The God We Can't Control
Read: Exodus chapter 20
Most of us say we want to be close to God. We sing about it, we pray about it, we talk about wanting more of His presence. But if we’re honest, many times what we really want is a version of God we can manage:
A God who fits into our schedule.
A God who agrees with our opinions.
A God who comforts us without confronting us.
A God who stays close to our business without ever getting in our business.
The problem is that the real God doesn’t fit neatly into the boxes we build for Him. That’s exactly what Israel discovered at Mount Sinai. Exodus 19 and 20 describe one of the most overwhelming encounters with God in all of Scripture. The mountain shook violently. Fire descended from heaven. Thunder roared across the sky. Trumpets sounded louder and louder. The people stood trembling before the holiness of God; this wasn’t a comfortable worship moment, nor was it casual spirituality--this was a holy God revealing Himself to sinful people.
Suddenly, nobody was pretending they were in control anymore. Their reaction makes sense when you think about it. Holiness exposes things. When God reveals Himself clearly, we also begin to see ourselves clearly:
Sin becomes obvious.
Compromise becomes heavy.
Indifference becomes exposed.
Our independence suddenly doesn’t feel strong anymore.
That’s why the people stood far off in fear.
At first glance, modern Christianity can struggle with passages like this because we often prefer a softer, more manageable picture of God. We love the idea of God being loving, comforting, and gracious--which He absolutely is. But sometimes we forget He is also Holy. The holiness of God changes everything. There’s a difference between knowing about God and truly encountering Him. Knowing about Him can still leave us feeling in control. Encountering Him reminds us we are completely dependent on His mercy. Yet this story does not end in terror. Right in the middle of Israel’s fear, another reality appears: God provides a mediator. The people could not approach God on their own, so Moses stood between them and the Lord. Moses walked into the darkness where God was while the people remained at a distance.
That image points directly to Jesus. Moses was temporary but Jesus is eternal. Moses carried God’s words but Jesus also carries our sin. Moses entered the mountain but Jesus entered death itself and rose again so we could draw near to God with confidence. This is the beauty of the Gospel: the same holiness that exposes our sin is the holiness that provided the sacrifice for our salvation.
One of the most stunning moments in Exodus 20 happens immediately after the Ten Commandments are given. Before Israel even has time to fail, God begins talking about altars and sacrifices. Why? Because God already knew they would need mercy. Before failure came, provision was already prepared. That is the heart of God. Grace was already in motion. The sacrificial system pointed forward to Jesus, the Lamb of God who would ultimately take away the sin of the world once and for all. Because of Christ, we no longer stand far off in terror, we can draw near in reverence and confidence.
The fear of the Lord is no longer about running from God. It becomes the awe-filled realization that He is holy, powerful, loving, and worthy of complete surrender.
Maybe the real question is not whether we want God close. Maybe the question is whether we are willing to let Him change us when He gets close. Because no one truly encounters God and stays the same.
Take a few moments and reflect:
Have you been approaching God on your own terms instead of His?
Most of us say we want to be close to God. We sing about it, we pray about it, we talk about wanting more of His presence. But if we’re honest, many times what we really want is a version of God we can manage:
A God who fits into our schedule.
A God who agrees with our opinions.
A God who comforts us without confronting us.
A God who stays close to our business without ever getting in our business.
The problem is that the real God doesn’t fit neatly into the boxes we build for Him. That’s exactly what Israel discovered at Mount Sinai. Exodus 19 and 20 describe one of the most overwhelming encounters with God in all of Scripture. The mountain shook violently. Fire descended from heaven. Thunder roared across the sky. Trumpets sounded louder and louder. The people stood trembling before the holiness of God; this wasn’t a comfortable worship moment, nor was it casual spirituality--this was a holy God revealing Himself to sinful people.
Suddenly, nobody was pretending they were in control anymore. Their reaction makes sense when you think about it. Holiness exposes things. When God reveals Himself clearly, we also begin to see ourselves clearly:
Sin becomes obvious.
Compromise becomes heavy.
Indifference becomes exposed.
Our independence suddenly doesn’t feel strong anymore.
That’s why the people stood far off in fear.
At first glance, modern Christianity can struggle with passages like this because we often prefer a softer, more manageable picture of God. We love the idea of God being loving, comforting, and gracious--which He absolutely is. But sometimes we forget He is also Holy. The holiness of God changes everything. There’s a difference between knowing about God and truly encountering Him. Knowing about Him can still leave us feeling in control. Encountering Him reminds us we are completely dependent on His mercy. Yet this story does not end in terror. Right in the middle of Israel’s fear, another reality appears: God provides a mediator. The people could not approach God on their own, so Moses stood between them and the Lord. Moses walked into the darkness where God was while the people remained at a distance.
That image points directly to Jesus. Moses was temporary but Jesus is eternal. Moses carried God’s words but Jesus also carries our sin. Moses entered the mountain but Jesus entered death itself and rose again so we could draw near to God with confidence. This is the beauty of the Gospel: the same holiness that exposes our sin is the holiness that provided the sacrifice for our salvation.
One of the most stunning moments in Exodus 20 happens immediately after the Ten Commandments are given. Before Israel even has time to fail, God begins talking about altars and sacrifices. Why? Because God already knew they would need mercy. Before failure came, provision was already prepared. That is the heart of God. Grace was already in motion. The sacrificial system pointed forward to Jesus, the Lamb of God who would ultimately take away the sin of the world once and for all. Because of Christ, we no longer stand far off in terror, we can draw near in reverence and confidence.
The fear of the Lord is no longer about running from God. It becomes the awe-filled realization that He is holy, powerful, loving, and worthy of complete surrender.
Maybe the real question is not whether we want God close. Maybe the question is whether we are willing to let Him change us when He gets close. Because no one truly encounters God and stays the same.
Take a few moments and reflect:
Have you been approaching God on your own terms instead of His?
Are there areas where you’ve kept God “close to your business” but not truly in your business?
Have you lost the fear of the Lord in any area of life?
What would it look like for you to draw near to God this week with reverence and confidence through Jesus?
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