S) " 20 Moses said to the people, 'Do not be afraid; for God has come in order to test you, and in order that the fear of Him may remain with you, so that you may not sin.'"
Exodus 20:20 (NASB)
O) There is an interesting conundrum of language in this verse. In order to get some clarification, we need to remember a little bit of context. This came just after the LORD imparted the Ten Commandments. He appeared in a thick cloud atop Mount Sinai, and spoke in a great thundering voice. The people were too afraid to approach, and wanted Moses to go alone and they promised to just obey him. Moses replied with the verse above, and the first thing I noticed is the difference between being afraid and having fear. Many other translations use the same word "fear" in the first and second lines of this verse, but there must be some other implication, and this seems to be a failing of language. The underlying message of his statement, seems to be that we are not supposed to be afraid for the sake of being afraid. These people were petrified, in the sense that their fears paralyzed them, held them hostage, and prevented them from accomplishing the will of God. They refused to approach God because they were afraid. The fear of God, however, will prevent people from sinning. The fear of Him will prompt action, not prevent action. The other significant impression I have from this verse, is that "being afraid" seems to be momentary and circumstantial, while "the fear of Him" seems to be more lasting and constant. They were tested so the fear of Him would remain, so they would not sin.
A) God desires change, maturity, growth in His children. I often pray for changes in my life, in my heart. One such prayer that has been frequent over the last year or so, is that I would learn to fear the LORD more. When I am considering the verse above, though, I wonder if there is a particular discipline that would help to this end. The verse says that God tested the people to produce fear of Him. In this context, God was making Himself known to them visually and audibly, and apparently measuring their reactions. In my own life, I don't expect God to test me in the same way, but perhaps there is still a test to take. By putting myself in a position to be confronted with the majesty of God, facing His power, acknowledging His great might and sovereignty, I will force myself to consider all of the reasons I should fear Him. It seems like it would be an easier test if He would simply appear to me in great power, but maybe part of my testing is the discipline of asking for the test. Maybe by seeking Him out in this way, that is part of passing the test.
P) Father, I want to be consumed by Your majesty, Lord. Open my eyes to see You more clearly, that I may fear You more rightly. Cause the fear of You to remain with me, in order that I may not sin, but also so that I can glorify You with my life more completely. Help me to teach my children to fear You rightly, that they also may not sin, and can glorify You with their lives. I want to be tested, Father God. I want to be disciplined in this area. Sign me up, Lord. I want to be disciplined, so that I may pass this test. Let Your sovereign will be done in my life, and on earth, as it is in heaven. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
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