The Approachable God

You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm; to a trumpet blast or to such a voice speaking words that those who heard it begged that no further word be spoken to them, because they could not bear what was commanded: "If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned." The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, "I am trembling with fear."

But you have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the judge of all men, to the spirits of righteous men made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. (Hebrews 12:18-24)

Imagine you are a first century Hebrew believer in a first century church... What would your concept of God be? Well, you had followed the Torah (or Law) all your life. It was through this Law that you knew of God. The God you know is the same one that the Israelites knew in the wilderness. You know of the holiness, sovereign reign, and complete otherness of God; much is said in the old covenant about God's holiness. As demonstrated by Mount Sinai (the mountain referred to in verse 18), God was - for the most part - unapproachable. With the coming of Jesus, your concept of God is expanding.

Now forward to today... Often we, like the old covenant believer, can teach / preach / and relate to God as the Holy and fearsome God. This is good; but only good in the sense that the law was good. Matthew Henry states, "The gospel state is mild, and kind, and condescending, suited to our weak frame." Through gospel of Jesus Christ, we need not say with Moses, "I am trembling with fear." Why? Because we no longer relate to God through Mount Sinai and through the law. We are made part of a better covenant, a grace and joy filled covenant; we come to God - yes, God the judge - but as a "church of the firstborn" (all the rights of His firstborn) and mediated through the sprinkled blood of Jesus Christ. John Calvin writes, "God's glory displays itself more illustriously in the Gospel than in the Law."

God is indeed approachable.