Ionce led a discipleship group with a few new Christians. One day, I announced to the group that one of our number had gone back to his old life of sin. Another member immediately commented, ″He has lost his fear of God.″

The idea of fearing God in the Old Testament (see Deuteronomy 5:29) is almost synonymous with what the New Testament calls ″belief″. It is not the same as being ″terrified″ of something, in the way that many are afraid of supernatural forces and try to seek protection through rituals or amulets. Rather, a Christian's fear of God comes from recognising that God is loving but holy, and knowing that the only worthy and wise response is one of total obedience, by which we avoid incurring His wrath.

The Israelites, however, had a different kind of fear in today's passage. They were terrified by the prospect of hearing ″the voice of the living God speaking out of fire″ when He came down to give them the Law. They feared that the experience would kill them (Deuteronomy 5:25-26). So, they asked Moses to be their mediator before God (v. 27), thus making him a type (or pattern) of Christ. Moses had witnessed the Lord writing the Ten Commandments, which He had given verbally, on ″two stone tablets″ (v. 22). This was in keeping with the practice in ancient West Asian treaties of having a copy for each party. Moses would also agree, on the Israelites' behalf, to keep the terms of the covenant and obey its commands (vv. 24-27).

God accepted the people's commitment to obey Him (v. 28) and followed up with a rich expression of compassionate love. Even though He knew that they would soon turn away from Him, He said, ″Oh, that their hearts would be inclined to fear me and keep all my commands always, so that it might go well with them and their children for ever!″ (v. 29). Jesus and Paul expressed a similar yearning for the Jews (Luke 13:34; 19:41-42; Romans 9:1-3).

In reality, they needed a more permanent and perfect mediator than Moses. This need would be fulfilled in the New Covenant by Christ, the ″one mediator between God and mankind″ (1 Timothy 2:5), through whom we can approach God ″with confidence″ (Hebrews 4:16,10:19). The awesome majesty of God that inspired terror among the Israelites has not changed. This makes the freedom to approach Him as our loving Father, a gift that Christ made possible for us through His atoning work, even more precious.

God's desire for the people is that they ″fear″ Him ″and keep all [His] commands always″ (Deuteronomy 5:29). His yearning is backed by His ability, not only to save us, but also to provide for us a way to pursue holiness through His Son and the giving of the Holy Spirit. God's welcoming acceptance and enabling awaits even the worst sinner who comes to Him in repentance.