“For you have not come to what may be touched, a blazing fire and darkness and gloom and a tempest and the sound of a trumpet and a voice whose words made the hearers beg that no further messages be spoken to them. For they could not endure the order that was given, “If even a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned.” Indeed, so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, “I tremble with fear.” But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering,...for our God is a consuming fire. ” (Heb 12:18-22,29 ESV)
Do you fear God? Is God awesome to you? Our selection from Hebrews for this morning speaks of two mountains--Mount Sinai, and Mount Zion. Each of symbolic of a spiritual truth. Each are symbolic of a part of the nature of God.
When God gave the law on Mt. Sinai, it was a time of fear. There was shaking, thunder, lightning, and smoke. The experience was designed to strike terror in the hearts of the children of Israel. It was designed to produce in them an awe of the Holy God of the Universe!
But the writer says that we are no longer at that mountain. We are no longer at the fearful mountain where the law was given, We are at Mount Zion, the mountain of grace. To be sure there are angels present just like there were at Mount Sinai. But this time it is not a fearful thing but a festive time. This time it is not the blood of animals that is being shed, but the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ that has been shed! It is not a time of shrinking back in fear, but a time of celebration of the intimacy that only the assembly of the firstborn can enjoy!
What a privilege is ours, the privilege of calling this awesome fear inspiring God our Daddy! But we must always remember the same God that we call "Abba Father" is the God of Mount Sinai. When we remember that this God is an awesome, Holy, all powerful God, it enhances our enjoyment of the fact that He has called us His own, and we have an intimate relationship with Him.
“Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe,” (Heb 12:28 ESV)
2 comments:
Good Stuff!
You said:
What a privilege is ours, the privilege of calling this awesome fear inspiring God our Daddy! But we must always remember the same God that we call "Abba Father" is the God of Mount Sinai. When we remember that this God is an awesome, Holy, all powerful God, it enhances our enjoyment of the fact that He has called us His own, and we have an intimate relationship with Him.
If that does not light your fire then you wood is wet! Fact is, That even lights wet wood.
Great thought!
David
I really enjoyed this post! I needed those questions to ask of myself about fearing God. I love the part about the mountains and where we stand today! That's awesome! Thanks for this post! I love you!!!
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