18 Now when all the people saw the thunder and the flashes of lightning and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking, the people were afraid and trembled, and they stood far off 19 and said to Moses, “You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, lest we die.” 20 Moses said to the people, “Do not fear, for God has come to test you, that the fear of him may be before you, that you may not sin.” 21 The people stood far off, while Moses drew near to the thick darkness where God was. (Exodus 20)
Moses was a little crazy... So it seemed to the people of Israel. God has just given them the 10 commandments. They observed the side affects of God's presence and were scared - to scared to have God talk to them. It reminds me in a sense of Adam's reaction to God in the garden. Here is God's law. We know we cannot fully obey it. By this time, Moses has had quite a few discussions with God. He still reverences His holiness, power, and authority, but also knows that all things God gives us for instruction, He gives us for our good. God does not want us to run away from His holiness, but to seek it, pursue it, even trust it. Fear does strange things to people. We can go crazy in a bad way, or we can go crazy after God.
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