Trembling at the Word of God


Trembling-at-the-Word-of-GodTREMBLING AT THE WORD OF GOD
by: Dr. Bob Gray Sr.

Ezra 9:4, “Then were assembled unto me every one that trembled at the words of the God of Israel, because of the transgression of those that had been carried away; and I sat astonied until the evening sacrifice.”

Ezra 10:3, “Now therefore let us make a covenant with our God to put away all the wives, and such as are born of them, according to the counsel of my lord, and of those that tremble at the commandment of our God; and let it be done according to the law.”

 

 

Isaiah 66:2, “For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite sprit, and trembleth at my word.”

Isaiah 66:5, “Hear the word of the LORD, ye that tremble at his word; Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name’s sake, said, Let the LORD be glorified: but he shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed.”

All four of these Scriptures have something in common for they all deal with the trembling at the Word of God. The word “tremble” is often used in the Bible. Let me give you some synonyms for the word “tremble.”

  •  Shaken
  •  Terrified
  •  Quake
  •  Afraid
  •  Frightened
  •  Kindled
  •  Startled

All of these are synonyms are for the word “tremble.” The Bible says twice in the book of Ezra they trembled at the words of God. In Isaiah chapter 66 it says twice that they trembled at the words of God. The word “tremble” comes from a word that means a “burning sensation.” In Luke 24:32 the Emmaus disciples said about being with Jesus, “Did not our hearts burn.” One may tremble with excitement, with anger, with fear, and with surprise all relating to a “burning sensation.”

Exodus 19:18 there was the quaking on Mount Sinai when Moses went to the mount and the word “quaking” is used and is akin to the word “tremble.” When Isaac heard that Jacob had deceived him, a root word for “tremble” in Genesis 27:33 is used.

Adonijah, David’s son, who thought he should be king, by the way David’s three boys had died, and he was the fourth oldest, thought by rights he should have been king. However, David chose Solomon to be king. When Adonijah and his guests discovered that Solomon would be king, the word that is used is akin to “tremble.”

 

 

An army that was in terror in Judges 8:12 the root word for “tremble” is used to describe them. Joseph’s brothers when they found out that Joseph was still alive when they went to Egypt, the same root word for “tremble” is used. When Israel went into captivity and God punished them and sent them into captivity, the response to that captivity was that they “trembled.”

Concerning the unprepared when Jesus comes again the word for “tremble” is used. When Daniel’s companions heard about a certain vision, the word for “tremble” is used once again. The Bible says at the downfall of Tyre the nations “trembled.” When Potiphar heard the accusations that Joseph had supposedly seduced his wife he was angry, and the root word used is the word “tremble.”

God’s feeling over Israel’s murmuring and complaining is described by this root word of “tremble” or a burning sensation if you please. God is upset! When the Bible came into the presence of a king their feeling was a feeling like this word “tremble.” When Eli heard that the Philistines took the Ark of the Covenant, the word used to describe his feeling was “tremble.”

In Luke 24, this burning sensation of trembling is connected with the Word of God. Every verse we covered tells about somebody who trembled at the Word of God.

MAN SHOULD TREMBLE AT THE READING OF THE WORD OF GOD.

This is no way does not mean man is to be frightened about the Word of God, but there should be a burning sensation. In Jeremiah 20:9 Jeremiah decided to quit the ministry, and did quit the ministry, but the Bible says the Word of God was like a fire in his bones and that is the same burning the word “tremble” represents.

Dr. Tom Malone was asked about how long he would read the Scriptures, and he would always reply, “I read the Bible until my heart burns.” He would read it until God spoke to him. This certainly is convicting!

How long has it been seen the Word of God brought a burning sensation and God spoke to you?

  •  How long has it been since Psalm 91:1 burned in your heart? “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most high shall abide under the shadow of the almighty.”
  •  How long has it been since John chapter 14 spoke to you? “Let not your heart be trouble ye believe in God believe also in me. In my fathers house are many mansions if it were not so I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you and if I go to prepare a place for you I will come again.”
  •  How long has it been since Revelation 20:2 spoke to you? “And I John saw the holy city coming down from God out of heaven prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.”
  •  How long has it been since Romans 8:28 spoke to you? “We know that all things work together for good for them that love God for them that are called according to his purpose.”
  •  How long has it been since you have read Philippians 4:19 and your heart burned? “My God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Jesus Christ.”

  •  How long has it been since your heart burned when you read Romans 8:37, “For we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.”
  •  How long has it been since Isaiah 54:17 spoke to your heart when you read it? “No weapon that is formed against shall prosper.”

How long has it been since you were alone with the Bible and your heart burned on the inside as you read the Bible? We beg for revival, and yet are not excited about the very words of God! There will never be revival until God’s people tremble with a burning sensation, thrill, become excited, or the heart pounding with anticipation about God speaking through his words.

MAN SHOULD TREMBLE AT THE PREACHING OF THE WORD OF GOD.

This should not only occur at the reading of the Word of God, but also at the preaching of the Word of God. When the resurrected Christ walked on the road to Emmaus with the Emmaus disciples, they talked and Jesus asked them what was wrong? They said we trusted the Messiah and He has been crucified and now He is dead. Jesus began speaking and started at the prophets and preached to them and revealed Himself to them, and they said truly our hearts did burn within us.

I have always loved the preaching of the Word of God. I love to hear It and I love to do it! I have been preaching the Word of God for 38 years and I always ask God to speak to the hearts of the people to whom I am speaking. I desire for something to happen on the inside of the congregation as I preach. I want there to be an excitement, anticipation, and a burning because of the preaching of the Word of God or trembling if you will at the very words of God.

I preached at the Longview Baptist Temple, Longview, Texas, one Sunday night on “FOLLY IN ISRAEL” and I preached on the subject of vows. I preached about God’s people stealing God’s money. At the invitation time one of our members Jack Rickman walked the aisle with many others to the altar. He motioned for me and I went to him at the altar and he handed me $2,000 cash. He said this is God’s money and I was going to buy a car with it! I cannot go on without making this right. I have been stealing from God! He had that money in his pocket to go buy a car, but because of the preaching of the Word of God his heart began to burn!

MAN OUGHT TO TREMBLE AT THE COMMANDMENTS OF THE WORD OF GOD.

Man should look at Sodom and tremble because of sodomy! Man should look at the Word of God at how Sodom was destroyed and tremble. Man should look at the Word of God and see how God poured out fire and brimstone on the wicked city of Sodom because of their sin of sodomy. Man should look at it and fear.

Man should look at Ananias and Sapphira and tremble those who steal God’s money. Look at Achan and tremble those who take what belongs to God. Look at Noah and tremble drunkards. Look at Absalom and tremble disloyal traitors. Look at Lot and tremble mercenaries. Look at Cain and tremble liberals. Look at Balaam and tremble new Evangelicals and pseudo-fundamentalist. Look at Esau and tremble carnal Christians. Look at Naomi and Elimelech and tremble you who leave the will of God and move your family for money.

 

Look at Jacob and tremble you who deceive. Look at Korah and tremble you who rebel. Look at the prodigal and tremble despisers of parents and disobeyers of parents. Look at Judas Iscariot and tremble you who are money hungry. Look at Demas and tremble you who are worldly. Look at Solomon and tremble womanizer. Look at David and tremble lustful men. Look at Bathsheba and tremble immodestly dressed women.

Look at King Saul and tremble proud people. Look at John Mark and tremble quitter. Look at Rehoboam and tremble you who fail to follow the advice of your elders and their experience. Look at Ephraim at tremble you who turn back in the day of battle.

The God of Sodom is still alive today, and then to keep on pushing sodomy, one of these days God will suddenly bring judgment. The God Who caused the flood to cover the Earth is still alive today. The God Who smote Ananias and Sapphira is still alive today. The God Who caused Korah and his family to be stoned to death is still alive today. The God of judgment is still alive today, then man ought to tremble. Look at Lot and tremble those involved in incest.

Look at Jezebel and tremble bossy wives. Look at Ahab and tremble hen-pecked husbands.  Look at what God did to Ahab, that same God is alive today. Look at Jezebel and Ahab and look at their blood being shed because of their wicked sin. That same God of judgment is still alive today. The God Who reigned fire and brimstone down on Sodom is alive today. Hey take time and read the Word of God and tremble.

Look at Jehoshaphat you who are Ecumenical and tremble. Look at Pilate and tremble you who are compromisers. Look at Lot’s wife and tremble those of you who look back to the world. Look at Tyre, Sidon, Chorazin, Bethsaida, Gomorrah, Laodicea, and Thyatira and other cities that reject God. San Francisco should look at Sodom.

Look and tremble John MacArthur as you make light of the blood of Jesus Christ. Look and tremble Hugh Heffner as you face God with the moral blood of a nation on your hands. Look and tremble Kennedy family as you answer to God for the broken homes, bones, hearts, and lives caused by your families’ liquor empire. Look and tremble Arnold Swartznegger as you led men to admire your body while your movies destroy their souls.

Look at tremble Ted Turner as you make fun of Jesus Christ. Look and tremble Madonna as you ruin the morality of young people. Look and tremble Oprah as you call Jesus Christ an egomaniac. Look and tremble Donald Trump as you glorify gambling.

Look and tremble state legislature with your legalization of gambling, lotteries, and riverboat gambling. Look and tremble athletes and sports franchises that help destroy the Lord’s Day. Look and tremble Supreme Court for taking God out of the public schools. Look and tremble Bible publishers for changing, adding to, and subtracting from God’s Word for the almighty buck.

 

Look and tremble doctors for your vicious murdering and dismembering of innocent babies in the womb of mothers.

  •  Man should tremble at the reading of the Word of God.
  •  Man should tremble at the preaching of the Word of God.
  •  Man should tremble at the commandments of the Word of God.

Man has just about put out of his mind that God is the God of judgment as well as love. America is without excuse, but God’s people are held accountable. 2 Chronicles 7:14 places the responsibility on God’s people when God said, “If God’s people…” not the world. If God’s people will tremble at the reading, preaching, and the commandments of God, then it would infuse a spirit of necessity to reach the world with the Gospel.

MAN SHOULD TEMBLE AT THE CHANGING OF THE WORD OF GOD.

When I realize that we have those who call themselves fundamentalists using only the King James Bible without believing that the King James Bible they use is inspired it infuriates me. However, more than that it scares me.

I burn, or tremble, on the inside when I read the Bible, hear the Bible preached, and read its commandments. However, I also burn at the changing of the words of God.

Do you pseudo-fundamentalists know that the Jehovah Witnesses’ Bible is exactly like the NIV, and that the RSV changes “behold a virgin shall conceive” to “behold a young woman shall conceive”? If, my friend, that does not burn you up you are not a sold out Christian!

Revised Standard Version takes Colossians 1:14, “In whom we have redemption through his blood” and they leave out “through his blood” and that burns me up! Acts 8:37, “And Philip said if thou believest with all thine heart thou mayest” is left out of the RSV and that burns me up! Matthew 1:16, “And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary of whom Jesus was born.” Nowhere does it mention Joseph as being the father. In the footnotes of the New English Bible it says, “Joseph to whom Mary a virgin was betrothed was the father of Jesus” and that burns me up! My Bible says before they came together she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.

Every child of God ought to tremble and burn on the inside over the attempts to change the Word of God.

Luke 2:33 says, “Joseph and his mother marveled at those things which were spoken of him” while the NASV says, “His father and his mother.” Joseph is no more the father of Jesus than I, and the changing of the Word of God burns me up.

In Acts 16:31 the word “Christ” is left out of the NASV. The word “Christ” is left out of Romans 1:16, 1 Corinthians 9:1, and Ephesians 3:14. The words “through his blood” are left out of Colossians 1:14. It is so bad that the theologian who wrote the introduction to the NASV asked that his name be removed.

There are 50,000 changes from the King James Bible and New King James Bible. They claim to make reading easier for the reader and more understandable. In Daniel 3:12 they took the word “governor” and changed it to say, “traps.” Oh yes, that is easier for the reader! Ha! They took the word “figure” from 1 Peter 3:21 and changed it to “antitype.” Much easier? I don’t think so! The NKJB omits the word “Lord” 66 times, “God” 51 times, “heaven” 50 times, “Jehovah” is taken out, “new testament” is taken out, and the word “damnation” is taken out.

 

Matthew 17:21, “Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting” is left out of the NIV. Matthew 18:11 says, “the Son of man is come to save that which was lost” is omitted. Mark 7:26 says, “But if you do not forgive neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses” is omitted. Mark 9:44 says, “Where the worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched” is omitted. Mark 9:46 says, “But the worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched” is omitted. Mark 15:28, “And the scripture was fulfilled, which sayeth he was numbered among the transgressions” is also omitted.

Luke 17:26, “Two men shall be in the field one shall be taken and the other left” is omitted. Romans 16:24 says, “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all” is omitted, and 150 other scriptures with significant portions are missing, and that burns me up! 69 times the names of our Lord God are omitted from the New Testament alone.

The New International Version was copyrighted by Zondervan Publishers, which means only a limited number of verses can be duplicated or even memorized. In 1966 Rupert Murdock bought Zondervan. He is the owner of Fox and a pornography paper in England among other questionable things. Ladies and gentlemen it is all about money.

Bob Gray Sr.
Pastor Emeritus
Longview Baptist Temple
Longview, TX
http://solvechurchproblems.com