Thursday, May 13, 2004
Christ is Risen!
The Virgin-Martyr Glykeria of Heraklea
Kellia: Deuteronomy 5:1-5,16-33 Apostle: Acts 14:20-15:4 Gospel: St. John 9:39-10:9
Deuteronomy 5:1-5, 16-33, especially vs. 24 RSV: "....and you said, 'Behold, the Lord our God has shown
us His glory and greatness, and we have heard His voice out of the midst of the fire; we have this day seen God speak with
man and man still live.'" In today's reading, the Prophet Moses reminds the People of God of their encounter with the
Lord at Mount Horeb (also known as Mount Sinai, cf. Ex. 19). Ever since, the Israel of God has joyfully sung, "God is the
Lord, and hath appeared unto us" (Ps. 117:26 LXX). This reading reveals, in a spectacular manner, the nature of all
authentic appearances of God: these are face to face meetings spoken with words of consuming fire, covenanting acts,
moral demands, evocations of essential dread, a longing for an intermediary, and the provision of an infallible guide for
life. A meeting with God is called, in Orthodox terms, a "theophany"- an "appearance of God."
Every theophany is a meeting with God as a Person. In the Hebrew text of this passage, the meeting between God and the
People is described as "face to face," for not only is God's attention directed toward the People, but they know Him present
in their midst, as "I and thou," the "One and the other(s)." While they do not physically "see" the face of God, which is
shrouded in fire, cloud, and thick darkness (vss. 4,22), without doubt they come "face to face" with Another, with One Who
speaks and makes His will, demands, and purposes known.
To meet God is to hear words that burn away and consume all objection, resistance, and confusion. Earlier in
Deuteronomy, Moses reminded the ancient People of God that "the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God"
(Deut. 4:24); and, likewise, the Apostles teach us who have pledged our lives to the Lord Jesus that "our God is a
consuming fire" (Heb. 12:29).
God reveals Himself to us in order to covenant with us, to establish an eternally binding set of terms by which we shall be
His People and He shall be our God (Deut. 5:2). As Moses reminds the People: "The Lord our God made a covenant with
us in Horeb. Not with our fathers did the Lord make this covenant, but with us, who are all of us here alive this day" (vs.
3). In the same way, in present moments, the Lord Jesus says to us: "Drink ye all of this: this is My Blood of the New
Covenant, which is shed for you and for many, for the remission of sins."
Every Covenant has terms to which the agreeing parties assent, and terms from God always have moral content. In
theophanies there are ethical requirements that apply to all men, at all times, and in all places. The first four
Commandments, omitted from this lesson, are read on the first Saturday of Great Lent at Vespers (Deut. 5:6-15). The six
included in this reading are universal social requirements for relationships between man and man (vss. 16-21).
Theophanies evoke reverential dread, and the meeting at Sinai which Moses describes here certainly evoked holy fear in the
People: "Now therefore why should we die? For this great fire will consume us; if we hear the voice of the Lord our God
any more, we shall die" (vs. 25).
A true appearance of God is so "dread-full," so awe inspiring, that it provokes the need for an intermediary between God
and those to whom He appears. Peter, in a moment of recognition, cries, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord"
(Lk. 5:8), and the Lord Jesus came to him in fully human form! The People beg Moses, "Go near, and hear all that the
Lord our God will say; and speak to us all that the Lord our God will speak to you" (Deut. 5:27).
Theophanies are appearances of the Life-Giver. God appears to provide an infallible guide for life - for living well and
long, for possessing the Kingdom He offers us (vs. 33).
Today the darkness of the world vanisheth with the appearance of our God. Great art Thou, O Lord, and wondrous art
Thy works, and no word sufficeth to hymn Thy wonders.
