"So terrible was the sight, that Moses said, "I am full of fear and trembling." This was Israel's view of Sinai. Even Moses, to whom God spoke, could not stand at Sinai fearless. At Sinai, sinful and unforgiven man stands before an infinitely holy and perfectly just God. No wonder the people shuddered. The symbols of Sinai are darkness, fire, trembling, and trumpets of judgment. And for an unforgiven sinner, "It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God."
God gave Israel the covenant of law in the middle of the wilderness, away form all distractions, all interference, and all hiding places. They had nothing to focus on but God, and in doing so became terribly aware of their own sinfulness. The first thing that leads a person to repentance and dependence on God for deliverance is the awareness of his sinfulness. Only seeing our sin can make us see our need for salvation from sin from the judgment it brings. This was the purpose of Sinai, to bring the people face to face with their own sinfulness, with NO place to hide.
The law is God's great mirror. When we look into it, we see our selves as we really are...immeasurably short of God's standard of righteousness. There is not a single commandment that we have kept perfectly or can keep perfectly, in either act or attitude. Praise God for Jesus Who alone can look into that mirror with the perfection of His holy self reflected rightly and wonderfully. And through Him, through Him Alone, does our refection measure full and sure, forgiven and fearless!
[Most of this post was copied from John MacArthur's commentary on Hebrews 12:18-21, page 412, chapter 36.]
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