“And the LORD said unto Moses, Go down, charge the people, lest they break through unto the LORD to gaze, and many of them perish.” (Exodus 19:21)
Over the years we have heard such things as, “Just try the Lord, test Him, and see…” The church has been too lax in inviting people to just take God for a test drive and see if He fits their lifestyle, feels good to them or not. We have lowered the standards as pastors and allowed those who are merely curious, thrill-seekers, or profane to come into our congregations and desecrate the Holy Place. We hire consultants from the outside to come in and tell us how to attract more people, how to better “sell” our “Product”, how to market the Church better. This never ceases to amaze me.
In the passage from which we read this verse today, God is telling Moses to protect the people from Him and to jealously guard the Presence. To be blunt, God is a big boy and He can protect Himself. I think He showed that time and again throughout the Bible. The problem isn’t that we need to protect God. The problem is we need to protect and honor the sacred places in our lives.
This doesn’t just pertain to the building of the church. After all, many of our brothers and sisters around the world are meeting in underground locations. We can enjoy the Presence of God in an outdoor setting. Years ago many churches had Easter sunrise services at various outdoor venues and held baptism services in creeks, rivers, and ponds. These were certainly not holy places in and of themselves, but were made holy in that moment.
Perhaps the hardest part of this concept is the idea of our bodies being the Temple of God. I must confess that as a single man my physical body becomes my greatest enemy. My flesh fights against the Spirit of God living within me. As Paul so clearly wrote – the flesh is enmity against God. My earthly, fleshly desires often create desires that, left unchecked and unrestrained, would cause me to falter and fail. The same is true of my married counterparts. The enemy of our souls knows what our weaknesses are and is always in the lookout for the chance to cause us to sin. Paul expressed it so well when he wrote that the things he wanted to do he found himself not doing, and those things he did not want to do he occasionally found himself doing. It’s not that we set out to sin, but Satan is a sneaky adversary and he knows given the right circumstances we will inadvertantly slip. What may have started out innocently enough can often turn quickly and we find ourselves trapped in a situation that causes distress to our souls and shame to the Name of God.
Moses was instructed, therefore, to go down and remind the people – to forcefully repeat God’s command – that they were to remain within boundaries, to refrain from curiously peeking through to discover that which was not for them. We need such boundaries in our lives. We need to remind ourselves often what those boundaries are and why they are in place. If we let the world set our boundaries for us we are lost. If we go along with the community standards we are lost. If we let some consultant instruct us – not only how to, but – to allow outsiders in to see what’s going on for curiosity’s sake or to see if we are a good “fit” for them, we are lost.
What God was going to do on the Mount with Moses was to be a holy thing. It was to be a private thing. Oh sure, the message was going to be brought, eventually, to the masses, but in this moment and at this time it was to be guarded fiercely. Those who “try God” won’t get it. Those who “test Him and see” – well, they won’t like the fit and finish of the outward appearance of Christianity. God will not share His glory with any man (or woman) goes far beyond what we have been taught and taught others. He will not reveal Himself to the curious or those who are just looking to learn something new. God is a God of relationship.
The Jews have a teaching in their Kabbalah that the Torah is much like a fair maiden in her chamber. She sees a young man passing by on the street. Keeping the curtains closed, she opens them just a slit to look out and try to catch the young man’s eye. If he sees and responds, she quickly closes the curtains again. She is trying to awaken in him a desire to know more. If he responds, she slowly begins to open the curtains a bit more, still protecting her dignity and purity. Each night as he passes by she reveals herself to him to ignite a hunger to know her. If he doesn’t pursue her, she closes the curtains for good. If he begins to inquire and seek her out, slowly the relationship forms and builds.
The same is true with God. He ignites a desire in the ungodly – a hunger for more. He knows life must mean so much more than just going to work, coming home, raising a family, and paying the bills. Life without God is meaningless. In the words of Solomon, “Vanity, vanity, all is vanity.” Translated loosely that says, “Meaningless! Meaningless! All is meaningless!” And so it is. Life without a relationship with God is dry, dull, and dead. Life is a drudgery. It’s no wonder those around us have no light in their eyes and their feet shuffle as though wearing shackles.
Ah, but life WITH God, my friend, is an adventure! Every day holds new missions for us to perform, each day promises opportunities to see the supernatural flow in our lives. At any moment we may encounter our own personal man lying at the Gate Beautiful who seeks the healing of God. Our days are filled with the electricity of living for Him, representing Him in the world, and bringing others into the fold. And for that, we need no consultant, no outside influence.
Today, my friend, I encourage you to walk in the awareness that you are not just another cog in the wheel, you are more than just another “earner” in the system. You are a living representation of the Giver of Life, the God of Creation, Who wants to bring the world back to Him. Guard you heart from distraction, protect the Presence of God within you from those who would argue or protest in an attempt to discover that for which they are not prepared. Establish your boundaries and remind yourself often of them, but always be ready – be instant in season and out of season – to give reason for the hope you have within you. Go forth, mighty warrior, and walk in victory.
Be blessed.
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