The document discusses the concept of "fearing God" from Malachi 3:16. It argues that to fear God means to have faith in Jesus through understanding the prophecies, as the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. It provides multiple biblical examples to support this interpretation and show how having faith in God and his word results in righteousness and obedience, with the potential for believers to remain alive during end times events through their faith.

1. They That Fear The Lord

2. Key Text
Then they that feared the LORD spake
often one to another: and the LORD
hearkened, and heard it, and a book of
remembrance was written before him for
them that feared the LORD, and that
thought upon his name. (Malachi 3:16)

3. The Book
According to the text above it is when the
people who fear the Lord speak often one
with another that the book of
remembrance is written. This offers some
interesting challenges to us. As it becomes
vital for us to understand properly who are
the people that fear the Lord; thus we
need to know what it means to “fear God”.

4. Parallelism
Parallelism is the literary device in which one
passage of writing is explained or made clearer
by a similar passage.
The Webster’s dictionary of 1913 defines
parallelism on this wise: “Similarity of
construction or meaning of clauses placed side
by side, especially clauses expressing the same
sentiment with slight modifications, as is
common in Hebrew poetry.”

5. Line Upon Line
“Whom shall he teach knowledge? and
whom shall he make to understand
doctrine? them that are weaned from the
milk, and drawn from the breasts. For
precept must be upon precept, precept
upon precept; line upon line, line upon
line; here a little, and there a little:” (Isaiah
28:9-10)

6. The Scripture is Related
The Bible is not a book of independent books. The
Bible is a story with interrelated chapters and books
that continue the story from one place to the next.
Thus we are told:
“All scripture is given by inspiration of God,” “For
the prophecy came not in old time by the will of
man: but holy men of God spake as they were
moved by the Holy Ghost.” (2 Timothy 3:16) (2
Peter 1:21)

7. The Whole Duty
“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole
matter: Fear God, and keep his
commandments: for this is the whole duty of
man.” (Ecclesiastes 12:13)
The entire duty of many is covered in two
duties:
(1)fearing God and
(2)keeping His commandments.

8. The Saints
“Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that
keep the commandments of God, and the faith of
Jesus.” (Revelation 14:12).
Here we have presented that the saints are doing two
things:
(1) “keeping the commandments”
(2) “having the faith of Jesus.”
Here we recognize that “keep the commandments”
matches from the previous verse but “fear God” has
been replaced by “the faith of Jesus”.

9. The Remnant
“And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and
went to make war with the remnant of her seed,
which keep the commandments of God, and have
the testimony of Jesus Christ.” (Revelation 12:17).
Here we are presented with the entire scope of the
duties of the remnant church in two short phrases:
(1)Keep the Commandments of God
(2)Have the testimony of Jesus Christ

10. The Remnant
The fact that satan is wroth with them is
enough of an indication that these persons are
in fact doing “the whole duty of man”. In
comparison with Ecclesiastes 12:13 we
recognize that once more “keep the
commandments” matches again but here “fear
God” is replaced by “have the testimony of
Jesus Christ”.

11. Parallel Inference
After looking at three verses we have found that:
1. To “fear of God” and to “have the faith of Jesus”
are the same thing
2. To “fear God” and to “have the testimony of
Jesus Christ” are the same thing.
3. It then follows that “the faith of Jesus” is also
“the testimony of Jesus Christ”. (We will look at the
concept of the faith of Jesus further but before that
let us examine the testimony of Jesus).

12. The Testimony of Jesus
“And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said
unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant,
and of thy brethren that have the testimony of
Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the
spirit of prophecy.” (Revelation 19:10)
“Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am
thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets,
and of them which keep the sayings of this book:
worship God.” (Revelation 22:9).

13. The Spirit of Prophecy
Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on
high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto
men… And he gave … some, prophets (Ephesians
4:8, 11)
Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same
Spirit… But the manifestation of the Spirit is
given to every man to profit withal. For to one is
given by the Spirit … prophecy; (1 Corinthians
12:4-10 KJV)

14. Witnesses
Note that the brethren who are referred to as having
“the testimony of Jesus” are then referred to as “the
prophets”. Plainly those who have “the testimony of
Jesus” must possess “the Spirit of prophecy” as is
identified by Revelation 19:10; hence, according to
Revelation 22:9 all prophets have prophesied about
Christ.
Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have not I told thee
from that time, and have declared it? ye are even my
witnesses. Is there a God beside me? yea, there is no
God; I know not any. (Isaiah 44:8 KJV)

15. Faith
Of course this does give a very interesting
reading to Malachi 3:16, belief of the prophets is
fearing God; not only that, belief of the prophets
is “the faith of Jesus”. Notice Paul describing
Faith:
So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by
the word of God. (Romans 10:17)
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for,
the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1)

16. Trusting the Creation Account
Through faith we understand that the
worlds were framed by the word of God, so
that things which are seen were not made
of things which do appear. (Hebrews 11:3)
Of course the question becomes how do we
know that these things happened? By the
word of God as found in the Genesis
chapters 1 and 2.

17. Peter Describes Paul’s Writings
And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is
salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also
according to the wisdom given unto him hath
written unto you; As also in all his epistles,
speaking in them of these things; in which are
some things hard to be understood, which they
that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do
also the other scriptures, unto their own
destruction. (2 Peter 3:15-16) (Paul writings are
here compared with other scriptures)

18. Paul’s Writings
For this cause also thank we God without ceasing,
because, when ye received the word of God which
ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of
men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which
effectually worketh also in you that believe. (1
Thessalonians 2:13)
If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual,
let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto
you are the commandments of the Lord. (1
Corinthians 14:37 KJV)

19. Inspired Prophecy
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is
profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction,
for instruction in righteousness: That the man of
God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all
good works. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the
scripture is of any private interpretation. For the
prophecy came not in old time by the will of man:
but holy men of God spake as they were moved
by the Holy Ghost. (2 Peter 1:20-21)

20. The Effect of Faith
Knowing that a man is not justified by the works
of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even
we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might
be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the
works of the law: for by the works of the law
shall no flesh be justified. (Galatians 2:16)
Even the righteousness of God which is by faith
of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that
believe: for there is no difference: (Romans
3:22)

21. The Faith of Abraham
“For the promise, that he should be the heir of the
world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through
the law, but through the righteousness of faith.”
“Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace;
to the end the promise might be sure to all the
seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to
that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is
the father of us all” (Romans 4:13-16). Here we
have the fact that the faith of Abraham produced
righteousness.

22. Testimony Sanctifies
“Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye
have eternal life: and they are they which testify
of me.” (John 5:39). The scriptures testify of
Jesus. Said differently the scriptures are the
“testimony of Jesus”. This means the word of
God is the “testimony of Jesus.” John 17:17
reveals that through the word we can be
sanctified.

23. The Range of the Testimony
“And he said unto them, These are the words
which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you,
that all things must be fulfilled, which were
written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets,
and in the psalms, concerning me.” “Then opened
he their understanding, that they might
understand the scriptures, And said unto them,
Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to
suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day.”
(Luke 24:44-47)

24. Reliance on God’s Word
Faith=trust; which is complete reliance on a person
or thing:
“But without faith it is impossible to please him: for
he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and
that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek
him.” (Hebrews 11:6).
This means that without faith, which comes by
hearing the word of God (which is the testimony of
Jesus), we cannot please God.

25. Reliance on God’s Word
Jesus reveals:
“And he that sent me is with me: the Father
hath not left me alone; for I do always
those things that please him.” (John 8:29)
David reveals:
Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I
might not sin against thee. (Psalms 119:11
KJV)

26. Past Example
God … said unto him, Abraham: and he
said, Behold, here I am. And he said, Take
now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom
thou lovest, and get thee into the land of
Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt
offering upon one of the mountains which I
will tell thee of. (Genesis 22:1-2 KJV)

27. Past Example
And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took
the knife to slay his son. (Genesis 22:10 KJV)
And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad,
neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I
know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast
not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.
(Genesis 22:12 KJV)

28. Results
By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for
because thou hast done this thing, … That in
blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will
multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and
as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy
seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; And
in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be
blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.
(Genesis 22:16-18 KJV)

29. Results Explained
Was not Abraham our father justified by works,
when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and
by works was faith made perfect? And the scripture
was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God,
and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and
he was called the Friend of God. (James 2:21-23 KJV)
For the promise, that he should be the heir of the
world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through
the law, but through the righteousness of faith.
(Romans 4:13 KJV)

30. End Time Possibilities
“Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the
life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead,
yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and
believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?”
“And you hath he quickened, who were dead in
trespasses and sins;” “But he answered and said, It is
written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by
every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of
God.” (John 11:25-26) (Ephesians 2:1) (Matthew
4:4).

31. Shall not Sleep
Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not
all sleep, but we shall all be changed, (1
Corinthians 15:51 KJV)
Then we which are alive and remain shall
be caught up together with them in the
clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so
shall we ever be with the Lord. (1
Thessalonians 4:17 KJV)

32. Scripture Explained
Then they that feared the LORD [have the
faith of Jesus, have the testimony of Jesus
(understood the prophecies) and are alive in
Christ] spake often one to another: and the
LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book
of remembrance was written before him for
them that feared the LORD, and that
thought upon his name. (Malachi 3:16)