Skip to content
Translation
King James Version
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.
Ask
KJV (with Strong's)
Saying G3004 with G1722 a loud G3173 voice G5456, Fear G5399 God G2316, and G2532 give G1325 glory G1391 to him G846; for G3754 the hour G5610 of his G846 judgment G2920 is come G2064: and G2532 worship G4352 him that made G4160 heaven G3772, and G2532 earth G1093, and G2532 the sea G2281, and G2532 the fountains G4077 of waters G5204.
Ask
Complete Jewish Bible
In a loud voice he said,

“Fear God, give him glory,
for the hour has come when he will pass judgment!
Worship the One who made heaven and earth,
the sea and the springs of water!”
Ask
Berean Standard Bible
And he said in a loud voice, “Fear God and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come. Worship the One who made the heavens and the earth and the sea and the springs of waters.”
Ask
American Standard Version
and he saith with a great voice, Fear God, and give him glory; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made the heaven and the earth and sea and fountains of waters.
Ask
World English Bible Messianic
He said with a loud voice, “Fear the Lord, and give him glory; for the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and the springs of waters!”
Ask
Geneva Bible (1599)
Saying with a loude voyce, Feare God, and giue glory to him: for the houre of his iugdement is come: and woriship him that made heauen and earth, and the sea, and the fountaines of waters.
Ask
Young's Literal Translation
saying in a great voice, `Fear ye God, and give to Him glory, because come did the hour of His judgment, and bow ye before Him who did make the heaven, and the land, and sea, and fountains of waters.'
Ask

Study This Verse

SUMMARY

Revelation 14:7 presents a profound and urgent angelic proclamation to all inhabitants of the earth, serving as a climactic call to repentance, worship, and recognition of God's supreme authority in the unfolding drama of the end times. This message, delivered with a "loud voice," encapsulates the essence of the "everlasting gospel" by summoning humanity to revere the Creator, acknowledge the imminence of His judgment, and direct all worship exclusively to Him, thereby offering a stark alternative to the widespread idolatry and allegiance to the beast system described elsewhere in the book.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: Revelation 14:7 is the first of three pivotal angelic messages, immediately following the vision of the Lamb standing on Mount Zion with the 144,000 redeemed. This passage (Revelation 14:6-13) serves as a divine counter-proclamation to the pervasive worship of the beast and its image, described in previous chapters (e.g., Revelation 13). The "everlasting gospel" introduced in Revelation 14:6 sets the stage for this urgent call, emphasizing its universal and timeless relevance. The sequence of these angelic messages provides a final, urgent warning and invitation to humanity before the outpouring of God's wrath and the climactic events of the end.
  • Historical & Cultural Context: The Book of Revelation was written during a period of intense persecution for early Christians under the Roman Empire, likely during the reign of Emperor Domitian. The imperial cult, which demanded worship of the emperor as a deity, posed a direct challenge to Christian monotheism and their exclusive worship of God. In this context, the angel's command to "fear God" and "worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters" is a radical counter-cultural statement. It directly confronts the prevailing idolatry and the political pressure to conform, asserting the Creator's sole claim to worship over any earthly power or false god. The imagery of creation elements (heaven, earth, sea, waters) would resonate with common ancient Near Eastern cosmologies, emphasizing God's universal dominion.
  • Key Themes: This verse powerfully contributes to several overarching themes in Revelation and the broader biblical narrative. Firstly, it underscores the Sovereignty and Exclusivity of God's Worship, contrasting the Creator's rightful adoration with the false worship offered to the beast and its image, a central conflict in Revelation 13. Secondly, it highlights the Imminence and Justice of Divine Judgment, signaling that God's long-awaited reckoning is at hand, a theme consistently present from Revelation 6:10 onwards. This judgment is presented not merely as punitive, but as a vindication of God's righteousness and a call for humanity to align with His truth. Lastly, the emphasis on God as the Creator of All Things serves as a foundational theological assertion, echoing the primordial truths of Genesis 1:1 and establishing His ultimate authority over all creation, including humanity. This theme reinforces the call to worship Him alone, as He is the source of all life and existence.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • Fear (Greek, phobéō, G5399): While often associated with dread, in this context, phobéō primarily denotes profound reverence, awe, and respectful submission to God's majesty and authority. It is the kind of fear that leads to obedience and worship, acknowledging God's holiness and power, rather than a paralyzing terror. This "fear of the Lord" is consistently presented in scripture as the beginning of wisdom and true knowledge.
  • Give (Greek, dídōmi, G1325): This verb, used in a very wide application, here signifies the act of bestowing or rendering glory to God. It implies an active and intentional act of recognition and attribution of honor, praise, and worship to Him. It's not merely acknowledging His glory, but actively expressing it through one's life and actions.
  • Made (Greek, poiéō, G4160): This word carries the sense of "to make or do" in a very wide application, here specifically referring to God's creative act. By using poiéō, the text emphasizes God as the active agent who brought all things into existence. This highlights His unique status as the Creator, distinguishing Him from all created beings and false deities, and establishing His exclusive claim to worship.

Verse Breakdown

  • "Saying with a loud voice": This phrase emphasizes the urgency, universality, and undeniable authority of the message. The angelic messenger is not whispering a private warning but proclaiming a public, inescapable truth that demands attention from all who hear it. The "loud voice" signifies the gravity and importance of the declaration, ensuring it is heard across the entire earth.
  • "Fear God, and give glory to him": This is the core command of the angelic message. "Fear God" implies a deep reverence, awe, and submission to His sovereignty and holiness, acknowledging His rightful place as supreme. To "give glory to him" means to recognize and declare His inherent worth, majesty, and power, living in a way that honors His name and reflects His character. These two commands are intertwined, forming the foundation of true worship and right relationship with God.
  • "for the hour of his judgment is come": This clause provides the compelling rationale and urgency behind the preceding commands. The arrival of God's "judgment" signifies a decisive period of divine reckoning, justice, and vindication. This is not merely an abstract future event but an imminent reality that necessitates an immediate and decisive response from humanity. It underscores the accountability of all before the Creator.
  • "and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.": This final command specifies the exclusive object of true worship: the Creator God. By explicitly listing the major components of the created order—heaven, earth, sea, and sources of water—the angel emphasizes God's comprehensive sovereignty over all existence. This serves as a direct counterpoint to the worship of any created thing or false deity, including the beast, firmly establishing that only the One who brought all things into being is worthy of adoration and devotion.

Literary Devices

Revelation 14:7 employs several powerful literary devices to convey its urgent message. Imperative Mood is prominent, with direct commands ("Fear God," "give glory," "worship") demanding an immediate and decisive response from the audience. This reflects the non-negotiable nature of the divine call. Contrast is a key feature, as the call to worship the Creator stands in stark opposition to the worship of the beast and its image, which is a pervasive theme throughout Revelation. This highlights the fundamental choice humanity faces. Merism is effectively used in the phrase "heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters." By listing these distinct elements, the text comprehensively refers to the entirety of creation, emphasizing God's universal dominion and His exclusive right to worship as the one who made all things. Finally, the Symbolism of the "loud voice" underscores the universal reach and undeniable authority of the angelic proclamation, ensuring its message resonates globally.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

Revelation 14:7 encapsulates a foundational theological truth: the Creator God alone is worthy of worship. This message resonates deeply with the biblical emphasis on monotheism and the exclusive claim of Yahweh as the only true God, challenging all forms of idolatry. The call to "fear God" is not about terror, but about profound reverence and awe, acknowledging His absolute sovereignty, holiness, and justice. This reverential fear is the proper response to His divine majesty and the recognition of His impending judgment, which signals the culmination of His righteous rule over all creation. The verse powerfully connects God's identity as Creator with His right to receive worship, establishing a direct link between His creative power and His ultimate authority over all things and all people.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

Revelation 14:7 serves as a timeless and urgent call to every individual, transcending historical and cultural boundaries. It challenges us to examine the ultimate object of our worship and allegiance. In a world constantly vying for our devotion—be it through materialism, power, self-indulgence, or human ideologies—this verse firmly reasserts that only the Creator of all things is worthy of our complete reverence and adoration. Living in "fear of God" means cultivating a deep, abiding awe for His sovereignty, holiness, and justice, allowing this reverence to shape our decisions, priorities, and character. Furthermore, the declaration that "the hour of his judgment is come" should instill a profound sense of urgency, not of paralyzing dread, but of a compelling motivation to live righteously, to repent where necessary, and to share this "everlasting gospel" with a world that desperately needs to hear it before the final reckoning. It calls for a decisive choice: will we worship the Creator or the created?

Questions for Reflection

  • What does "fearing God" truly mean in your daily life, and how does it manifest in your actions and attitudes?
  • In what ways might you be tempted to give glory or worship to created things (e.g., career, possessions, relationships, self) rather than solely to the Creator?
  • How does the awareness of God's impending judgment influence your sense of urgency regarding personal holiness and sharing the gospel?
  • Considering God as the Creator of "heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters," how does this comprehensive understanding of His creative power deepen your worship?

FAQ

What does it mean to "fear God" in this context?

Answer: In Revelation 14:7, "fear God" (Greek: phobéō) does not primarily mean to be terrified of Him, but rather to hold Him in profound reverence, awe, and respect. It signifies acknowledging His supreme authority, holiness, and power, and submitting to His divine will. This fear is the proper response of a creature to its Creator, leading to obedience, worship, and a desire to please Him, rather than a paralyzing dread. It is the beginning of wisdom, as Proverbs 9:10 states, and a foundational aspect of true faith.

Why is the Creator specifically emphasized as the object of worship?

Answer: The emphasis on God as "him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters" serves several critical purposes. Firstly, it grounds the call to worship in God's unique identity as the ultimate source of all existence, distinguishing Him from all false gods, idols, and human constructs. This directly counters the pervasive idolatry of the beast system described in Revelation 13, which demands worship for a created entity. Secondly, it highlights God's absolute sovereignty and dominion over all creation, reinforcing His exclusive right to receive adoration. This echoes the creation account in Genesis 1 and reminds humanity of their place as created beings accountable to their Maker.

What is "the hour of his judgment" that is said to have "come"?

Answer: "The hour of his judgment is come" signifies that a decisive and definitive period of divine reckoning and justice is at hand. In the apocalyptic context of Revelation, this refers to the culmination of God's plan to bring justice to the earth, vindicate His people, and condemn those who have rejected Him and aligned with evil. This "hour" indicates not necessarily a literal 60-minute period, but a divinely appointed and urgent time for God's righteous rule to be fully manifested. It serves as a warning and a call to repentance, emphasizing that the opportunity to turn to God is limited before the final outpouring of His wrath, as depicted in later chapters like Revelation 19 and Revelation 20.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

Revelation 14:7, though delivered by an angel in the context of final judgment, finds its ultimate fulfillment and deepest meaning in Jesus Christ. He is the one through whom we truly "fear God" and "give glory to him," for it is in Christ that the perfect reverence and obedience to the Father are embodied. As the Son, Jesus perfectly glorified the Father in His life, death, and resurrection, demonstrating what it means to live in complete submission and honor to God (John 17:4). Furthermore, the call to worship "him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters" is profoundly Christ-centered, for the New Testament reveals that all things were created through and for Christ (Colossians 1:16). He is the active agent of creation, the very Word through whom all things came into being (John 1:3). Finally, "the hour of his judgment" that has come is inextricably linked to Christ, for all judgment has been committed to the Son (John 5:22). Thus, the angelic proclamation in Revelation 14:7 is not merely a call to general monotheism, but an implicit summons to worship the Triune God, whose creative power, ultimate authority, and final judgment are fully revealed and enacted in and through Jesus Christ, the Lamb who was slain and is worthy of all glory and honor (Revelation 5:12-13).

Copy as

Commentary on Revelation 14 verses 6–12

In this part of the chapter we have three angels or messengers sent from heaven to give notice of the fall of Babylon, and of those things that were antecedent and consequent to that great event.

I. The first angel was sent on an errand antecedent to it, and that was to preach the everlasting gospel, Rev 14:6, Rev 14:7. Observe, 1. The gospel is an everlasting gospel; it is so in its nature, and it will be so in its consequences. Though all flesh be grass, the word of the Lord endureth for ever. 2. It is a work fit for an angel to preach this everlasting gospel; such is the dignity, and such is the difficulty of that work! And yet we have this treasure in earthen vessels. 3. The everlasting gospel is of great concern to all the world; and, as it is the concern of all, it is very much to be desired that it should be made known to all, even to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people. 4. The gospel is the great means whereby men are brought to fear God, and to give glory to him. Natural religion is not sufficient to keep up the fear of God, nor to secure to him glory from men; it is the gospel that revives the fear of God, and retrieves his glory in the world. 5. When idolatry creeps into the churches of God, it is by the preaching of the gospel, attended by the power of the Holy Spirit, that men are turned from idols to serve the living God, as the Creator of the heaven, and the earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters, Rev 14:7. To worship any God besides him who created the world is idolatry.

II. The second angel follows the other, and proclaims the actual fall of Babylon. The preaching of the everlasting gospel had shaken the foundations of antichristianism in the world, and hastened its downfall. By Babylon is generally understood Rome, which was before called Sodom and Egypt, for wickedness and cruelty, and is now first called Babylon, for pride and idolatry. Observe, 1. What God has fore-ordained and foretold shall be done as certainly as if it were done already. 2. The greatness of the papal Babylon will not be able to prevent her fall, but will make it more dreadful and remarkable. 3. The wickedness of Babylon, in corrupting, debauching, and intoxicating the nations round about her, will make her fall just and will declare the righteousness of God in her utter ruin, Rev 14:8. Her crimes are recited as the just cause of her destruction.

III. A third angel follows the other two, and gives warning to all of that divine vengeance which would overtake all those that obstinately adhered to the antichristian interest after God had thus proclaimed its downfall, Rev 14:9, Rev 14:10. If after this (this threatening denounced against Babylon, and in part already executed) any should persist in their idolatry, professing subjection to the beast and promoting his cause, they must expect to drink deep of the wind of the wrath of God; they shall be for ever miserable in soul and body; Jesus Christ will inflict this punishment upon them, and the holy angels will behold it and approve of it. Idolatry, both pagan and papal, is a damning sin in its own nature, and will prove fatal to those who persist in it, after fair warning given by the word of Providence; those who refuse to come out of Babylon, when thus called, and resolve to partake of her sins, must receive of her plagues; and the guilt and ruin of such incorrigible idolaters will serve to set forth the excellency of the patience and obedience of the saints. These graces shall be rewarded with salvation and glory. When the treachery and rebellion of others shall be punished with everlasting destruction, then it will be said, to the honour of the faithful (Rev 14:12): Here is the patience of the saints; you have before seen their patience exercised, now you see it rewarded.

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 6–12. Public domain.
Copy as
Primasius of HadrumetumAD 560
COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 14:7
Although from the beginning of the Christian faith we have learned that the kingdom of heaven is said to be approaching, here, however, he proclaims that the hour of his judgment will come very soon and is virtually here already. And therefore he maintains that preaching of this kind must necessarily be made known to all people, as also the Lord said, “This gospel will be preached throughout the world, and then the end will come.” And to show that that moment of time takes place, when the adversity of the last persecution will draw near, he has rather added that the temporal power of the beast should best be regarded as insignificant and that the Lord rather be feared, whom every one of his creatures, whom he mentions, acknowledges to be eternal.
BedeAD 735
Commentary on Revelation
Fear God and give Him glory, etc. The more you look out for your salvation, he says, the more imminent the reward awaits you, which cannot be changed eternally, fearing the Lord, the creator of the world, and not the temporal tyranny of the beast.
OecumeniusAD 990
Commentary on Revelation
He says, because the hour of his judgment has come, he will render justice unlike anything even he who terrifies those on earth has done.

And worship him who made, he says, the one who made all creation, and not the deceitful and God-hating Devil.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
Copy as

Continue studying Revelation 14:7 across the web’s major study libraries — every link below opens this exact verse, chapter, or book on the destination site.

TrulyRandomVerse is not affiliated with these sites and doesn’t control their content. They’re linked because they’re genuinely useful.