Fear (terror) or Fear (reverence) of YHWH?

 (NOTE: This is a devotional from YHWH's Word Of Faith Ministries.  To receive the daily devotionals, you may sign up at YHWH's Word Of Faith Ministries website)

 

Shalom all,

 

I am sure you are familiar with the verse:

Psa 111:10 The fear of YHWH is the beginning of wisdom, All those doing His commandments have a good understanding.

 

After studying out the "doing of His commandments have a good understanding", I am seeing this in a new way.

What was Yah's desire, meeting with HIS people that day so long ago on the mountain?

 

 

I have been meditating on the "fear" of YHWH.

There are two kinds of fear...one of dread and fright, the other of reverence.

 

Sharing my meditation with you..

 

The people had been told how to prepare themselves to meet with YHWH.

 

Exo 19:9 And YHWH said unto Moses, Lo, I come unto thee in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with thee, and believe thee for ever. And Moses told the words of the people unto YHWH.

Exo 19:10 And YHWH said unto Moses, Go unto the people, and sanctify them to day and to morrow, and let them wash their clothes,

Exo 19:11 And be ready against the third day: for the third day YHWH will come down in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai.

Exo 19:12 And thou shalt set bounds unto the people round about, saying, Take heed to yourselves, that ye go not up into the mount, or touch the border of it: whosoever toucheth the mount shall be surely put to death:

Exo 19:13 There shall not an hand touch it, but he shall surely be stoned, or shot through; whether it be beast or man, it shall not live: when the trumpet soundeth long, they shall come up to the mount.

Exo 19:14 And Moses went down from the mount unto the people, and sanctified the people; and they washed their clothes.

Exo 19:15 And he said unto the people, Be ready against the third day: come not at your wives.

 

Imagine to be one of those standing there at the foot of the mount. The anticipation of meeting with YHWH! Hearing HIS voice speak....just that makes me to tremble!

 

YHWH is preparing to come down in the sight of HIS people.

 

I ponder how much time and care is spent in preparing oneself to meet with YHWH. Not the flippant manner that is often talked about by many religions of today, rather a time of cleansing, being right with YHWH! A healthy reverence and respect of His "holiness".

 

And then:

 

Exo 19:16 And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled.

Exo 19:17 And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with Elohim; and they stood at the nether part of the mount.

 

 

YHWH shares with Moshe how nobody may break through to see Him, and then, the moment arrives, YHWH speaking orally with HIS people!

 

We can all read the commandments given by YHWH...but then, this verse

 

Exo 20:20 And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for Elohim is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not.

 

Why did Moshe say that?

well:

Exo 20:18 And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off.

Exo 20:19 And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not Elohim speak with us, lest we die.

 

What I see is that the people in their fear, rejected as it were, a relationship being made available to them with YHWH. In fear, they told Moshe to be the one who spoke to YHWH, they wanted as it were a "middleman" or a mediator, but they did not wish to have direct communication with YHWH.

 

I don't know if its just "me", but I am sorrowed to see "me" in this account.

I see a love story if you will, of YHWH reaching out to communicate with His people, to have a real relationship with them, and they...in terror, push Him away.

Was it that spirit of fear that caused them to immediatly break that which they heard YHWH speak to them? HIS voice had just rung out so loud and clear, that HE alone was YHWH, to love HIM with all their hearts, to never make graven images etc...

And their reaction after telling Moshe to be the one to communicate with HIM, is to melt down gold in the shape of a cow and call "it" YHWH!

 

In Exo 24 we see YHWH meeting again with some of His people:

Exo 24:9 Then went up Moses, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel:

Exo 24:10 And they saw the Elohim of Israel: and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness.

Exo 24:11 And upon the nobles of the children of Israel he laid not his hand: also they saw Elohim, and did eat and drink.

And then Moshe goes up the mountain to be with YHWH for forty days.

Exo 32:3 And all the people brake off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them unto Aaron.

Exo 32:4 And he received them at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

Exo 32:5 And when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation, and said, To morrow is a feast to YHWH.

 

Remembering that YHWH had just spoke with HIS own voice and said HE was the Elohim who brought them out, and that Aaron had just been in HIS very presence...to read that above causes my heart to sink within me.

 

Because of what "they" did..yes, but that is not all!

 

What I glean from this account is that YHWH showed His love in reaching down with a personal relationship with HIS people, who rather than fear-reverence HIM..had a terror spirit of fear that kept them from HIM. In His great love, HE made a way for them to atone for their sins, but I do not believe that was His desire. His desire was to have a relationship "with" His people!

He reveals that through HIS Son Yahushua.

 

Heb 10:1 For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.

Heb 10:2 For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins.

Heb 10:3 But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year.

Heb 10:4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.

Heb 10:5 Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:

Heb 10:6 In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure.

Heb 10:7 Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O Elohim.

Heb 10:8 Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law;

Heb 10:9 Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O Elohim. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.

Heb 10:10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Yahushua ha Moshiach once for all.

 

So here I stand today. Searching my heart.

How many studies have I read, how many books, articles, sermons...have I used as a middle man between YHWH and I? Have I tried to reach HIM with sacrfices that were never His pleasure?

 

Have I heard YHWH speak through HIS Word to me? Do I try other means to reach YHWH than through the only way...His Son Yahushua?

 

Do I fear-have terror of, YHWH, or do I reverence HIM and embrace with my whole heart, soul, body, and mind?

 

What is my relationship with YHWH? Is it directly with HIM as HE desires?