The Holy God Who Is Near
When we picture God, it’s easy to drift toward Him being too holy to care about us, or as a casual deity who makes little difference to us. But Deuteronomy 4 paints a far more breathtaking picture.
Moses tells the people to remember the day they stood before the Lord:
Deuteronomy 4:11 “You came near and stood at the foot of the mountain, and the mountain burned with fire… 12 Then the Lord spoke to you from the midst of the fire; you heard the sound of words.”
It was a supernatural event. God’s holiness wasn’t just a doctrine—it was revealed in fire on the mountain, thick cloud, and trembling earth. And yet, God called them to Him. They came near. And God spoke.
The LORD let them hear, not just His Word, but His voice. Not to scare them off, but to draw them in.
Deuteronomy 4:7 “What great nation is there that has a god so near to it as the Lord our God whenever we call on Him?”
The holy and awesome God our Father and Savior… who draws near.
But if Mt. Sinai revealed God’s numinous power, it’s Mt. Calvary that shows His deep love. At Sinai, the mountain burned. At Calvary, the Son bled. At Sinai, the people trembled. At Calvary, the curtain tore.
The same God whose voice thundered from fire spoke again through another word from the cross:
“It is finished.”
And with His death, it was not awe and glory that was removed—but our sin and guilt.
God is still holy; He seems even more sacred to me because of the cross. He is still worthy of reverence, worship, and obedience. But through Jesus, the holy, holy, holy God became our Redeemer, Savior, and nearest friend.