will not give to another..." | God does not share His glory |
1 Cor 10:31 | "...whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." | Life dedicated to God's glory |
Rom 15:6 | "...that with one accord you may with one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." | Unified glorification of God |
Dan 7:9-10 | Depicts a judgment scene in heaven before the Second Advent. | Pre-advent judgment theme |
Eccl 3:17 | "God will judge the righteous and the wicked, for there is a time for every matter..." | Judgment for all |
Matt 25:31-32 | Jesus speaks of the Son of Man coming in glory to judge all nations. | Universal judgment |
Act 17:31 | "He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness..." | Appointed day of judgment |
Rev 11:18 | "...and the time came for the dead to be judged..." | Time of judgment mentioned in Revelation |
Gen 1:1 | "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth." | God as Creator of all things |
Exo 20:11 | "For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them..." | Fourth Commandment emphasis on Creation |
Ps 95:5 | "The sea is His, for He made it, and His hands formed the dry land." | God as Creator of sea and land |
Neh 9:6 | "You alone are the Lord. You made the heavens...the earth and all that is in it, the seas and all that is in them..." | Recognition of God as sole Creator |
Acts 14:15 | "...turn from these useless things to the living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them." | Worship Creator, not idols |
Jer 10:11-12 | Describes idols as worthless in contrast to the Creator God. | Contrast false gods with Creator |
Rom 1:25 | "...they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator..." | Warning against creature worship |
Rev 13:1-18 | Narrates the beast receiving worship, setting up a counterfeit. | Contrast with beast worship |
Revelation 14 verses
Revelation 14 7 Meaning
Revelation 14:7 presents the urgent, final message of an angelic being, proclaimed with a loud voice to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people. It commands humanity to "fear God and give glory to Him," because the "hour of His judgment has come." This call is immediately followed by an explicit directive to "worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water," establishing the Creator as the sole worthy object of worship. This verse stands as a climactic evangelistic summons amidst the final prophecies of Earth's history, highlighting reverence for God and His creative power as fundamental to genuine worship and readiness for His ultimate judgment.
Revelation 14 7 Context
Revelation 14:7 is the first of three distinct angel messages, immediately following the depiction of the Lamb with the 144,000 on Mount Zion. This chapter dramatically shifts from the conflict between the woman (God's true church) and the dragon (Satan), and the rise of the beast and false prophet (powers seeking universal worship for themselves) in Revelation 13. Chapter 14 introduces the "eternal gospel" (Rev 14:6) and portrays the final proclamation of God's truth to a world reeling from the beast's deceptions and oppressive rule. This specific verse delivers a global, urgent call for a clear choice: worship the Creator or worship the beast, aligning itself squarely against the forces that demand allegiance from humanity and prepare them for God's coming judgment. It represents a final invitation and warning before the harvest of the earth.
Revelation 14 7 Word analysis
And saying with a loud voice, "Fear God and give Him glory":
- And saying (καὶ λέγων - kai legōn): Connects this action directly to the previous verse (Rev 14:6), indicating the continuation of the angel's universal proclamation of the "eternal gospel." The message is inseparable from the gospel.
- with a loud voice (ἐν φωνῇ μεγάλῃ - en phōnē megalē): Signifies the urgency, importance, and public nature of the message. This is not a whisper but a powerful, inescapable declaration intended to capture universal attention and imply divine authority and cosmic significance.
- Fear God (Φοβήθητε τὸν Θεόν - Phobēthēte ton Theon): The Greek phobeō here means more than terror. It conveys reverence, awe, and submission to the Creator's supreme authority, acknowledging His power, holiness, and righteous judgment. It implies profound respect and obedient allegiance to Him above all earthly powers or false deities, directly contrasting the "fear" demanded by the beast.
- and give Him glory (καὶ δότε αὐτῷ δόξαν - kai dote autō doxan): This is a call to acknowledge God's inherent greatness, supreme authority, and righteous character. "Glory" (doxa) encompasses honor, praise, adoration, and acknowledging His perfect character and mighty deeds. It includes living in a way that reflects His attributes and purpose, confessing His truth, and actively worshiping Him alone. This opposes the glorification of man, idols, or worldly powers.
for the hour of His judgment has come;
- for (ὅτι - hoti): Introduces the reason or basis for the preceding commands (fear and give glory to God). The impending judgment serves as a powerful motivator.
- the hour of His judgment (ἡ ὥρα τῆς κρίσεως αὐτοῦ - hē hōra tēs kriseōs autou): Refers to a specific, appointed time. This is not a casual remark but a declaration of a definitive phase in divine history. "Judgment" (krisis) here encompasses investigation, vindication, and execution of divine justice. In Revelation, this judgment has multiple facets:
- It includes a pre-advent, investigative judgment determining who is worthy of salvation and whose names remain in the Book of Life.
- It also signals the condemnation of Babylon and those who have worshiped the beast.
- It signifies the ultimate resolution of the great controversy between good and evil, vindicating God’s character and His people.
and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.
- and worship Him (καὶ προσκυνήσατε αὐτόν - kai proskynēsate auton): A command to give supreme allegiance and adoration to God. Proskuneō literally means to prostrate oneself before another, symbolizing complete submission and homage. This command directly counters the demand to "worship the beast" and its image found throughout Revelation, identifying the true object of worship.
- who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water (τῷ ποιήσαντι τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν καὶ θάλασσαν καὶ πηγὰς ὑδάτων - tō poiēsanti ton ouranon kai tēn gēn kai thalassan kai pēgas hydatōn): This identifies the unique characteristic of God that distinguishes Him from all false gods and worldly powers – His role as Creator. This language directly echoes Genesis 1, Genesis 2:4, and the Fourth Commandment (Exo 20:11), which grounds the Sabbath rest in God's creative work. By specifically listing these elements of creation, the verse underscores God's sovereignty over all aspects of the universe and indirectly challenges pagan deities associated with nature or particular elements, and directly opposes the creature worship warned against in Rom 1:25. The worship is not based on philosophical constructs, but on the undeniable evidence of creation.
Words-group analysis:
- "Fear God and give Him glory": These two commands are intrinsically linked. True fear of God leads to a life that glorifies Him, not merely by spoken praise, but by obedient living and acknowledging His supreme authority in every aspect of life. This phrase is a concise summary of humankind's ultimate duty.
- "for the hour of His judgment has come": This clause provides the compelling urgency. The knowledge that God's cosmic judgment has begun demands a re-evaluation of allegiances and a turning towards Him. It frames the call to worship in the context of divine accountability.
- "worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water": This final command identifies the basis for true worship: God as the benevolent and powerful Creator. In the context of Revelation's conflict, this specific delineation of "heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water" also serves as an explicit counter-worship against the beast, whose power is given from the sea and earth, and challenges false worship based on human-made constructs or naturalistic idolatry. It points to a particular, divinely ordained sign of true worship that stands in contrast to the beast's counterfeit system.
Revelation 14 7 Bonus section
- The "eternal gospel" mentioned in Revelation 14:6, which precedes this verse, clarifies that this message to fear, glorify, and worship the Creator is the everlasting truth applicable to all ages, unadulterated by human traditions.
- This verse functions as a profound counter-polemic against all forms of idolatry and creature-worship prevalent throughout history and particularly emphasized in Revelation 13 (beast worship). By highlighting the Creator, it dismantles claims of sovereignty from any human-made power or earthly entity.
- The specificity of "heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water" reinforces the comprehensive nature of God's creative act and His sovereignty over every domain, leaving no part of existence outside His claim as worthy of worship.
- The context of this angel's message, followed by the fall of Babylon (Rev 14:8) and the warning against beast worship (Rev 14:9-11), underscores the binary choice presented to humanity: choose to worship the Creator and accept His judgment, or succumb to the deception of the beast, incurring God's wrath. This message serves as a final, urgent warning before the close of probation for humanity.
Revelation 14 7 Commentary
Revelation 14:7 is the pivotal call to humanity in the face of earth's final crisis, standing as the core of the "eternal gospel" proclaimed to every living soul. It delivers three interwoven messages: a summons to acknowledge God's supremacy through reverential awe and righteous living ("fear God and give Him glory"); an urgent declaration of the imminence and arrival of cosmic judgment ("for the hour of His judgment has come"); and a definitive call to place all worship and allegiance upon the true God, distinguishing Him as the Creator of all things ("worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water"). This command to worship the Creator is paramount, acting as the ultimate test of loyalty in a world pressured to worship the beast. It points directly back to God's authority as outlined in the creation account and the Fourth Commandment, providing the enduring basis for true worship amidst global deception.