OUR JOURNEY from the fear of God to the love of God is the same pilgrimage for everyone. We all must travel a painful route out of worldly chaos past the legalism of religion to the life of faith in Jesus and into a restored and treasured relationship with the creator of our lives. Relationship is what God has always sought from man, and the bible, O.T. and N.T. combined, is the story of God faithfully seeking out a relationship with us, even as we tremble at the thought of submitting ourselves into his hands. Life has taught us to be fearful and cautious.
The Book of Hebrews is a constant exposition of the superiority of the new covenant of Grace that God established through Jesus in comparison to the old covenant of the Law. The first verses begin this opening juxtaposition, and continues throughout. “In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways.” (Heb. 1:1) And immediately, this is followed by, “But in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son.” (Heb. 1:2) It continues in this pattern. “In speaking of the angels he says, ‘He makes his angels spirits, and his servants flames of fire.’” (Heb. 1:7) And then, “But about the Son he says, ‘Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet?’” (Heb. 1:8-14) It goes on. “Jesus has been found worthy of greater honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself.” (Heb. 3:3) And, “If perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood, why was there still need for another priest to come, one in the order of Melchizedek, not in the order of Aaron?” (Heb. 7:11) The author ultimately states, “In fact the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, since the new covenant is established on better promises.” (Heb. 8:6)
This progressive self-revelation of God has been unfolding, generation after generation, since the time of Adam and Eve. And it finds expression in individual lives of every generation. The O.T. is the story of the revelation of the God of the covenant of the Law at Mt. Sinai, and the N.T. is the story of the God of the covenant of grace. One of the highest points of the revelation of the Law occurs as Moses receives the tablets of stone inscribed by the finger of God with the Ten Commandments. The covenant of Grace reaches its initial climax on Mt. Zion, with the crucifixion of Jesus. It is propelled exponentially further with his subsequent resurrection, and into an entirely different paradigm with his ascension.
The reaction of the people to the establishment of the covenant of Law is one of fear. Proverbs tells us that “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.” (Prov. 1:7) It is this fear of an all-powerful God that is displayed by the people in the scene from the book of Exodus (cf. Ex. 20:18-21), here recounted by the Hebrews’ author: “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.” (Heb. 12:18-20)
Those enfolded into the body of Christ experience the fear of the Lord in a different way, that of love and reverence. “But you have come to Mount Zion, to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant.” (Heb. 12:22-24) The Law is not abolished, but perfected (cf. Matt. 5:17), and our abject fear of punishment and death is miraculously translated into reverence for the giver of eternal life. The author concludes, “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.” (Heb. 12:28)
In revealing Jesus as the high priest of the new covenant, the Hebrew’s author, quoting verses from the O.T., says “The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind: ‘You are a priest forever.’” (Heb. 7:21) He then states , “Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantor of a better covenant.” (Heb. 7:22) Because Jesus is revealed as this eternal high priest, the true nature of God himself is revealed. In Jesus’ death on the cross God’s full love is displayed before heaven and earth. He is Jehovah Jireh—Provider—who has himself supplied the full atonement for sin that the animal blood sacrifices of the Law could not. “How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!” (Heb. 9:14)
Trusting God in this matter is the essential core to our relationship with him; it is hard to love someone who strikes abject fear in our hearts, hard to trust someone we don’t love. Without trust, we are ever-anxious, never at peace. Isaiah, the O.T. prophet, says, however, “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.” (Isa. 26:3) Truly, Jesus has become “the author and perfecter of our faith ” (Heb. 12:2) “For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.” (Col. 1:19-29)
Q. Am I fully trusting in God this day, this hour, this moment?
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