Epiphany XIX: Pentecost Joy

What does it mean to be ready to meet God? Do you need to know Christ and have faith in Him?

For the Teacher who rejoices with the bridegroom is the same Teacher who once spoke to God — and heard Him answer with thunder when the LORD descended in fire.

At Sinai, God told Israel’s teacher Moses to prepare the people to meet Him.

The LORD said to Moses,

“Behold, I will come to you in a dense cloud, so that the people will hear when I speak with you, and they will always put their trust in you.”

“Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. They must wash their clothes and be prepared by the third day — for on the third day the LORD will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people.”

“And you are to set up a boundary — Only when the ram’s horn sounds a long blast may they approach the mountain.”

When Moses came down from the mountain — he consecrated them, and they washed their clothes. Then he said:

“Be prepared for the third day. Do not draw near to a woman.”

How would separating men and women prepare the people to meet God? Was this merely to keep their bodies and clothes clean? Or was this two-day separation a reminder that God — as man was created — is male and female?

For on the Sixth day:

God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

And it came to pass:

On the third day, when morning came, there was thunder and lightning.

A thick cloud was upon the mountain, and a very loud blast of the ram’s horn went out, so that all the people in the camp trembled.

For fear of lightning’s fire —

Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain.

Mount Sinai was completely enveloped in smoke, because the LORD had descended upon it in fire. And the smoke rose like the smoke of a furnace — and the whole mountain quaked violently.

When the sound of the ram’s horn grew louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him in thunder.

With thunder,

The LORD descended — Moses went up.

So Moses the Teacher of Israel — ascended — to meet with God — on the third day.

And the LORD said to him:

“Go down and warn the people not to break through to see the LORD, lest many of them perish.”

Why would the LORD prevent the people from meeting Him “face to face,” privileging only the priestly class to climb partway up the mountain?

Was idolatry the issue? Or was this a discipline — to hear and to heed the Word?

And the LORD replied — 

“Go down and bring Aaron with you. But the priests and the people must not break through to come up to the LORD, or He will break out against them.”

So Moses went down to the people and spoke to them.

The next verse begins —

And God spoke all these words: “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in the heavens above…”

Yet Moses spoke with God — and God answered him with thunder — the voice of the Father on the First Day of Creation.

For upon Ruach’s hovering over the deep watery cloud, a sound came forth in the thunder — saying, “Let there be Light.” And there was — Lightning.

And so, according to the testimony of Moses, God spoke — and the world was formed through thunder and lightning — and He made two great lights: the sun to rule the day, and the moon to rule the night.

So how does having faith in Moses the Teacher of Israel and in Christ give people hope?

According to the Gospel:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

He was with God in the beginning. Through Him all things were made, and without Him nothing was made that has been made. In Him was life, and that life was the light of men.

The Light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it.

There came a man who was sent from God. His name was John. He came as a witness to testify about the Light, so that through him everyone might believe.

He himself was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light.

And through that witness,

Once again the Light came among the people — and said:

“I am the Light of the world.”

And God said: “Let there be Light.”


And there was — Light.

John the Forerunner paves the way for the bride who belongs to the bridegroom — and rejoices to hear the bridegroom’s voice.

Simon hears his beloved friend’s voice — and puts on his garment to declare his love for Jesus.

In Jerusalem, the companions of Cleopas say —

“The Lord has indeed risen — and has appeared to Simon.”

For on the Third Day:

There was — lightning and thunder — fire on God’s holy mountain.

And when He had led them out as far as Bethany, He lifted up His hands and blessed them.

While He was blessing them, He was taken up into heaven.

And they worshipped Him — and returned to Jerusalem with great joy.

And while they were gathered together, He commanded them:

“Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift the Father promised, which you have heard Me discuss.”

As they were waiting, they recalled how Jesus said:

“I am the vine and you are the branches. The one who remains in Me, and I in him, will bear much fruit.” 

“This is to My Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, proving yourselves to be My disciples.”

“As the Father has loved Me, so have I loved you.” 

“If you keep My commandments, you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and remain in His love.”

“I have told you these things so that My joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.”

And —

Suddenly a sound like a mighty rushing wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.

And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit was giving to them to declare forth.

Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, lifted up his voice, and addressed the crowd:

“Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen carefully to my words.”

“These men are not drunk, as you suppose. It is only the third hour of the day!”

And those from Cana recalled:

The wedding in Cana on the third day — and how the Mother of Jesus had said to Him:

“They have run out of wine.”

And how the Bridegroom, called aside, had said:

“Everyone serves the fine wine first, and then the cheap wine after the guests are drunk. But you have saved the fine wine until now!”

Jesus performed this, the first of His signs, at Cana in Galilee. He thus revealed His glory, and His disciples believed in Him.

As Peter continued speaking to those gathered — those with eyes to see and ears to hear — they heard and saw the Forerunner’s Joy: the bridegroom’s voice proclaiming:

Good news of great joy that will be for all the people.

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Too much light can be blinding and crippling, especially for those who have been born and kept in the dark.

This is the nineteenth — and final — in a series of Epiphany reflections.

What began as a series of reflections has become a journey — one that continues to unfold, as I listen again to the Scriptures and discover how Scripture speaks to Scripture — and how the Word prepares ears, eyes, and hearts to meet with God.

The next step in my faith journey is the gathering of these reflections into a book: Epiphany Journey: Christmas to Pentecost.

In this forthcoming volume, I have refined each of the Epiphany reflections and added sidebars to draw attention to the Scripture passages revealed in each Epiphany.

If you would like to receive a copy of Epiphany Journey: Christmas to Pentecost, please check my website. When it is ready, I will make an announcement on my Home Page. Better yet — be sure to subscribe for new blog posts.