Exodus: Covenant Identity Exodus 20:18-21 May 10, 2020

A HEALTHY FEAR OF THE LORD Now when all the people saw the thunder and the flashes of lightning and the sound of the trumpet and the

mountain smoking, the people were afraid and trembled, and they stood far off and said to Moses, “You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, lest we die.” Moses said to the people, “Do not fear, for God has come to test you, that the fear of him may be before you, that you may not sin.” The people stood far off, while

Moses drew near to the thick darkness where God was. ~ Exodus 20:18-21

This sermon is the final one in this series, Passover to Sinai, on Exodus 12:43-20:21. We will return to the book of Exodus in January 2021 to take a closer look at the commandments in Exodus 20-24.

The Covenant Presence of God Exodus 20:18-21 brings us back to the context in which Israel first received the Ten Commandments. Israel was camped around Mt. Sinai and God had come to meet them. They did not see him directly, seeing instead darkness, thunder, lightning, smoke, and the sound of a trumpet. They did hear him speak.

It is interesting to note that when the LORD had previously come to Abraham to speak the promises of the covenant there were some similar effects on display, albeit more subdued. Genesis 15:17-18 tells us about that encounter with Abraham, saying, “When the sun had gone down and it was dark, behold, a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch passed between these pieces [of the sacrificed animals]. On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram.” God came to Abraham in smoke and fire to give him the promises of the covenant. God covenanted with Abraham that he would make him the father of a son and of many descendants (Genesis 15:3-5), that though his descendants would sojourn in a foreign land (Egypt) he would deliver them (Genesis 15:13-14), and that he would give them the land of Canaan for their own possession (Genesis 15:18-21). At Sinai, God came again in smoke and fire in order to give Abraham’s descendants the covenant terms that they were to keep in order that they would remain the LORD’s treasured possession, a holy nation, and a kingdom of priests (Exodus 19:5-6; Deuteronomy 4:12-14) in the land that God was giving to them. The terms of the covenant that they were to keep were the Ten Commandments, spoken to them by God (Exodus 20:1) and eventually written upon stone tablets (Exodus 32:15; 34:29).

As Christians, we are in covenant with God through Jesus Christ and the Spirit, by whom the law has been written upon our hearts (Jeremiah 31:31-34). The LORD veiled himself in darkness, smoke, and flashes of lightning at Sinai, but in our days he has displayed his glory to us in the person of Jesus. As Israel journeyed to Mt. Sinai to meet with the LORD, we have come to the heavenly Mt. Zion by faith in Christ that we might worship and obey God in reverence and in awe, together with the holy angels and the righteous dead who have gone before us (Hebrews 12:18-29).

The Holiness of God There is a sign on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon that tells the story of Margaret Bradley, a 24 year old woman who ran the Boston Marathon in just over three hours. She died in the canyon from dehydration because

Exodus: Covenant Identity Exodus 20:18-21 May 10, 2020

she did not take the proper precautions. The sign is a warning that though the canyon is beautiful and amazing to behold, it is also dangerous. Even fit hikers need to approach it with respect and reverence. God is infinitely more amazing than the Grand Canyon. He is also gracious and kind, abounding in steadfast love for his people. Even so, he is dangerous if approached irreverently or recklessly. The LORD came to Mt. Sinai in order to give Israel the terms of the covenant. In doing so, he displayed himself in such a way that his holiness was marvelously revealed to them. He had forewarned them not to approach the mountain, to set up a barrier even. Then he gave them the Ten Commandments as a way of telling them about his holiness and the derived holiness of his people. The Ten functioned as a type of moral and spiritual barrier around God and people to instruct the Israelites in holy worship and living. It was not that Israel was being told to stay away from God and from one another. Rather, they were being shown the holiness of the LORD. They were called to love him and one another in respect of that holiness. The smoke and thunder and lightning display would not always be with them but the Ten Commandments would, along with this narrative in God’s Word, to serve as the reminder of his holiness that they might believe him forever (Exodus 19:9).

The Role of Fear in Our Relationship with God How did Israel respond? They were afraid and trembled and stood far off (v. 18). They did not want to hear directly from God anymore. They told Moses to always be their mediator (v. 19). Their emotional response was understandable, given their unrighteousness and God’s perfect holiness. Isaiah would later show us just how serious it is to come into the presence of God in all his holiness (Isaiah 6:1-5). Still, Moses told them, “Do not fear, for God has come to test you, that the fear of him may be before you, that you may not sin” (v. 20). Remember, the smoke and lightning and other displays of God’s glory did not indicate that the LORD had come in judgment but rather in order to further establish the covenant. So, they did not need to fear him as having come to destroy them but they did need to have a healthy “fear of him” moving forward so that they would rightly worship and obey him. Recognizing their need for a mediator in the person of Moses was actually a good start according to God (Deuteronomy 5:28-29). If only they had always feared him as they did on that day at Mt. Sinai. They did not. Pondering this occasion, the author of Hebrews writes to us as followers of Christ, “See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if [the Israelites] did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven” (Hebrews 12:25). We have received a better word - the Gospel - from the better mediator - Jesus. Far be it from us to do anything less than rightly fear the LORD with gratitude in our hearts for the unshakeable kingdom he has given to us in Christ. Far be it from us to strive for anything short of giving him the worship and obedience of which he is so worthy.

Discussion and Application 1. If we are in Christ by grace through faith should we fear God? 2. Discuss ways in which we can have an unhealthy fear of God. What are the results of such unhealthy fear?3. Discuss the reasons we can live before God now and eventually come before him in heaven with great

assurance. 4. Discuss ways in which we can live out a healthy fear of the LORD. What are the blessings of this good fear?