On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, with a thick cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast. Everyone in the camp trembled. Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, because the LORD descended on it in fire. The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace, the whole mountain trembled violently, and the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder. Then Moses spoke and the voice of God answered him.
Exodus 19:16-19
For years people had flocked to the area around Mt. St. Helens to enjoy its natural beauty, from hiking in the forests to enjoying the lakes and rivers. However, they forgot something crucial: Mt. St. Helens is a volcano. Actually, they probably knew that, but they didn’t act like it. Even when the mountain was threatening to blow, some did not heed the warnings. They didn’t treat the mountain with the respect it deserved and some paid a high price for that neglect.
After Moses and the Israelites left Egypt and wandered a couple months ways in the desert, they came to Mt. Sinai. There the Lord came down to the top of that mountain and appeared in lightning and fire. The mountain shook, much like a volcano. It was an awe-inspiring sight. God spoke to the people, who responded by trembling in fear. That was the proper and natural reaction to coming into the presence of the Almighty.
However, there were those who quickly forgot who they were dealing with: “Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu took their censers, put fire in them and added incense; and they offered unauthorized fire before the LORD, contrary to his command. So fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed them, and they died before the LORD” (Leviticus 10:1-2). They forgot who they were dealing with and apparently approached the Lord on their own terms and paid the price for it.
The Lord gave detailed instructions how someone can approach him in Leviticus 16. Aaron was only allowed to enter into the Most Holy Place once a year, on the Day of Atonement, which is today. Although all the details in Leviticus 16 cannot be carried out today, it is still observed by fasting and confessing sins. It is an annual time to make things right between each other and God. It is a time to humbly approach God’s throne of mercy and ask for forgiveness and repent. It is also a time to thank him for the forgiveness he has worked by the sacrifice of Jesus. I am a sinner and do not deserve the grace he’s given me, yet he has forgiven me. May he be forever praised!