I was revisiting the 20th chapter of Exodus -- the giving of the 10 Commandments. If you recall, there was a big run-up to the event, with consecrations and purifications and rules about touching the border of the mountain and such. God was coming. So everyone gathered and the mountain was covered with smoke and there was thunder and the ground quaked and God Himself spoke to the people of Israel gathered to hear. So chapter 20 begins, "Then God spoke all these words, saying ..." and they got the famous 10 commandments straight from the mouth of God. When He finished, the people told Moses, "Speak to us yourself and we will listen; but let not God speak to us, or we will die" (Exo 20:19).
You and I have never been there. You and I have never stood in the presence of God in that form -- terrible and awful and so scary we couldn't tolerate it. All we have is this kind of thing -- the texts that tell us of it. So we are likely a little less clear than the people were who were too scared to let it continue. In fact, we're quite cavalier about coming into the presence of God.
Interestingly, while the people were too terrified to let it continue, Moses later asked for more (Exo 33:18). While the people of Israel retreated, Moses advanced. Because, as terrifying as the very real presence of God might be, actually being there is the place we were designed to be. So we -- modern believers -- might think that being in the presence of God is "cool" or "fun" or "a really great place to be," it is my suspicion that we, in fact, are inaccurate at either end. We neither comprehend the terror of the presence of God nor the rapture of the presence of God. Now, what did Jesus call that? Oh, yeah ... lukewarm. May it never be!
3 comments:
I so often hear people say that they're prepared to stand before YHWH and tell Him how he's wrong an dhow they aren't going to listen to Him at all. I would pay good money to get to see that.
It is events like that, and Isaiah in the temple, or Jesus calming the storm, that make me wonder how anyone could say we shouldn't fear the Lord, that it is only awe and amazement, but no fear. It tells me they don't have a true understanding of the holiness of God.
As it's crystal clear I've been nothing short of a total disappointment, my fear is justified. My hope then, is too, in Christ.
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