recate," to shrink in fear from a person. Again, the word
"escape," in its reference to the children of Israel at Sinai, cannot
signify "to avoid being punished," which is its meaning in the second
chapter of this Epistle.[377] The meaning is that they could not flee
from His presence, though Moses mediated between Him and the people.
They could not escape Him. His word "_found_[378] them" when they
cowered in their tents as truly as if they had climbed with Moses the
heights of Sinai. For the word of God was then also a living word, and
there was no creature that was not manifest in His sight. Yet it was
right in the people to deprecate, and desire Moses to speak to them
rather than God. This was the befitting spirit under the old covenant.
It expresses very precisely the difference between the bondage of that
covenant and the liberty of the new. In Christ only is the veil taken
away. Where the Spirit of the Lord Jesus is, there is liberty. But, for
this reason, what was praiseworthy in the people who were kept at a
distance from the bounds placed around Sinai is unworthy and censurable
in those who have come to Mount Zion. See, therefore, that ye do not ask
Him that speaketh to withdraw into the thick darkness and terrible
silence. For us to deprecate is tantamount to rejection of God. We are
actually turning away from Him. But to ignore and shun His presence is
now impossible to us. The revelation is from heaven. He Who brought it
descended Himself from above. Because He is from heaven, the Son of God
is a life-giving Spirit. He surrounds us, like the ambient air. The sin
of the world is not the only "besetting" element of our life. The
ever-present, besetting God woos our spirit. He speaks. That His words
are kind and forgiving we know. For He speaks to us from heaven,
because the blood sprinkled in heaven speaks better before God than the
blood of Abel spoke from the ground. The revelation of God to us in His
Son preceded, it is true, the entrance of the Son into the holiest
place; but it has acquired a new meaning and a new force in virtue of
the Son's appearing before God for us. This new force of the revelation
is represented by the mission and activity of the Spirit.

The author's thoughts glide almost imperceptibly into another channel.
We can refuse Him that speaketh, and turn away from Him in unbelief. But
let us beware. It is the final revelation. His voice on Sinai shook the
earth. The meaning is not that i