Lest the LORD break out against them.

Exodus 19:16-25, Now Mount Sinai was all in smoke because the LORD descended upon it in fire; and its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked violently. When the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and God answered him with thunder. And the LORD came down on Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain; and the LORD called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up. Then the LORD spoke to Moses, “Go down, warn the people, lest they break through to the LORD to gaze, and many of them perish. And also let the priests who come near to the LORD consecrate themselves, lest the LORD break out against them.” And Moses said to the LORD, “The people cannot come up to Mount Sinai, for Thou didst warn us, saying, ‘Set bounds about the mountain and consecrate it.’” Then the LORD said to him, “Go down and come up again, you and Aaron with you; but do not let the priests and the people break through to come up to the LORD, lest He break forth upon them.” So Moses went down to the people and told them.

We have lost sight of God as powerful, almighty and even dangerous. Indeed, one did not dare to approach Him except on His stated terms, and even then only those whom He chose. His warning about the risk of ignoring this is severe; people could die! Even so today, there are those who choose to deny that He is a God of justice, and that His justice will one day come to all the living and the dead. We have to look unto Him to be saved; He has sent us His only Son both in love and as an expression of His wrath against sin. He who had no sin went to the cross to take the sin of the world, that we might become the righteousness of God.

We thank You that by the shed blood of the Cross we can boldly approach Your throne of grace, that we might receive mercy in our time of need!