Invitation to A Scary Intimacy with God: God’s Shock Effect Presence Leads to Awe

1 Pastor's Point of View

Ezekiel 1:25-2:1; Revelation 1:9-17

While these types of experiences seem rare, they can occur today, not only to great prophets but those that consider themselves ordinary believers. They are especially crafted by God to produce “Awe”, or what we call the “Fear of the Lord” which is a foundational experience (Proverb 1:7, 9:10) which aids the believer to develop “Compassionate wisdom.” This type of experience usually induced by either theophany or angelic appearance can be shocking to the surprised recipient but it is given to produce awe of God. This experience prepares the believer for a very challenging call and mission. This type of experience can also resolve the subtle evil of becoming “over-familiar” with God: all daddy and no Lord; which may lead to a primarily egocentric relationship, where God becomes an easy broker or a soft touch: Remember that in the Lord’s prayer “your Kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” come before Give us today our daily bread etc. God has for all of us His will to be done on earth and sometimes it is so challenging that He gives such shocking experiences. It helps produce awe, respect, reverence for God that surpasses the normal human responses like fear because of the difficult call and challenge to their faith. And as in Paul’s life, God given radical manifestation began his ministry and continued throughout his ministry (Acts 9:23:11; 27:23)

Our key passages (Ephesians 1:25-2:1; Revelation 1:9-17) Continue to illustrate the humanly uncomfortable manifestations for God’s prophets’ but what begins as a shock ends with wisdom, confidence in God and His plan.

1. Usually these shocking manifestation of God occur when God’s macro/major plans are revealed: Other examples are easy to locate in Scripture.
2. Abraham’s call in Genesis 12:3 “Where he fell face down” before God’s revelation.
3. Moses Burning Bush experience in Exodus 3, The whole chapter records Moses shock and human reticence
4. Isaiah’s reaction in Isaiah 6:1-5 especially verse 5, “woe to me!” I am ruined… because eyes have seen the king, the Lord almighty” Remember also Job 42:1-5)
5. Mary’s response to the angel Gabriel, Luke 1:29-30 “... Mary was greatly troubled and confused at the angel’s words’
6. The disciples at Jesus’s transfiguration (Matthew 17:6 “When the disciples heard the voice of the Lord, declaring Jesus as His son, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified!

While these experiences themselves seem to be far from a blessing they all lead to a great respect for God and HIs personal call in their lives, an “Awe” and confidence that He who calls us is able to empower us to get it done (Philippians 1:6) a shock experience that leads to glory.

1. Finally these experiences can be distinguished from an Ananias and Sapphira type of experience. Which illustrates a judgment from God. John the revelator’s “falling at the risen Jesus’s feet”, as though dead that produced great fear” was only a prelude to His call that produced great awe before God: John was “awestruck” before Jesus and His great Revelation. He received an experience while in prison at the island of Patmos, to encourage him to continue to see and write God’s final Revelation. John still had a purpose for the Kingdom & God had not abandoned him, even in prison.

Amen