“The terror [intense fear] of the Lord and the splendor [brilliance, grandeur, glory] of His majesty” is
quoted three times in Isaiah chapter two [10,19,21].
It is impossible to look at God with physical eyes. God is spirt, and we cannot imagine what it would be
like to see God. We can only use words like awe, reverence, fear, majesty, wonder, and splendor.
“Thou art clothed with splendor and majesty [Ps. 104:1].”
Moses and the Israelites at Sinai did not see God but saw thunder, lightening, a thick cloud, smoke and
fire and the whole mountain quaked [Ex. 19:16,18]. When the people saw it, they trembled and stood
at a distance [20:18].
When John saw the risen Christ, he fell at His feet as a dead man [Rev. 1:17]
Ezekial saw the likeness of God’s glory and fell on his face [Ezek.1:28].
Nehemiah reminds us that He is a great and awesome God [1:5].
God told Moses, “no man can see Me and live [Ex. 33:20].”
For the unbeliever it will be the most fearful experience imaginable. For them, words like terror, dread,
and fear only begin to describe their emotions as they experience His wrath. Isaiah 2 describes their
reaction when faced with the wrath of God.
V17 men’s pride will disappear.
V18 their idols will vanish.
V19 men will try to hide in holes and caves..
V19,21 the Lord will make the earth tremble.
Why? Their speech and their actions are against the Lord to rebel against His glorious presence [3:8].
And they display their sins like Sodom [3:9]. J I Packer says, “Wrath is holiness reacting to evil in a way
that is morally right and glorious.”
How can we be so casual when approaching God in worship, or in prayer, or in opening the Book? A. W.
Tozer said, “We have lost the awe of God.” Our response to His splendor and majesty should be to
approach Him in fear, reverence and awe. This is in contrast to our soft, casual, and sometimes
indifferent approach. Rom. 3:18 quotes Ps. 36:1 in describing many worshippers, “There is no fear of
God before their eyes.” Have we created our own soft, indulging, friend to be our god?
“Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him [Ps. 33:8].”