Reminder of Sinai
by Terry Wane Benton
When John saw the vision of Revelation, there seems to be a reflection that reminds us of Sinai.
"And from the throne proceeded lightnings, thunderings, and voices. Seven lamps of fire were burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God" (Revelation 4:5).
We recall thundering, lightning, and voices at Mount Sinai as the children of Israel witnessed in great fear for their lives (Exodus 19). They were entering the introduction to the One Who was about to make a covenant with them. Here in the New Testament, the Jewish people had just been cut off from the covenant via their unbelief and Jesus’ death on the cross bringing that covenant to an end (Ephesians 2:15), but the New Covenant began with a divine display of power on Pentecost (Acts 2) with fire, not on the mountain, but tongues of fire on the heads of the twelve apostles. The covenant of Sinai with the twelve tribes and the covenant through the twelve apostles on Pentecost give us a representation before the great throne. These lightning, thundering, and voices remind us that the awesome Creator and Judge is to be held in reverent fear. His covenant is no trifling matter. The seven Spirits of God still richly supplied the fire of the seven lamps. In other words, the seven lamps were the spirits of the seven churches supplied not by their own supply of oil and fire, but by the oil and fire that God supplies within them through His powerful testimony.
It was a fearful thing to stand at Mount Sinai before the Holy God, to see and hear the display of earth-trembling and authoritative voices. God reminds John and us that His covenant is more to be fearfully respected than all the frightening schemes of men to harm His church. The children of Israel trembled at the threat of Pharoah and His army, but a little while later at Mt. Sinai, there was experienced a deeper fear of God. We need to fear and respect God far more than we fear government and other earthly powers that threaten us.
The Jews had (temporarily) the shadowy type -- the golden lampstand -- which would soon go out forever in the events about to take place, but the real lampstand with the oil and fire supplied by the Spirit through the seven Spirits are “before the throne” where the light cannot be trampled by man and taken away. The voices were heavenly and the seven lamps were safely burning before the throne. The unbelieving (in Jesus) Jews were soon to see their whole system demolished, but John is invited up to see what is far more dependable and glorious. The future will be very gloomy for the enemies of Christ and His church, but hopeful for the church. The lightening, thundering, and voices at Sinai ushered in a hopeful time for Israel in the flesh, but the lightening, thundering, and voices closed the door to the whole system of fleshly Israel and signal that the Lord is well able to keep the light burning in His antitype lamps of fire that stand before the throne.
"Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need" (Hebrews 4:14-16 NKJV).
Those members of the church who stay connected to the throne of grace find themselves glowing with spiritual fire because they have a heavenly vision of the bigger and better picture. The dark things of the earth do not put out their heavenly light. Come up here and see how things turn out for the faithful! The same awesome God on the throne that carried Israel out of Egyptian bondage and rescued them from the fear of Pharoah's army, is the same awesome God that will supply all our needs through all of earth's turmoil. Come up here and see!
