With Reverence and Awe
Hebrews 12:28
O
ne of the great crises in the lives of the Jews under the Old Testament, transpired during the time when the Persian empire held captive the people of God while Esther served that empire as its queen. It was common knowledge to the people of God that Haman, a person of high rank and serving under King Xerxes, had one goal in mind for the Jews. It was to obliterate them from the face of the earth. Prior to the plot to kill all Jews, Esther was one of the selected maidens who were brought to Shushan, the capital of Persia, to appear before the king to be looked over as one of the women from whom the next queen of Persia would be taken (Esther 2). By this time also, queen Vashti was now defrocked of all her titles, and was totally ostracized by royal edict from the courts of the king. She embarrassed the king by refusing a direct order to appear before him and his dignitaries (Esther 1:10-12). Esther, we remember, was an adoptee in the care of her cousin Mordecai, and as such, Mordecai expressed deep concern for her when she was taken to the king’s court to be looked over and made ready for the king’s gaze. This is made evident by the fact that Esther was of a different race – she is a Jew in a Persian court; she is from a different culture – she lived under a theocratic system in which God was the absolute monarch, and she was subservient to a law system (the law that God gave the Jews) that was different from the Persian (Esther 3:8). Mordecai would draw near the courts of the king in order that he might maintain some contact with Esther. One day while he was trying to get in contact with Esther at the palace gate, Mordecai learned that two of the king’s guards were conspiring to assassinate the king. Mordecai passed the news to Esther, and she conveyed the information to the proper authorities (the king included). The attempt on the king’s life was foiled. The two would-be assassins received an immediate sentence; they were hanged, and Mordecai was rewarded for saving the king’s life though Mordecai’s recognition would come way later. While the Persian kingdom was still in search for a queen suitable for Xerxes, another person in the Persian court was receiving honor and high position of authority over his peers from the king. This man was none other than the wicked Haman. After the appointment of Haman, Xerxes issued a decree that all should bow and pay homage to his new appointee, Haman. Mordecai who was now known for saving the king’s life refused to bow and pay homage to Haman. This made Haman furious, but since he could not punish Mordecai for insubordination, he turned his wrath against Mordecai’s race, all Jews living in Persia. By casting suspicion on the Jews as being a threat to the Persian Empire, Haman won the approval of the king to destroy God’s people (Esther 3:8-9). This was Haman’s way of getting back at Mordecai who believed because he is a Jew he was not obligated to bow to Haman (Esther 3:1-5). Not only did Xerxes grant Haman his request to kill all the Jews living in the Persian Empire, the king decreed it also. And he sealed the decree with his signet ring. Haman quickly set a specific date when all the Jews would be killed. Upon hearing of their demise, the Jews responded with fasting and deep mourning. Esther was now queen in the Persian Empire, did not know that a plot has been made to destroy her people. She contributed to her appointment as
queen by withholding from the king that she was of Jewish descent. When Mordecai decided to go and seek out help from his cousin, Esther, he did so by wearing sackcloth and ashes all over him. Although Esther offered Mordecai new clothing to replace his mourning garb, he refused it. The plight of his people was at stake, and until something is done to save them he would make public his deep sorrow by his garment (Esther 4:1-4). Mordecai impressed upon the queen that her position to the throne has been entrusted upon her by God “for such a time as this” (4:14). With such riveting words pounding in her head, Esther decided to help her people. She made an unusual request of the Jews. Esther asked that the Jews to hold a fast on her behalf. She realized that she must enter the king’s presence if the lives of her people were to be saved. But to enter the king’s presence was to invite death because it was unlawful for her or anyone to enter the king’s presence if the king did not call that person (4:11-16). The golden scepter Xerxes had a golden scepter that must be extended to the one who dears enter his presence. The scepter represents power, ruler ship, and when extended by the one who bears it, it means an invitation is given to someone else to enter the presence of the one who sits enthroned. This was one of the ways by which the king would protect his life from possible assassination. The un-raised scepter means death to the intruder (Esther 4:11). The day came when Esther must enter the inner court of the king’s palace. When the king saw Esther, beautifully arrayed in all her glory, she found favor in the king’s eyes. Then the Bible reads, “The king held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand. Then Esther went near and touched the top of the scepter” (5:2b). The guards who were responsible for protecting the king’s life knew fully well that this person is protected by the raised scepter and that no harm should come to her. Not only did Esther obtain the right to enter the king’s presence, she was given the right to speak also.
The Divine scepter God has always had a scepter. But Yahweh’s scepter has many facets to it. In many Old Testament references, another term used for God’s scepter is “rod” or “staff.” When these designations were used by the prophets, they convey the idea of God’s providing comfort and protection for His people. Like the shepherds of the Old Testament era, our Great Shepherd watches over His sheep with His rod/scepter in order to ward off any lion that is seeking to devour His sheep (Psalm 23:4). The scepter was also a representation of God’s rule or law (Psalm 110:2). The tribe of Judah, for example, was called “God’s scepter” (Genesis 49:10; Psalm108:8). This means that through the tribe of Judah, the law or the rule of God would be established. It was through this tribe God’s rightful ruler – Christ – came. By the same token, however, the rod/staff in God’s hand was used at times as judgment upon a disobedient people. Kings of the Old Testament world used their scepters as a symbol for punishment also. God does not use His scepter as a means of protecting His life from assassination as implied in Esther about king Xerxes. God cannot be killed; He is untouched by death. Here, however, God’s un-raised scepter is another message sent to any and all who dares to enter the
presence the divine King. The messages are: (1) God is not prepared to allow the sinful to approach the sinless. (2) His lowered scepter is a message sent to the worshipper that the unholy is not privileged to enter the holy. (3) The defiled dares not enter the presence of the undefiled without dire consequences. (4) The unclean cannot enter the realm of clean. (5) Darkness cannot dwell in the presence of light. (6) The eyes of the sinful cannot look upon divine glory and remain alive. But since all believers today have access to the throne room of God, then by what means or on whose merit do they enter God’s holy ground? For one to enter the holy of holies, he must be cleansed and then come with a ready heart if he is to have access to God’s throne. David, who was familiar with the presence of God, asked a poignant question of anyone who wishes to enter God’s holy place when he said, “Lord, who shall enter into Your tabernacle? Who may dwell in Your holy hill” (Psalm 15:1)? David’s tabernacle and holy hill are references to the presence of God. Christians today do not enter God’s presence on their own merits. Christians enter God’ throne room because Christ entered it first with His shed blood (Hebrews 9:11-12, 24). Because King Jesus has made it possible for the faithful of God to enter the holiest, Christians, therefore, are encouraged to enter God’s holy presence with confidence (Hebrews 10:19). But we must do so realizing that access to God came at a costly price, the price of blood. In other words, God could not raise His scepter for Christ and the rest of humanity to enter in while Christ was still carrying the sins of the entire world on His shoulders. Someone died when the scepter remained lowered; it was Christ. Sin could not enter. How do I approach His throne? A few weeks ago, someone in the Sunday morning Bible class said to me that when we attempt to enter God’s presence to worship, we can’t force our way into His presence. It is God who determines if He is going to grant us access into to His presence. She is absolutely right. Many times our heavenly guests (Christ, God and the Holy Spirit) cannot join us for earthly worship because we did not sanctify Them for worship. We did not set Them apart from everything else. We did not prepare our hearts with reverential fear for the Godhead - hence They were not compelled to come among us. Or, to put it bluntly, our earthly worship is not ready for heavenly reception. And so, in the words of one member, our worship at times does not get pass the roof of the church building. How may we come to God so as to make our worship acceptable to Him? First, we must realize that it is not about me; it’s about God alone. Second, it’s not about us; it’s about God alone. Third, it’s not about us and God; it’s about God alone. In the words of Sister Delores Mason, “He is the audience of One. It is God alone; He is the audience.” Fourth, our hearts (my heart, your heart) must be contrite; that is, grieving over our sins and shortcomings, but deeply rejoicing, welling up with gladness that Christ has made it possible for us to enter God’s holy of holies to give Him honor. It is a rather sobering thought that even though a physical house was present in the days of the prophets, God was still searching for a house to dwell in. The house God desired said Isaiah was a heart that shows “poverty and contrition” (Isaiah 66:1-2). God’s house was not a lifeless piece of structure; it was a person’s heart. Compare Isaiah 66:1-2 with David’s exclamation, “A broken and a contrite heart – these, O God, You will not despise (Psalm 51:17).
Again, how may we come before God to honor and praise Him? One of the answers that is given in Hebrews 12:28 says, “Let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and awe.” The two adjectives that stand out in this text are “reverence” and “awe.” “Reverence” is from a word meaning “an attitude of deep respect, honor, and deference.” The idea of obedience flows from this word also. “Awe” on the other hand has a close relation to the word “reverence.” In some modern translations, “godly fear” is used in Hebrews 12:28 instead of “awe.” Some of the meanings given for “awe” are: (1) “A heightened emotional state comingled with fear.” With reference to God, it is “veneration reaching its highest limit.” Awe: “The state of mind that contemplates the wholly other. That which is beyond the sphere of the usual, the intelligible and the familiar” (Rudolf Otto, The Idea of the Holy). It is also noteworthy that immediately following the Holy Spirit instruction on how we should serve/approach God, that He follows verse 28 with a stern warning, “For God is a consuming fire” (v. 29). Our approach to God can have fatal consequences when we fail to present ourselves respectfully before Him.