Exodus 19, 20 ~ Can We Really Draw Near to God?
The dictionary defines “law” as: rules that a…community recognizes and may enforce by the imposition of penalties.
Simply put, once a law shows up, the penalty for breaking it does too. Where does that leave us in relationship to God?A law, with its accompanying penalty, creates a distance between the lawgiver and the one under the law because the consciousness of a broken rule drives a person away from the one who can penalize. Remember Adam and Eve? Commands don’t promote closeness. Decrees and rules result in distance.
The institution of the Law displays the distance that law brings between God, the lawgiver, and His people. Exodus 19 and 20 tell the story of the Israelites receiving the Law. In preparation for his descent onto Mt. Sinai, God gives Moses strict instructions to set boundaries around the mountain to keep the people safely at a distance. If this distance is not heeded the penalty is death. (Exodus 19: 12-13) Moses prepares the people, warns them of the danger, and sets up the prescribed boundaries. The glory of the Lord then descends on Mt. Sinai with fire, smoke, and thunder. However, before He speaks, before He institutes this historic Law, in the midst of this upheaval, with the mountain violently quaking, God puts everything on hold and calls Moses to the top of the mountain once again. Why? To reiterate the warning! (Exodus 19: 21) Moses assures Him that all the precautions have been taken and the separation is intact, but God is not satisfied. He instructs Moses to descend the mountain once more and again tell the people to keep their distance! It is only then that God speaks. Having established and ensured that there is indeed a distance between them, God then proceeds to audibly speak the Law…those ten fateful commandments.
You see, law creates distance, and this distance remains as long as a law is present. The Law created a separation between God and His people that lasted for thousands of years. However, a glorious day arrived when Jesus came, perfectly obeyed the Law, and forever eliminated the separation.
Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:19
So, whatever you do, don’t put yourself under any system of rules. It will only serve to recreate a distance between you and God…a separation Jesus paid a terrible price to eliminate. Don’t worry…because of what Jesus has accomplished, there’s no longer any need to keep your distance.
Next…
When the glory of God shows up…
photo credit: Anna Langova
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