18 When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance19 and said to Moses, “Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die.”
20 Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning.”
21 The people remained at a distance, while Moses approached the thick darkness where God was.
Idols and Altars
22 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Tell the Israelites this: ‘You have seen for yourselves that I have spoken to you from heaven: 23 Do not make any gods to be alongside me; do not make for yourselves gods of silver or gods of gold.
24 “‘Make an altar of earth for me and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, your sheep and goats and your cattle. Wherever I cause my name to be honored, I will come to you and bless you. 25 If you make an altar of stones for me, do not build it with dressed stones, for you will defile it if you use a tool on it. 26 And do not go up to my altar on steps, or your private parts may be exposed.’ Exodus 20:18-26 NIV
Out of the mouth of God they have heard His law, much of which is already written upon our hearts. When the One, whose sovereignty is not limited to the outer image of man, speaks to this congregation, they tremble. Certainly in their lives, they have seen lightning and heard thunder, but the voice of God would transcend all aspects of His creation. Now the voice of Moses is preferred. The voice of the messenger does not lay open the heart, and what human messenger can we not find some bit of ourselves in. The voice of God leaves no place to hide, and ones own mind will confess it's guilt, so who can stand before a righteous God?
They called to the mountains and the rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! Revelation 6:16
He reiterates, do not make for yourselves gods of silver and gods of gold. When they build an altar to the One true God, it is to be of heaped stones, not elaborately fashioned. He will not have superstition about Himself, but rather obedience, and the desire of a people who will plead that they shall see sin as He does. We often come to worship God together, in buildings, but they are merely reminders of the true Ark of God. It is only in Christ that we can stand before God, and these buildings should be places that helps prepare the people, for the significance of what is going to be spoken. The true church of Christ is not a house made with hands, and so the stones would roll away, but the Body of Christ will remain.
Jesus entered the temple and began to drive out those who were selling, 46saying to them, "It is written, 'AND MY HOUSE SHALL BE A HOUSE OF PRAYER,' but you have made it a ROBBERS' DEN." 47And He was teaching daily in the temple; but the chief priests and the scribes and the leading men among the people were trying to destroy Him,…Luke 19:45-47
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