Articles
The Mountain of Fear vs The Mountain of Joy
Being a child of God truly is something special. We often struggle to understand just how
different it makes us. The book of Hebrews spends time trying to explain how important each of
us is to God and how Jesus is the answer that allows us into the presence of God unhindered.
“You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to
darkness, gloom and storm; to a trumpet blast or to such a voice speaking words that those who
heard it begged that no further word be spoken to them, because they could not bear what was
commanded: ‘If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death.’ The sight was
so terrifying that Moses said, ‘I am trembling with fear’” (Hebrews 12:18-21).
To enter into the presence of God even in the limited way the Israelites did at Mount
Sinai was a fearful experience. They were unclean and unworthy due to their sin that could never
truly be forgiven by the sacrifice of animals. We have the perfect sacrifice and it gives us an
entirely different experience when facing God.
“But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem.
You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the
firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the Judge of all, to the
spirits of the righteous made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the
sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel … Therefore, since we are
receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably
with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:22-24, 28-29). ~
Brad Tolbert
