JUNE 6, 2023 NO FORM

READ: Hebr. 12:25-29

Take careful heed to yourselves, for you saw no form when the Lord spoke to you at Horeb out of the midst of the fire… Take heed to yourselves, lest you forget … and make for yourselves a carved image in the form of anything …which the Lord your God has forbidden you. For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.                      – Deut. 4:15-24

The events at Horeb come with an additional warning. With great seriousness, Moses tells the Israelites not to make an image to worship God. They risk their lives if they do not serve God as He appeared to them, when He met His people with great signs, but without any form or image of Himself. Therefore, God’s people were not allowed to make an image like those used in worship of idols, the sun, the moon, or the stars. Such practices are those of heathens who do not know God and try to manipulate their idols.

But Israel met God with only His voice from the fire. They only heard Him, but did not see Him. This is how God now wants them to love, trust, obey, and honor Him. Serving an image is of a completely different nature and evokes very different feelings. With an image, you have no relationship. With an image, you can do whatever you want. 

But God wants us to fear Him as He is: the Almighty God in heaven, who is far above all creatures and objects, Who has redeemed His people from Egypt and spoke to them there with His covenant words as their loving Father. He redeemed them to serve Him in the way that pleases Him.

The warning that God becomes angry with self-willed religion practiced in a worldly and heathen way, applies not only to the Israeli­tes but also to us, as we read in the Letter to the Hebrews. The writer uses precisely this event to explore our worship relationship with God. He also warns us: “Therefore, let us serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire” (Hebr. 12:28-29, Deut. 4:23-24).

Is there an example of image worship in our time?

Singing: Ps. 95:3