There are two parts in this solemn chapter—the first, God announcing Himself in the claims of His holiness, which could only be answered in the people's distance from God, and in the terror which filled their minds; (see ver. 1-22;) the second unfolds the symbols of grace, by which the people are brought to God in the acceptance of worship-the presence of God with them, and the consequent fullness of blessing. (Ver. 22-26.)
The most terrible result of sin is, that by it man has lost God. There are many deplorable effects and consequences of sin, as Scripture declares and experience proves; but there is no moral effect connected with it so terrible as that by it man has lost God. Nov, the object of Scripture is to meet this consequence of sin, in the only way in which it is possible it should be met; that is, by a revelation of God; and so restoring God to man. Moreover, it may be said, that all true knowledge of ourselves results from our knowledge of God.
The law is often erroneously called " a transcript of God's character;" but surely it is not this, or it would never have been said, in contrast, " The law was given by Moses; but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ." The law is not God Himself, however it may emanate from God: neither does it present what God is for man at all, but simply what man must be for God, supposing that its requirements could be met.
But "grace and truth" are God Himself, presenting to us the spontaneous actings of His nature-His heart- toward us. There is no grace in the giving of the law; not even if we take it in the divine summary which Christ Himself gives of it: " Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart,... and thy neighbor as thyself." This is not grace: it is requirement. It. does not reveal what God is; but declares what man ought to do. What do we find down to the eleventh verse of this chapter but enactments to protect God, in His rights, and honor, and sovereignty, from man? Man is so rebelliously bold in his ignorance, that he is ready to rush on the bosses of God's buckler. Hence, the first proclamations of law in this chapter are to set bounds to man's wickedness, which would invade the rights and honor of God. See men now rushing recklessly to battle and to death. Do they know what they are doing in their blind ignorance? Do they know what hell and perdition are? And would they brave the terrors of the Almighty? How affecting it is to think, that if God speaks to man in his present condition in the way of law and requirement, He must first protect Himself from man's violence and reckless ignorance: and if He proceeds farther, He must guard us against ourselves and against one another!
So that the first table of the law, as it is called, shows that we are haters of God; and the second, that we are " hateful, and hating one another."
In the 18th verse it is said, " And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off." This is the simple accompaniment of divine majesty, and the people, thus under law -which is but another expression of their being under sin-remove and stand afar off! It is but the expressive condition of any soul that has to stand upon any law or requirement. Nothing brings nigh to God but the absoluteness of His grace. " Ye who sometimes were far off are brought nigh." How? " By the blood of Christ! " But nothing will get you near to God as long as you stand in law in any way. The gospel gives life-not a spirit of lawlessness or insubjection-and in that life we live to God in subjection to Christ. " The grace of God which brings salvation teaches us to deny ungodliness."
Law, as we see in verse 19, begets the desire for priesthood, or a medium of communication between the soul and God: for the people " said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us, lest we die." But the whole purpose of God is lost if we have not Himself. He wants us and will have us near to Himself, and our consciences must have Odd, if they are to be " perfect" and at rest. God's heart is set on speaking Himself to us; and until He is heard in the soul speaking peace through the blood of the Lamb, God's purpose is not answered.
We come now to the second part of the chapter, which presents the symbol of grace, for the law gives no altar of worship or meeting-place with God. First, "ye shall not make with me gods of silver;" which forbids any human ideas of purity (of which silver is the symbol) to be associated with the ground of approach to God or to be mingled with our worship of Him. " Neither shall ye make unto you gods of gold." Gold is the symbol of righteousness, the thought of which must be utterly separated from the sinner's heart in drawing nigh to God. We and not to come because we are better than others, but to come just as we are. This is still prohibition necessary to separate man from the thoughts which his ignorance of God, and consequent ignorance of himself, would produce. But now we reach the point of positive command, " An altar of earth thou shalt make unto me, and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt offerings, and thy peace offerings, thy sheep, and thine oxen: in all places where I record my name I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee."
This positive command lets out God's thoughts of grace and truth, and presents the true and only ground of association with Himself. It marks the place where He would accomplish the blessed purpose of His bosom; for He would meet man in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. The body of Christ is the altar of earth-the place of atonement or sacrifice and worship. Christ came to seek and save that which was lost; so that there can be no thought of our seeking God in heaven, but on earth. For He has come down to earth in the person of Christ-and on earth that sacrifice has been offered which atones for guilt; and that blood has been shed that "cleanses us from all sin." And hence Christ becomes the meeting-place of the soul with God, in the joy of deliverance and acceptance. For, in truth, Christ is our altar and priest and sacrifice. He is all and in all. " In all places where I record my name I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee." Every resource God has rests in Christ; and it becomes ours in Christ. If the altar were made of stone, it was not to be of hewn stone. An Ebenezer may be erected, but that is all. It is folly to think that we can do any more for ourselves after we have once come to the altar of earth. We can do nothing to make ourselves more beautiful than we are presented in Christ. If we attempt it, we only pollute that which is divinely pure and perfect. Neither are there to be steps up to this altar, lest our nakedness be shown. Salvation is not progressive; it is accomplished by Christ. And if we think of raising ourselves to Him by a single step, we but discover our own nakedness. The altar is level to us. Its approach is direct; and if there be a single thought, whether as to acceptance or worship, added to the altar of earth, that is so far a step, and only discovers our nakedness. It is something to raise us to God, or to make our worship acceptable to God, that is not Christ.