Overwhelmed to Hear from God (Deuteronomy 5)

Deuteronomy 5:26 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?

I don’t know what it was like for the nation of Israel to hear God’s voice, but it must have been an awesome experience! It was so magnificent and powerful that the people were overwhelmed. They felt that if they continued to hear it they would die (Deut 5:25). They asked Moses to intercede for them, to hear God’s voice and then relate it to them.

This theme of the awe and power of God’s voice and God’s word is central to the book of Hebrews, where the final way God speaks is “by his Son” (Heb 1:2). Through Moses’ challenge to Israel in Deuteronomy, through the book of Hebrews, and through the entire Bible, we are called to stand an awe of God’s voice and God’s Word and to listen and to obey God’s Word.

Hebrews 2:1-4 1 Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. 2 For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward; 3 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; 4 God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?”