EXODUS 19
16 On the morning of the third day there were thunders and lightnings and a thick cloud on the mountain and a very loud trumpet blast, so that all the people in the camp trembled. 17 Then Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they took their stand at the foot of the mountain. 18 Now Mount Sinai was wrapped in smoke because the Lord had descended on it in fire. The smoke of it went up like the smoke of a kiln, and the whole mountain trembled greatly. 19 And as the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him in thunder. 20 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. – Exodus 19:16-20
EXODUS 19 GOD’S PRESENCE FELT IN MOUNT SINAI
A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses
Moses instructed them to cleanse from their impurities in three days
On the morning of the third day, the mountain was covered by a thick cloud
Then a very loud trumpet blast was heard and they were all trembling
Then Moses presented them to God and they stood at the foot of the mountain
The Lord descended on the mountain on fire and smoke enveloped them
God’s presence was felt and his voice in thunder was heard by his people.
This is a very powerful meeting between God and his people. They didn’t literally see God but the Lord surely made his powerful and glorious presence felt. No one else could have that power to come down in fire and be covered with smoke. God’s love for his people was clearly manifested in this smoke because they would have all died if they directly saw him. Imagine wildfires in the mountains. You could barely see anything because of all the smoke produced by these fires. I am sure you will be totally scared and trembling in fear. The power of this burning heat that turns into smoke is overwhelming. I remember as a child experiencing a market on fire just beside our house. I could hear the crackling of the fire burning the building and saw the smoke that it produced. It was an unforgettable experience. I can imagine why the Israelites were all trembling. God showed his Almighty Power and Majesty through his Shekeniah (presence of God in the world). His glorious power should remind us how he hates sin and evil and his desire for our holiness as well.
REFLECTION
- How is fear of the Lord very different from the world’s concept of “fear?”
