How does 1 Chronicles 21:30 connect with Hebrews 12:28 about reverence and awe? Setting the Scene • 1 Chronicles 21 records David’s ill-advised census, followed by judgment: “But David could not go before it to inquire of God, for he was afraid of the sword of the angel of the LORD.” (1 Chronicles 21:30) • That “sword of the angel” had already struck down 70 000 Israelites (vv. 14-27). David saw God’s holiness up close and was overwhelmed. • The tabernacle stood in Gibeon (v. 29), yet David chose instead to meet God on Araunah’s threshing floor, where mercy had just been shown. David’s Fear—Holy Reverence in Action David’s reaction models a key Old-Testament truth: – Holiness exposes sin (Isaiah 6:5). – Judgment is real (Exodus 20:20; Hebrews 10:31). – Reverence is the only fitting posture (Psalm 2:11). In other words, David’s “fear” was not panic but an awestruck awareness of God’s blazing purity. He would not treat the tabernacle like a casual meeting hall; he knew “our God is a consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:29). Hebrews 12—Grace Intensifies, Not Diminishes, Awe Hebrews 12 compares Sinai’s terror with the better voice of Mount Zion (vv. 18-24). Yet the chapter concludes: “Therefore, since we are receiving an unshakable kingdom, let us be filled with gratitude, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.” (Hebrews 12:28) Key parallels to David’s moment: • Same God, same holiness—now revealed through a greater covenant. • Grace (“receiving an unshakable kingdom”) does not cancel reverence; it deepens it. • Acceptable worship must hold gratitude and awe together, never one without the other. Connecting the Dots 1 Chronicles 21:30 shows the holiness that drives a sinner to mercy; Hebrews 12:28 shows the mercy that draws a sinner to holy worship. Together they teach: • God’s character has not changed from David’s day to ours. • Fear that keeps us from casual presumption is good; fear that keeps us from God’s grace is misplaced (cf. Hebrews 4:16). • The cross satisfies the sword David feared, yet the consuming fire still burns. Reverence and gratitude now walk hand-in-hand. Living It Out • Approach God confidently—but never casually (Hebrews 10:19-22). • Let gratitude fuel humility; let humility guard against entitlement. • Cultivate awe: read passages like Revelation 1:17, Luke 5:8, Isaiah 6:1-5. • Remember that Sunday worship, family devotions, and private prayers all take place before the same holy throne David saw and Hebrews exalts. May every act of worship echo David’s trembling and Hebrews’ gratitude—reverence and awe mingled before the unshakable King. |
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