Ominous Clouds

Exodus 17-20

We've had a spate of thunderstorms lately that have wreaked havoc across the south... tornadoes and flooding that have resulted in several fatalities. The clouds have had an ominous feeling to them, but not nearly as much as the clouds that enveloped Mt Sinai.

On the morning of the third day, thunder roared and lightning flashed, and a dense cloud came down on the mountain. There was a long, loud blast from a ram’s horn, and all the people trembled. Moses led them out from the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. All of Mount Sinai was covered with smoke because the Lord had descended on it in the form of fire. The smoke billowed into the sky like smoke from a brick kiln, and the whole mountain shook violently. As the blast of the ram’s horn grew louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God thundered his reply.

The  Israelites were fearful so they requested that Moses speak to God on their behalf and then tell them what they needed to know, for they feared that if they had to directly confront God in the ominous cloud they would surely die. Jesus tells us not to fear, that perfect love casts out fear. True then, true today.