John Calvin Commentary Deuteronomy 5:24

"and ye said, Behold, Jehovah our God hath showed us his glory and his greatness, and we have heard his voice out of the midst of the fire: we have seen this day that God doth speak with man, and he liveth." — Deuteronomy 5:24 (ASV)

Behold, the Lord our God hath showed us. They are urged by their own confession to no longer dare to oppose the ministry of Moses. For when they confess that they saw God's glory and greatness, they bind themselves to obedience, unless they choose openly to make war against God.

At the end of the verse, where they say that God doth talk with man, etc., they not only mean that people are surviving on earth who have heard God's voice descend from heaven with their own ears, but they also express their astonishment at what was hardly believable. For although it was well known to them that God had previously spoken with their ancestors, yet, because a long time had passed since these revelations had stopped, they are amazed as if at something new.

We also see, a long time afterwards, that whenever God appeared to His servants, they were overwhelmed with the fear of death, and it was like a proverb among them, We shall die, because we have seen God (Judges 13:22). There is good reason, then, why they should celebrate this extraordinary privilege: that they had not been consumed by God's glory. For if at His sight the mountains melt, and everything most durable is annihilated, and everything strongest is broken to pieces, how could humans stand, than whom nothing is more frail or perishable? If by His secret will the turbulent air causes not only animals but also trees and rocks to tremble, what will it be like when God displays His might not only in the elements, but when, descending from heaven, He speaks with His own voice?

It is not unreasonable, then, that the Israelites should consider it miraculous that they had heard God’s voice and were not annihilated. In this, they indirectly rebuke their own folly, because by their thoughtless desire, they would have brought destruction upon themselves if God’s mercy had not aided them. The next two verses appear to contradict each other. For, having experienced that those to whom God reveals Himself are not always destroyed and do not always perish, why do they say that they will die if He continues to speak to them? Indeed, in saying this, they seem to show some inconsistency; yet there is reason for them to fear for the future that danger from which they had escaped by God’s marvelous grace. It is, then, as if they had said: It is more than enough for us to have once provoked God against us; it is by His immeasurable loving-kindness that He has pardoned us so far. Meanwhile, we must be careful that our perversity does not bring heavier punishment upon us, unless we quickly correct our folly.

From this, a useful admonition may be drawn. For although God’s voice has not sounded in our ears, yet the experience of His ancient people should be sufficient to persuade us with certainty that when God appoints teachers over us, He makes the best provision for our salvation. This is because if He Himself were to thunder from heaven, His majesty would be unbearable to us.

And this should serve to restrain their destructive craving, those who desire God to descend daily from heaven, or at least to send His revelations by angels, and who thus despise the mortal ministers whom He employs. In short, this history is a clear proof that God governs His Church by the external preaching of the word, because this is most beneficial for us.