The Righteousness of God
“Now Mount Sinai was all in smoke because the LORD descended upon it in fire; and its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked violently.”
Exodus 19:18 NASBS
Dear Reader, Each morning, I am reminded of God’s grace. He is the source of not only my physical life, but also has given me eternal life through His Son, Jesus Christ. There are moments, like the past week with its flashes of lightning and roaring thunder, that leave me in awe of God’s power. During these times, I reflect on Mount Sinai as described in Exodus 19, when God descended upon it, instilling fear in His chosen nation, Israel, just before giving them the law.
The Scriptures tell us, “Mount Sinai was all in smoke because the LORD descended upon it in fire; its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked violently.”
The author of Hebrews reminds us that the mountain shook with such terror that even Moses trembled with great fear.
When God descended upon this mountain with such might, He was preparing the people for the law He was about to deliver. We must remember that the law presented in the Old Testament reflects God’s perfect character. It serves to reveal His holiness and to illustrate the sinful condition woven into our very nature. Paul addresses this by asking, “What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? May it never be! On the contrary, I would not have come to know sin except through the Law; for I would not have known about coveting if the Law had not said, ‘YOU SHALL NOT COVET.’” The law reveals that God is perfect and holy, which means that anyone who seeks to enter His presence must also be perfect and holy. This creates a dilemma, as none of us can attain such righteousness on our own. Therefore, the only way to approach this infinite deity is through a substitutionary sacrifice. This sacrifice cannot be merely an animal offering; it must come from someone of the same essence as humanity. Without this, no sacrifice could atone for human sin.
This necessitates a figure born of a woman, fully human yet fully God. This is why Jesus Christ stands at the center of Christianity, and His name has profoundly impacted all of human history. The Bible tells us about Jesus: “Since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.”
Furthermore, the Word of God tells us that Jesus “had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in matters pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.”
The Apostle Paul wrote that Jesus, “although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”
Thus, the pressing question remains for humanity: “How can a sinful man stand in the presence of a holy God, fully justified, and not be judged?”
The answer, as stated, is Jesus Christ. He is the only one who embodies both God and man. Hear the heart of God as He speaks through His servant Paul: “Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”
My friends, this appeal is as relevant today as it was then. Come to Jesus through faith and repentance and be saved. May the grace of God enable you to do so.