Sermon Central
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Catching The Fire
Contributed by Joe Rowland on Mar 16, 2009 (message contributor)
Summary: Are you on fire for God? God is trying to speak to you right now.God might never speak audibly to you, but He can.
Catching The Fire
23 And it came to pass, when ye heard the voice out of the midst of the darkness, (for the mountain did burn with fire,) that ye came near unto me, even all the heads of your tribes, and your elders;
24 And ye said, Behold, the LORD our God hath shewed us his glory and his greatness, and we have heard his voice out of the midst of the fire: we have seen this day that God doth talk with man, and he liveth.
25 Now therefore why should we die? for this great fire will consume us: if we hear the voice of the LORD our God any more, then we shall die.
26 For who is there of all flesh, that hath heard the voice of the living God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as we have, and lived?
27 Go thou near, and hear all that the LORD our God shall say: and speak thou unto us all that the LORD our God shall speak unto thee; and we will hear it, and do it.
28 And the LORD heard the voice of your words, when ye spake unto me; and the LORD said unto me, I have heard the voice of the words of this people, which they have spoken unto thee: they have well said all that they have spoken.
29 O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever!
I have entitled this today: “Catching The Fire”
The Lord had audibly had spoken the Ten Commandments to Israel, and then wrote them on two tables of stone and gave them to Moses.
The Words of the Lord were spoken out of the midst of the darkness, and then it says in verse 23 for the mountain did burn with fire.
The people came near where they could hear the Lord speak.
The people said, behold, the Lord our God has showed us His Glory and His greatness, and we have heard His voice out of the midst of the fire.
They saw and heard that God does speak with man and man does live.
They did not die upon hearing the voice of the Lord.
Look at Deuteronomy 5:25
25 Now therefore why should we die? for this great fire will consume us: if we hear the voice of the LORD our God any more, then we shall die.
The people were afraid that if God continued to speak to them in an audible voice, then ultimately they would die as a result.
Look at Deuteronomy 5:26
26 For who is there of all flesh, that hath heard the voice of the living God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as we have, and lived?
To them, this was something new and unheard of, God speaking to man in a voice that they could understand.
Moses had already, in times past, heard the voice of God speaking from the fire; He had his calling from the burning bush.
27 Go thou near, and hear all that the LORD our God shall say: and speak thou unto us all that the LORD our God shall speak unto thee; and we will hear it, and do it.
Fear had entered into the people, so they did not want to hear the voice of the Lord.
They said to Moses, “You go and hear what the Lord is saying and you give us the message.”
We will hear and we will do whatever the Lord speaks.
28 And the LORD heard the voice of your words, when ye spake unto me; and the LORD said unto me, I have heard the voice of the words of this people, which they have spoken unto thee: they have well said all that they have spoken.
The Lord approved of what Israel had requested, because they expressed a proper reverence and a due sense on their part of unworthiness of sinful man to come into the Presence of the great and Holy God.
According to verse 29, God wanted the people to fear Him and keep His commandments always, that it might be well with them and their children for ever.
God is a God who looks at the heart and He will not accept any service or worship that is not rendered from the heart.
30 Go say to them, Get you into your tents again.
31 But as for thee, stand thou here by me, and I will speak unto thee all the commandments, and the statutes, and the judgments, which thou shalt teach them, that they may do them in the land which I give them to possess it.
