Exodus 19:20-21 (NASBStr)
The Lord came down on Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain; and the Lord called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up. Then the Lord spoke to Moses, “Go down, warn the people, so that they do not break through to the Lord to gaze, and many of them perish.
After all the miracles in Egypt, the Red Sea crossing, the mana, the water from the rock and the victory over the Amelekites, the nation of Israel and Moses finally came to "The Mountain." When God first talked to Moses in the burning bush it was at the foot of this mountain in Horeb. It would be known as THE mountain because of the incident above and where Moses would ascend and descend with the Ten Commandments. Smoke and fire would come from this mountain. The mountain would quake. It must have been a frightful experience. The Nation of Israel had seen much but now they had been brought to the very foot of God's Mountain. Notice the fear, the restrictions and the danger mentioned or alluded to in the above passage. This is a scary time. In fact, many of the times the Nation had encounters with God, it was scary. And, indeed, the beginning of Wisdom IS the FEAR of The Lord. However, this is not how God wants to be approached. It was necessary under the economy of the Nation, but not when He sent HIs Son to remove those barriers and fearful approach. In the above passage we are told to NOT break through to The Lord. Read the following, however:
Hebrews 10:19-22 (NASBStr)
A New and Living Way
Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
Before Christ Moses was told to "warn" the people to NOT break through to The Lord. After Easter the writer of Hebrews tells us to COME BOLDLY to the throne of grace. When Jesus was on the earth there was the story of the women who had a medical issue who came up and touched Jesus when He was walking through a crowd (Matthew 9:21). The disciples were amazed that Jesus knew in a crowd of people that someone had "touched" Him. But, she did and it healed her. Jesus came to this earth so that we might touch God. In Exodus they could not even look. In the New Testament we can touch Him and we are told to come in CONFIDENCE to Him, in FULL assurance. Our FEAR is not diminished as we still revere Him. But, He has made a way that we can come to God and we need to come in full faith of assurance Jesus has made a way for us. He broke down the restrictions and the barriers and the emotional fears. He is not on the mountain now ... He is in our hearts.
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