Am I Obliged To Listen?

Exodus 20:19

We do not intentionally defy God; we merely fail to heed His guidance. God has provided us with His commands; nonetheless, we neglect them, not due to deliberate disobedience, but because we lack love and reverence for Him. “If you love Me, you will adhere to My commandments.” Upon recognizing our continuous "Disrespect" towards God, we are enveloped in guilt and humiliation for failing to heed His guidance.

“Converse with us, but do not allow God to communicate with us.” Our limited love for God is evidenced by our preference to heed only His servants. We appreciate personal testimonies, however we do not wish for God Himself to communicate with us. Why are we so apprehensive about the possibility of God communicating with us? We understand that if God communicates, either the action must be executed or we must inform God of our disobedience. If we only hear the servant's voice, we perceive it as non-essential, allowing us to respond, "That is merely your perspective, although I concede it may indeed reflect God's truth."

Am I placing God in the degrading position of having regarded me as His child while I have consistently disregarded Him? The. I perceive Him; the shame I inflicted upon Him is reflected back onto me—“Lord, why was I so obtuse and so stubborn?” This is invariably the outcome when we heed God's voice. The genuine pleasure of hearing Him is mitigated by the embarrassment of having taken so long to listen.

Exodus 20:19 articulates:

“They said to Moses, ‘You communicate with us, and we will heed; but do not allow God to address us, lest we perish.’”* (English Standard Version)

This verse highlights several key points.

1. **Apprehension of God's Immediate Presence**: The Israelites articulated a trepidation at the prospect of confronting God's direct voice or presence. Their response underscores the profound sanctity and authority of God, rendering them feeling unworthy or apprehensive of His direct communication. This underscores the veneration and astonishment inspired by God's grandeur.

2. **Mediation Through Moses**: The Israelites' request for Moses to communicate with God on their behalf illustrates the function of a mediator. It denotes the disparity between God's transcendence and human limitation, and it foreshadows the significance of mediators in God's connection with His people.

3. **The Authority of Divine Scripture**: The phrase “lest we die” conveys the conviction that the unadulterated and potent message of God may be lethal to those unprepared to accept it. It emphasizes the sanctity and transformative power of divine scripture.

4. **Human Inability to Stand in God's Presence**: The verse articulates a fundamental reality regarding humanity's incapacity to stand before a holy God without an intermediary. It underscores the necessity of divine grace and involvement to render God accessible to sinful individuals.

5. **The Function of dread in Reverence**: This passage illustrates the authentic dread that engenders respect and reverence, recognizing that God's holiness is not to be regarded casually. The Israelites' plea to communicate with Moses underscores that terror can be a fitting reaction to God's sanctity.

6. **The Shift in Divine Communication**: The populace's petition signifies a notable transformation in the manner in which God will engage with His followers. Henceforth, God will communicate directly with Moses, who will convey His messages to the populace, establishing a paradigm for future communication and legislation.

These arguments underscore the grandeur of God and the human necessity for mediators, along with the significant influence of God's presence on His people.

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