Mankind has always been accustomed to the various titles available in the employment sector and even in religion. We go to college to earn our degree in order to gain a job with a nice salary and an important title. People have even gone as far as to request a bigger title rather than accepting a little more money on their paycheck.
Prestige, status, power, or in other words, feeling important, is something that many seek in this life. Some even go so far as to elevate man to the level of God. This should not be so. Regardless of a person’s educational level, we are human beings created by God in order to serve God (Gen. 2:7, Eph. 2:10).
So where does the term reverend come from? The word reverence is translated in the Hebrew as follows: Shachah: to bow down (as to royalty). (2 Sam. 9:6, I Kings 1:31) Bathsheba and Mephibosheth showed reverence to King David, but Jesus is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords (Rev. 19:6, I Tim. 6:14-15).
And in the Greek: Phobos: to fear (Eph. 5:21-33). A wife shows reverence to her husband. A husband and wife must first submit to God and should fear what God will do to them if they fail to uphold their commitment, trust, and respect for one another. Entrepo: to respect (Heb. 12: 9, 28). Our parents correct us and we give them reverence respect. How much more shall we respect and be in subjection to our Heavenly Father?
Just like in the business world, in the name of religion, men and women wear the title Reverend with man following who do not realize that this title was never meant for man.
The word reverend is used only ONE time in the King James Version of the Bible in Psalm 111:9 “He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant forever: holy and reverend is his name.” In other translations, the word awesome is used in place of reverend. The designation is still the same-it is in reference to God and not man.
So who is your “Reverend”?