Deuteronomy 5:23-33
The People Afraid of God’s Presence (Exodus 20:18–21)
23 “So it was, when you heard the voice from the midst of the darkness, while the mountain was burning with fire, that you came near to me, all the heads of your tribes and your elders. 24 And you said: ‘Surely the LORD our God has shown us His glory and His greatness, and we have heard His voice from the midst of the fire. We have seen this day that God speaks with man; yet he still lives. 25 Now therefore, why should we die? For this great fire will consume us; if we hear the voice of the LORD our God anymore, then we shall die. 26 For who is there of all flesh who has heard the voice of the living God speaking from the midst of the fire, as we have, and lived? 27 You go near and hear all that the LORD our God may say, and tell us all that the LORD our God says to you, and we will hear and do it.’
28 “Then the LORD heard the voice of your words when you spoke to me, and the LORD said to me: ‘I have heard the voice of the words of this people which they have spoken to you. They are right in all that they have spoken. 29 Oh, that they had such a heart in them that they would fear Me and always keep all My commandments, that it might be well with them and with their children forever! 30 Go and say to them, “Return to your tents.” 31 But as for you, stand here by Me, and I will speak to you all the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments which you shall teach them, that they may observe them in the land which I am giving them to possess.’
32 “Therefore you shall be careful to do as the LORD your God has commanded you; you shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left. 33 You shall walk in all the ways which the LORD your God has commanded you, that you may live and that it may be well with you, and that you may prolong your days in the land which you shall possess.
When the people were confronted with the presence of God Almighty, they saw the consuming fire (Deuteronomy 4:24, 9:3) they feared as they saw His glory and greatness and feared death as a result. We are reminded in Hebrews 12:28-29 not to fear losing our eternal lives or the hope of an eternal kingdom guaranteed by grace by the Almighty Sovereign God, but to rest in His work of salvation that promises us the unshakable kingdom so we can serve and worship Him with awe and godly reverential fear. We can hear His voice and one day see His face (Revelation 22:3-4) and live! The people of Israel did not yet comprehend that relationship with God and truly feared annihilation for gazing on Him and hearing His voice thundering from the blazing mountain where the Law of Commandments was issued. They sent Moses to face the God they could not as their mediator to listen and tell them what God said. We now have the Lord Jesus Christ to tell us His words as written by the apostles and by the Spirit who lives in us to give us understanding as we stand in this unshakable and immovable kingdom now and beyond death that we all face one day. May we, like the people of God gone before us, also have a heart to fear and revere the Lord God to the point where we strive to keep His unburdensome (Micah 6:8, Matthew 11:29-30, 1 John 5:3-4) commandments. This is how things go well for our souls and sometimes in our lives as well in adverse circumstances. We similarly go to our tents to listen to the commandments of God’s word delivered to us through Moses and the prophets that speak of Christ (Luke 24:26-27, 31-32) and His work of redemption and illumination of the glory of God in His grace to us in Him. We are also called to love and teach these words as we walk the narrow road according to the Bible that it “may be well with you, and that you may prolong your days in the land which you shall possess.” We are to possess the heavenly country to come and yearn for that day as we journey along life narrow way in willing obedience to the word we receive and follow as pleasing (2 Corinthians 5:9-10, Colossians 1:10, Hebrews 13:20-21, 1 John 3:21, 22-23) children. We do not fear judgment in God’s presence because we have been accepted (Ephesians 1:6) in the Beloved. Let us draw near in full assurance (Hebrews 10:22-23) without wavering doubts of those trying to mislead us (2 Peter 3:16-17) as we continue in the faith of the faithful one given us to be willing and able to obey. His fearful presence is now our hope.
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