When you speak of God, are you speaking of the God that the Church has been speaking about for two thousand years—the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, spoken by the faithful for four thousand years? Or, when you speak of God, are you speaking of a concept you have fashioned together in your mind out of cultural, political, and personal convictions, with a little Scripture as a garnish?

On the morning of the third day there were thunders and lightnings and a thick cloud on the mountain and a very loud trumpet blast, so that all the people in the camp trembled. 17Then Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they took their stand at the foot of the mountain. 18Now Mount Sinai was wrapped in smoke because the Lord had descended on it in fire. The smoke of it went up like the smoke of a kiln, and the whole mountain trembled greatly. 19And as the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him in thunder. 20The Lord came down on Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain. And the Lord called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up.

21And the Lord said to Moses, “Go down and warn the people, lest they break through to the Lord to look and many of them perish. 22Also let the priests who come near to the Lord consecrate themselves, lest the Lord break out against them.” 23And Moses said to the Lord, “The people cannot come up to Mount Sinai, for you yourself warned us, saying, ‘Set limits around the mountain and consecrate it.’” 24And the Lord said to him, “Go down, and come up bringing Aaron with you. But do not let the priests and the people break through to come up to the Lord, lest he break out against them.” 25So Moses went down to the people and told them.