The hands of the living God (Heb 10:31)

“It is a fearful thing

To fall

Into the hands

Of the living God.”

φοβερὸν τὸ ἐμπεσεῖν εἰς χεῖρας Θεοῦ ζῶντος.

This author said, “It is a fearful thing (φοβερὸν) to fall (τὸ ἐμπεσεῖν) into the hands (εἰς χεῖρας) of the living God (Θεοῦ ζῶντος).”  This author used a word that only appears here in this canonical Greek NT writing to the Hebrews, the word φοβερὸν, that means fearful, dreadful, or terrible.  He pointed out that it was not a good thing or something terrible or dreadful to fall into the hands of the living God.  The living God was the traditional Jewish way of speaking about God as opposed to the dead idol gods of other people.  The hand of God would deal out the worst kind of punishment.  Are you afraid of God?