Exodus 20:20 Study Bible: Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid, for God has come to test you, and that his fear may be before you, that you won't sin."

◄ Exodus 20:20 ►

"Do not be afraid," Moses replied. "For God has come to test you, so that the fear of Him may be before you, to keep you from sinning."

Study Bible

“Do not be afraid,” Moses replied.
Moses addresses the Israelites' fear after witnessing the thunder, lightning, and the sound of the trumpet at Mount Sinai. This reassurance is significant as it reflects God's desire for a relationship with His people, not one based on terror but on reverence. The phrase echoes similar biblical instances where God or His messengers tell individuals not to fear, such as in Genesis 15:1 with Abram and Luke 1:30 with Mary. It highlights the importance of trust in God's presence and His plans.

“For God has come to test you,”
The concept of testing is prevalent throughout the Bible, often used to refine and strengthen faith. Here, the test is not to induce failure but to reveal the Israelites' hearts and their commitment to God's covenant. This testing parallels other biblical narratives, such as Abraham's test with Isaac in Genesis 22, where faith and obedience are central themes. It underscores the idea that trials can lead to spiritual growth and deeper reliance on God.

“so that the fear of Him may be before you,”
The "fear of Him" refers to a profound respect and awe for God, which is foundational in maintaining a covenant relationship. This fear is not about being scared but about recognizing God's holiness and authority. Proverbs 9:10 states, "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom," indicating that such reverence leads to a life aligned with God's will. It serves as a guiding principle for ethical and moral behavior.

“to keep you from sinning.”
The ultimate purpose of instilling the fear of God is to deter sin. This phrase emphasizes the protective nature of God's commandments, designed to lead His people away from actions that would harm their relationship with Him and others. The connection between fear of God and avoidance of sin is echoed in scriptures like Proverbs 16:6, which states, "By the fear of the LORD one turns away from evil." It highlights the transformative power of divine reverence in shaping a righteous life.

Persons / Places / Events

1. Moses
The leader of the Israelites, chosen by God to deliver His people from Egyptian bondage. In this context, Moses is acting as a mediator between God and the Israelites.

2. The Israelites
The chosen people of God, who have been delivered from slavery in Egypt and are now at Mount Sinai to receive God's laws.

3. Mount Sinai
The mountain where God gives the Ten Commandments to Moses. It is a place of divine revelation and covenant.

4. God
The Almighty, who is establishing His covenant with the Israelites and giving them His laws to guide their lives.

5. The Fear of God
A central theme in this passage, referring to a reverential awe and respect for God's holiness and power.

Teaching Points

Understanding the Fear of God
The fear of God is not about being terrified but having a deep respect and reverence for His holiness and authority.

Purpose of God's Testing
God tests His people to strengthen their faith and commitment, not to lead them into failure.

Avoiding Sin through Reverence
A healthy fear of God helps believers avoid sin by keeping them mindful of His presence and commandments.

The Role of a Mediator
Moses acts as a mediator, pointing to the ultimate mediator, Jesus Christ, who bridges the gap between God and humanity.

Living in Holiness
The call to fear God is a call to live a life set apart, in obedience to His commands and in reflection of His character.

Bible Study Questions

1. How does the fear of God as described in Exodus 20:20 differ from being afraid of God, and how can this understanding impact your daily walk with Him?

2. In what ways can the fear of God serve as a deterrent to sin in your life, and how can you cultivate this reverence?

3. How does Moses' role as a mediator in this passage foreshadow the work of Jesus Christ as our mediator? Reflect on how this impacts your relationship with God.

4. Consider a time when you felt tested by God. How did that experience strengthen your faith, and what did you learn about His character?

5. How can you apply the principle of living in holiness and reverence for God in your current circumstances, and what steps can you take to align more closely with His commandments?

Connections to Other Scriptures

Proverbs 1:7
This verse speaks about the fear of the Lord being the beginning of knowledge, connecting to the idea that fearing God leads to wisdom and understanding.

Hebrews 12:28-29
These verses discuss worshiping God with reverence and awe, which ties into the concept of fearing God as a form of worship and respect.

Deuteronomy 5:29
This verse expresses God's desire for His people to fear Him and keep His commandments, linking to the purpose of instilling fear to prevent sin.

Sermons

The Ten Words	H.T. Robjohns	Exodus 20:16-21
God's Revelation of Himself	J. W. Burn.	Exodus 20:18-21
Israel and Sinai	Homilist	Exodus 20:18-21
The Seriousness of Life	Bp. Phillips Brooks.	Exodus 20:18-21
The Superficial and the Profound	W. Burrows, B. A.	Exodus 20:18-21
The Terrors of Sinai	J. Orr	Exodus 20:18-22

People

Moses

Places

Mount Sinai

Topics

Afraid, Faces, Fear, Fearing, Kept, Order, Prove, Sin, Sinning, Test, Try, Won't

Dictionary of Bible Themes

Exodus 20:20

     6030   sin, avoidance
     8334   reverence, and God's nature
     8336   reverence, and obedience
     8470   respect, for God
     8832   testing

Exodus 20:18-20

1454 theophany

Exodus 20:18-21

4810 darkness, natural

Library

The Decalogue: I --Man and God
'And God spake all these words, saying, 2. I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 3. Thou shalt have no other gods before me. 4. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in the heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: 5. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Decalogue: ii. --Man and Man
'Honour thy father and thy mother; that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. 13. Thou shalt not kill. 14. Thou shalt not commit adultery. 15. Thou shalt not steal. 16. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. 17. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his man-servant, nor his maid-servant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's. 18. And all the people saw the thunderings and …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

May the Third Other Gods!
"Thou shalt have no other gods before Me." --EXODUS xx. 1-11. If we kept that commandment all the other commandments would be obeyed. If we secure this queen-bee we are given the swarm. To put nothing "before" God! What is left in the circle of obedience? God first, always and everywhere. Nothing allowed to usurp His throne for an hour! I was once allowed to sit on an earthly throne for a few seconds, but even that is not to be allowed with the throne of God. Nothing is to share His sovereignty, …
John Henry Jowett—My Daily Meditation for the Circling Year

The Mediator --The Interpreter
To us, that day at Horeb is a type of the action of the law in our nature: thus doth the law deal with our consciences and hearts. If you have ever felt the law spoken home to you by the Spirit of God, you have heard great thunderings within. You have been forced to cry with Habakkuk, "When I heard, my belly trembled; my lips quivered at the voice: rottenness entered into my bones." And God intended it to be so, that you might look to the flames which Moses saw, and abandon forever all hope of acceptance …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 35: 1889

Weighed in the Balances
In the fifth chapter of Daniel we read the history of King Belshazzar. One chapter tells us all we know about him. One short sight of his career is all we have. He bursts in upon the scene and then disappears. THE EASTERN FEAST. We are told that he made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before them. In those days a feast would sometimes last for six months in Eastern countries. How long this feast had been going on we are not told, but in the midst of it, he "commanded to bring …
Dwight L. Moody—Weighed and Wanting

Traditionalism, Its Origin, Character, and Literature - the Mishnah and Talmud - the Gospel of Christ - the Dawn of a New Day.
In trying to picture to ourselves New Testament scenes, the figure most prominent, next to those of the chief actors, is that of the Scribe ({hebrew}, grammates, literatus). He seems ubiquitous; we meet him in Jerusalem, in Judæa, and even in Galilee. [437] Indeed, he is indispensable, not only in Babylon, which may have been the birthplace of his order, but among the dispersion' also. [438] Everywhere he appears as the mouthpiece and representative of the people; he pushes to the front, the …
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

Covenanting Sanctioned by the Divine Example.
God's procedure when imitable forms a peculiar argument for duty. That is made known for many reasons; among which must stand this,--that it may be observed and followed as an example. That, being perfect, is a safe and necessary pattern to follow. The law of God proclaims what he wills men as well as angels to do. The purposes of God show what he has resolved to have accomplished. The constitutions of his moral subjects intimate that he has provided that his will shall be voluntarily accomplished …
John Cunningham—The Ordinance of Covenanting

Beam on us Brightly, Blessed Day,
"The Lord blessed the Seventh day and hallowed it." -- Exodus 20:11. Beam on us brightly, blessed day, Dawn softly for our Savior's sake; And waft thy sweetness o'er our way, To draw us heavenward when we wake. O holy life that shall not end, Light that will never cease to be -- May every Sabbath-day we spend, Add to our happiness in Thee. …
Miss A. L. Waring—Hymns and Meditations

For, Concerning False Witness, which is Set Down in the Ten Commands of The...
36. For, concerning false witness, which is set down in the ten commands of the Law, it can indeed in no wise be contended that love of truth may at heart be preserved, and false witness brought forth to him unto whom the witness is borne. For, when it is said to God only, then it is only in the heart that the truth is to be embraced: but when it is said to man, then must we with the mouth also of the body bring forth truth, because man is not an inspector of the heart. But then, touching the witness …
St. Augustine—On Lying

On the Other Hand, those who Say that we must Never Lie...
6. On the other hand, those who say that we must never lie, plead much more strongly, using first the Divine authority, because in the very Decalogue it is written "Thou shall not bear false witness;" [2306] under which general term it comprises all lying: for whoso utters any thing bears witness to his own mind. But lest any should contend that not every lie is to be called false witness, what will he say to that which is written, "The mouth that lieth slayeth the soul:" [2307] and lest any should …
St. Augustine—On Lying

What Then, if a Homicide Seek Refuge with a Christian...
22. What then, if a homicide seek refuge with a Christian, or if he see where the homicide have taken refuge, and be questioned of this matter by him who seeks, in order to bring to punishment a man, the slayer of man? Is he to tell a lie? For how does he not hide a sin by lying, when he for whom he lies has been guilty of a heinous sin? Or is it because he is not questioned concerning his sin, but about the place where he is concealed? So then to lie in order to hide a person's sin is evil; but …
St. Augustine—On Lying

Thus Has the Question Been on Both Sides Considered and Treated...
12. Thus has the question been on both sides considered and treated; and still it is not easy to pass sentence: but we must further lend diligent hearing to those who say, that no deed is so evil, but that in avoidance of a worse it ought to be done; moreover that the deeds of men include not only what they do, but whatever they consent to be done unto them. Wherefore, if cause have arisen that a Christian man should choose to burn incense to idols, that he might not consent to bodily defilement …
St. Augustine—On Lying

The Old Testament Canon from Its Beginning to Its Close.
The first important part of the Old Testament put together as a whole was the Pentateuch, or rather, the five books of Moses and Joshua. This was preceded by smaller documents, which one or more redactors embodied in it. The earliest things committed to writing were probably the ten words proceeding from Moses himself, afterwards enlarged into the ten commandments which exist at present in two recensions (Exod. xx., Deut. v.) It is true that we have the oldest form of the decalogue from the Jehovist …
Samuel Davidson—The Canon of the Bible

The Preface to the Commandments
And God spake all these words, saying, I am the LORD thy God,' &c. Exod 20: 1, 2. What is the preface to the Ten Commandments? The preface to the Ten Commandments is, I am the Lord thy God.' The preface to the preface is, God spake all these words, saying,' &c. This is like the sounding of a trumpet before a solemn proclamation. Other parts of the Bible are said to be uttered by the mouth of the holy prophets (Luke 1: 70), but here God spake in his own person. How are we to understand that, God spake, …
Thomas Watson—The Ten Commandments

The Right Understanding of the Law
Thou shalt have no other Gods before me.' Exod 20: 3. Before I come to the commandments, I shall answer questions, and lay down rules respecting the moral law. What is the difference between the moral laud and the gospel? (1) The law requires that we worship God as our Creator; the gospel, that we worship him in and through Christ. God in Christ is propitious; out of him we may see God's power, justice, and holiness: in him we see his mercy displayed. (2) The moral law requires obedience, but gives …
Thomas Watson—The Ten Commandments

The First Commandment
Thou shalt have no other gods before me.' Exod 20: 3. Why is the commandment in the second person singular, Thou? Why does not God say, You shall have no other gods? Because the commandment concerns every one, and God would have each one take it as spoken to him by name. Though we are forward to take privileges to ourselves, yet we are apt to shift off duties from ourselves to others; therefore the commandment is in the second person, Thou and Thou, that every one may know that it is spoken to him, …
Thomas Watson—The Ten Commandments

The Second Commandment
Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am o jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of then that hate me; and shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments.' Exod 20: 4-6. I. Thou shalt not …
Thomas Watson—The Ten Commandments

The Third Commandment
Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain: For the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.' Exod 20: 7. This commandment has two parts: 1. A negative expressed, that we must not take God's name in vain; that is, cast any reflections and dishonour on his name. 2. An affirmative implied. That we should take care to reverence and honour his name. Of this latter I shall speak more fully, under the first petition in the Lord's Prayer, Hallowed be thy name.' I shall …
Thomas Watson—The Ten Commandments

The Fourth Commandment
Remember the Sabbath-day to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God; in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day; wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath-day and hallowed it. Exod 20: 8-11. This …
Thomas Watson—The Ten Commandments

The Fifth Commandment
Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.' Exod 20: 12. Having done with the first table, I am next to speak of the duties of the second table. The commandments may be likened to Jacob's ladder: the first table respects God, and is the top of the ladder that reaches to heaven; the second respects superiors and inferiors, and is the foot of the ladder that rests on the earth. By the first table, we walk religiously towards God; by …
Thomas Watson—The Ten Commandments

The Sixth Commandment
Thou shalt not kill.' Exod 20: 13. In this commandment is a sin forbidden, which is murder, Thou shalt not kill,' and a duty implied, which is, to preserve our own life, and the life of others. The sin forbidden is murder: Thou shalt not kill.' Here two things are to be understood, the not injuring another, nor ourselves. I. The not injuring another. [1] We must not injure another in his name. A good name is a precious balsam.' It is a great cruelty to murder a man in his name. We injure others in …
Thomas Watson—The Ten Commandments

The Seventh Commandment
Thou shalt not commit adultery.' Exod 20: 14. God is a pure, holy spirit, and has an infinite antipathy against all uncleanness. In this commandment he has entered his caution against it; non moechaberis, Thou shalt not commit adultery.' The sum of this commandment is, The preservations of corporal purity. We must take heed of running on the rock of uncleanness, and so making shipwreck of our chastity. In this commandment there is something tacitly implied, and something expressly forbidden. 1. The …
Thomas Watson—The Ten Commandments

The Eighth Commandment
Thou shalt not steal.' Exod 20: 15. AS the holiness of God sets him against uncleanness, in the command Thou shalt not commit adultery;' so the justice of God sets him against rapine and robbery, in the command, Thou shalt not steal.' The thing forbidden in this commandment, is meddling with another man's property. The civil lawyers define furtum, stealth or theft to be the laying hands unjustly on that which is another's;' the invading another's right. I. The causes of theft. [1] The internal causes …
Thomas Watson—The Ten Commandments

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