Trembling at the words of God

“Then were assembled unto me every one that trembled at the words of the God of Israel, because of the transgression of those that had been carried away; and I sat astonished until the evening sacrifice.” - Ezra 9v4

Ezra was absolutely devastated. He was dismayed and confused when he received news that numbers of his countrymen had violated the word of God and taken pagan spouses. It appears that he was absolutely shocked at the news of what they had done. All day long he sat and fasted, after which he went to the Lord in prayer.

During this time there gathered around him those people who “trembled at the words of God. These people were the exact opposites of those who had married into pagan families. The people who gathered around Ezra had a holy reference for the words of God. Their reverence was so strong that they “trembled” at His words. These folks spent the day with Ezra as he prepared to seek the Lord.

Those same two groups of people are around today, even among Christians. There are those who have very little if any reverence for God and His word. There are some Christians who have such an awe of God’s Word that they tremble in reverential fear.

How do we respond to God’s word? Is it something that we think we can “Pick and choose” or “take it or leave it”? The folks who gathered around Ezra had it right. There is only one way to see God’s word. We must approach it in reverential fear, never taking its lightly.