As the people of Israel stood at the foot of Mountain Sinai, they saw the lightening and heard the thunder on the mountain. They trembled with fear and dreaded going up the mountain even if they knew God was there. So they said to Moses that they would listen to him if he spoke to them. They were afraid if God spoke to them they would die. But Moses reassured them that God came to test them and to make them keep on obeying him without sinning.

God is a righteous and holy One. He wants us to have a healthy fear of Him lest his people do whatever they wish. Fear of God is the beginning of knowledge (Proverbs 1:7) and delivers us from evil. But if we dread God and then stay far away from him, we’ll lose His love and abundant blessing.