The Fear of the Lord Frees Us to Draw Near to the Lord in Worship
FOCUS TEXT: Exodus 20:18–21
We’ve reached the final step in our journey through Ten Commandments: Law That Leads to Life. For months, we’ve stood with Israel at the base of Mount Sinai, hearing the God who rescues speak to His people. Now, in these last verses, the mountain still shakes, the sky still thunders, and Israel is confronted with the breathtaking holiness of God. Sinai is not about pushing God’s people away. It’s about awakening awe so they learn to come near the right way—through a Mediator—and with hearts shaped by reverence.
Truth #1: The Holiness of God Awakens Awe — Exodus 20:18 describes the moment with trembling detail: thunder, lightning, trumpet blasts, a quaking mountain, and smoke billowing like a furnace. This isn’t spectacle—it’s revelation. God is showing His people who He is: holy, glorious, incomparable. Israel reacts the way humans always do when God reveals His holiness. They pull back. They tremble. They stand at a distance, suddenly aware of the gap between divine holiness and human sinfulness. Awe is the right response. Reverence is the right response. This moment recalibrates the soul and reminds us that God is not tame, casual, or manageable. He is the God who shakes the earth—and He is worthy of worship. A faith without awe becomes shallow. A God without holiness becomes sentimental. Sinai wakes us up.
Truth #2: The Fear of the Lord Frees Us to Draw Near — When Israel steps back, Moses steps forward and says, “Do not fear… for God has come to test you, that the fear of Him may be before you, that you may not sin.” It sounds like a contradiction, but it isn’t. Moses is naming two kinds of fear: 1) A fear that pushes you away from God — the fear of shame, guilt, and judgment. 2) A fear that draws you near to God — the fear of reverence, awe, and surrender. Sin twists fear into avoidance. Holy fear turns fear into worship. The fear Moses calls for is not terror. It’s truth. It’s the deep awareness that God is God—and that His holiness is not a threat but a gift. This kind of fear steadies the soul, anchors our desires, and keeps us from running after lesser gods. The fear of the Lord is not the enemy of intimacy with God; it is the doorway into it.
Truth #3: Sin Distorts Fear and Drives Us Away from God — Sin always pushes the heart in the wrong direction. Israel steps back from the God who saved them and begs Moses to speak on their behalf. This is what sin does—it convinces us that nearness to God is dangerous instead of life-giving. The same reflex shows up today when shame keeps us from prayer, when guilt keeps us from Scripture, or when fear keeps us at a distance from community. Sin makes God look unsafe. It shrinks His holiness down to condemnation instead of seeing it as the kindness that leads us back. Sin distorts fear. But God, through His mediator, transforms fear into worship.
Truth #4: We Need a Mediator — And His Name Is Jesus — Israel’s instinct is right—they cannot stand before God on their own. So Moses steps forward, standing between God and the people. But Moses is only a shadow of what we truly need. Jesus is the true and better Mediator. He doesn’t just walk into the thick darkness—He enters the full darkness of judgment. He doesn’t just carry the law—He carries our sin. He doesn’t just give us God’s words—He is God’s Word. At Sinai the people stand far off. At the cross, Jesus draws near so He can bring us near. He absorbs the wrath we deserved so the holiness of God no longer destroys us—it transforms us. Now, through Christ, the God who shakes Sinai welcomes His children without fear.
QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER
Do I approach God casually—or with reverence and awe?
What kind of fear shapes my relationship with God—avoidance or adoration?
Where has sin distorted my view of God and pushed me away?
How is Jesus inviting me to draw near again through His mediation?
PRAYER OF RESPONSE: Holy God, awaken awe in us again. Keep the fear of the Lord before our eyes so that we may not sin. Draw us near through Jesus, our perfect Mediator. Teach us to worship You with reverence, joy, and confidence. Amen.
MEMORY VERSE: “Let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe.” Hebrews 12:28
