Last time we saw that the men of Israel did not approach the Ark of the Lord in an appropriate way. They treated it like any other object and a number of them died because of it. God had given them the law so they would understand how to approach Him. In Numbers chapter four God gave specific instruction as to how to handle the holy things.

They violated this commandment and suffered the consequences of their action. And this prompted the survivors to ask, “Who can stand before this Holy Lord God?”(I Sam 6:20)

And this is precisely what God intended for them to realize. They had lost their fear of God. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” (Prov 1:7) In this case they had the knowledge and instruction but they chose to ignore it. They wanted to approach God on their terms and not on His terms. It was the condition of their heart. 

It is no different today. Many want to approach God on their terms and not on His. God is often defined in the sphere of one’s own imagination rather according to His Holy Word, the Bible, which is the only source of spiritual truth concerning Him. Some want to make Him like a cosmic grandfather who gives approval to our every desire and want. In other words He is there to serve us rather than we are here to serve Him. The Creator – creature relationship is blurred and God is brought down to man’s level. For this reason there is no concern with the a-for-mentioned question because He is not perceived as holy.

But the one who has the fear of the Lord approaches God on His terms. One example was Cornelius, a Roman centurion. The Scriptures describe him as a devout man, who feared God, gave gifts generously to the people, and prayed to God always. (Acts 10:2) When meeting with Peter, he had a willingness to hear all the things commanded by God. (Act 10:33) And when Peter told him and his household that Christ was crucified, raised on the third day and that whosoever believes on Him will receive remission of sins, they received the word and were saved. (Acts 11:1,14)

Man is lost- spiritually. He has a need that he cannot fill and an obstacle that he can’t overcome. But God did it for him by sending His Son to pay a price that we could not pay. It is only when we come by faith, believing that the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus as Lord and Savior is the only acceptable way to God, then we have truly began to understand the fear of God. “For as the heavens are high above the earth, So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us.” (Psalm 103:11,12)