A few years ago (I probably blogged about it, in fact), I saw a church sign which said, "Feeling bad? Take two tablets, the 10 Commandments!" My sudden application of the brakes to make sure I read correctly could have caused an accident if there had been more traffic. Normally I don't have to read beyond Exodus 20.3 to feel a burden of conviction. After all, how many times every day do I elevate something else before God? How many times to I prefer my comfort? How many times do I doubt God's real presence with me? How many times do I take things into my own hands? How many times do I decide that when worst comes to worst at least I can pray in case that will accomplish something? I doubt I need to recount any more ways that I fall short of that first commandment, do I? Yet I take comfort in knowing that we are all that way to one extent or another. We all fail at the various commandments of God. We don't do them willingly and with our whole hearts, with pure motives, all the time, as God minimally demands. Maybe the church sign should have said, "Feeling good about yourself? Take two tablets, the 10 Commandments!" Indeed, our Lord convicts us of sin through his law.
See in verses 18-21 how the people fear God's presence? When the living God announces his presence and tells what his demands are we should fear and tremble. We who are sinful wish to escape from the presence and glory of God. He is a consuming fire.
Notice here, though, that while God is making himself plain to his people, he is also describing the characteristics of his people. I've heard it stated that in Hebrew these are actually indicative mood statements, descriptions, rather than imperative mood commands. Unfortunately, the Lutheran Study Bible on my desk doesn't corroborate that, I have no significant understanding of Hebrew, and a comparison of the Septuagint would be worthless as the second person plural imperative and indicative are identical forms. Yet, whether these commandments are phrased as commands or descriptors, they say something important about God's people. As our Lord has redeemed us from other gods, he has given us a desire to come to him. He invites us into his presence through Word and Sacraments, promising hat he is here to show his love to his people. He gives his name to us, placing it upon us in baptism, promising that he will defend that which is called by his name. He has given a time of rest, particularly a Sabbath day's rest from the toils of sin, effective today and every day in Jesus Christ. He has shown the value of parents who guide us and care for us, the very flawed picture of God's care for us. He has valued our lives and has shown us how to value the lives of others. He has called us into an exclusive relationship with himself, pictured in our exclusive relationships with our husbands or wives. He has shown that we are his prize possession which he will guard, teaching us that we should honor that which belongs to someone. He himself is the truth, thus removing falsehood from the lips of those who are called by his name. He is the one who has provided all we need, showing us that we need no desire of that which belongs to our neighbor. Our Lord has called us by his name and has given us what we need. We are thus free to show that in all our actions and attitudes. He describes his character, the character he has placed upon us, in these commandments.
Do we fear? We fear rightly. We dare not approach our Lord in his glory trusting in our own works. We dare not approach our Lord in our righteousness. But he has purchased us, we are his possession, we are called by his name, we are created in his image, we stand before our Lord not in our own righteousness but in the righteousness of Jesus, his Son. We have been called to approach him through the means he has given us, and we are perfectly safe in that. We have been called to come to our Lord. He makes his name be remembered. He comes to his people. He blesses his people. This is our great and mighty Lord.
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