SCRIPTURE: Exodus 19
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed him. Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. [Matthew 4:25-5:1] In both passages, God reveals Himself on the mountain to the gathered crowds. But what a difference? there any connection between these two mountainside events?
What is God like? We intuitively sense that God is greater than our minds can fathom. But we also tend to reduce God into something we can relate to with our senses and minds. Idols are but projections of the human mind.
In Exodus, as God establishes a new people, He impresses on them His glory and majesty. A mountain bathed in smoke, fire, thunder, lightning, and the trumpet blast. They were afraid, and rightly so. But God’s desire is not to keep people in cowering fear. Though the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (i.e. it’s necessary to know and respect God as God, and not reduce Him to our level), it is not the goal. The goal is love, to relate to God personally, positively. God carries His people on eagles wings to Himself, and makes them His treasured possession, His much-loved children.
The ultimate revelation of God is not these frightening signs, but the person of Jesus Christ. God reveals Himself in human form to convey His heart. In Jesus, sitting on the mountainside, we see God. No thunder, lightning, smoke, fire or trumpet. Though the meaning behind these frightening signs are still true (on another mountain, Jesus is seen in His blinding glory, Matthew 17:1-8), these are set aside and in their place we see Jesus, the fullness of God in human form.
God wants to relate to us in loving, personal ways. As we see in Genesis 3:8, God wants to walk with us in His garden. Jesus is the ultimate revelation of God, the primary way that we should relate to Him. He could show Himself with all the frightening signs (and on judgment day, He will, Revelation 19:11-16), but the goal is not to fear Him, but to love Him ‘with deepest, tenderest fears’ (from the hymn, ‘My God, How Wonderful You Are’).
PRAYER:
Lord, help me to know You as my God and my Father, my Brother and my Friend. Help me to love You with deepest, tenderest fears.
Emmanuel. God with us. God tells His people that they are special and the people responded that they would do everything God commanded. he had carried them on eagles wings from the land of Egypt. He was the wind beneath their wings. During the exodus they had seen His presence by the fire and the cloud. Now once again they are reminded of His almighty presence. God is renewing His promises to His special people.
His people today are still His treasured possession and He still carries them on eagle’s wings. As His people then saw and experienced His presence, how do I experience Emmanuel today? I too have His promise – that He is my God and I am part of His people. As I ‘approach’ Him today with my devotions, prayers, and the meeting with Him among His people gathered there, help me to sense the awesomeness of You, Lord, in my living for You always. Help me daily to sense and see Your presence for You are my God.
You are my strength when I am weak,
You are the treasure that I seek,
You are my all in all.
Seeking You as a precious jewel,
Lord to give up I’d be a fool,
You are my all in all.
Jesus, Lamb of God – worthy is Your name.
Jesus, Lamb of God – worthy is Your name.
Taking my sin, my cross, my shame,
Rising again, I bless Your name,
You are my all in all.
When I fall down, You pick me up,
When I am dry You fill my cup,
You are my all in all.