"Moses ascends Mt. Sinai, and he talks with God. God tells Moses that if the Israelites listen to God and carry out His covenant, then they will be his people and Israel will be God's holy nation on all the earth. Moses talks with the people, and they agree to keep God's covenant. Moses returns up the mountain back to God. God prepares to deliver this covenant to Moses for all the Israelites to follow. God's covenant is the Ten Commandments. During the preparation, God tells Moses that only he can ascend Mt. Sinai and see God. Anyone else who follows him up the mountain will surely die."
Exodus 19 Amplified Bible (AMP)
In the third month after the children of Israel had left the land of Egypt, the very same day, they came into the Wilderness of Sinai. 2 When they moved out from Rephidim, they came to the Wilderness of Sinai and they camped there; Israel camped at the base of the mountain [of Sinai]. 3 Moses went up to God [on the mountain], and the Lord called to him from the mountain, saying, “Say this to the house of Jacob and tell the Israelites: 4 ‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings, and brought you to Myself. 5 Now therefore, if you will in fact obey My voice and keep My covenant (agreement), then you shall be My own special possession and treasure from among all peoples [of the world], for all the earth is Mine; 6 and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation [set apart for My purpose].’ These are the words that you shall speak to the Israelites.”7 So Moses called for the elders of the people, and told them all these words which the Lord commanded him. 8 All the people answered together and said, “We will do everything that the Lord has spoken.” And Moses reported the words of the people to the Lord. 9 The Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I will come to you in a thick cloud, so that the people may hear when I speak with you and may believe and trust in you forever.” Then Moses repeated the words of the people to the Lord.
- ISRAEL AS GOD'S SPECIAL POSSESSION. Every move of Moses and the Israelites in the wilderness was guided and ordained by God. Everything had a purpose-- as always with God. These were the early beginnings of Israel as a nation, eversince being rescued and freed by God from the oppressive Egyptians, after 430 years. God was faithful in fulfilling His covenant with Abraham-Isaac-Jacob-- even displaying wonder after wonders, and miracle after miracles in the middle of the desert/wilderness (plagues, passing in the Red Sea, Pillar of cloud and fire, bread from heaven and meat/quail, turning bitter waters into drinkable, water from rock, victory against Amalekites etc.) After 3 months, God led the Israelites to camp at Sinai, for a purpose. Moses went up the mountain, to pray definitely, and God called and talked to him. God had an awesome message and invitation to the Israelites. If the people were to OBEY God's voice, KEEP HIS COVENANT, then they shall be God's own SPECIAL POSSESSION and TREASURE (set-apart from among the people of the earth), and they will be a KINGDOM OF PRIESTS and a HOLY NATION. Wow! It's not because the Israelites were the best, it's because God is good and He intends to send the ULTIMATE SAVIOR and PROMISE that is Jesus Christ through this nation, to offer up for all the sins of the world. We should not be jealous with Israel, instead we should rejoice and pray for them, because God fulfilled His great purposes for thousands of years through them.
- FAITHFULNESS OF GOD VS. UNFAITHFULNESS OF THE PEOPLE. Upon hearing God's command, the Israelites were quick to answer that they will do everything that the Lord has spoken. Even without knowing the full story (of Exodus, and the whole Bible), we somehow knew that that couldn't be true, just because we know that we are a sinful people, prone to mistakes and temptations, unholy without God's presence, grace and mercy, and weak without God's strengthening. Yet the greater TRUTH is that no matter how unfaithful or untruthful we can be sometimes, God's words remain true. God is never shaken by our humanity and sinfulness. In fact, He understands us, and He is willing to save us-- He is that loving and compassionate. Even though we fail Him, the Israelites failed Him, He never failed and His Son finished it all at the cross, when He gave up His life for the redemption and forgiveness of all.
- WHAT IS THE 3RD MONTH? I got curious about the Jewish calendar, and I learned that the months were called Abib, Zif and Sivan. Here is a helpful resource I found:
https://slideplayer.com/slide/14834552/
10 The Lord also said to Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow [that is, prepare them for My sacred purpose], and have them wash their clothes 11 and be ready by the third day, because on the third day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai [in the cloud] in the sight of all the people. 12 You shall set barriers for the people all around [the mountain], saying, ‘Beware that you do not go up on the mountain or touch its border; whoever touches the mountain must be put to death. 13 No hand shall touch him [that is, no one shall try to save the guilty party], but the offender must be stoned or shot through [with arrows]; whether man or animal [that touches the mountain], he shall not live.’ When the ram’s horn sounds a long blast, they shall come up to the mountain.” 14 So Moses went down from the mountain to the people and sanctified them [for God’s sacred purpose], and they washed their clothes. 15 He said to the people, “Be prepared for the third day; do not [a]be intimate with a woman.”- JESUS AS THE 'HIGH PRIEST'. Indeed Israel was a kingdom of priests, according to God!
"Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need." Hebrews 4:14-16
16 So it happened on the third day, when it was morning, that there were thunder and flashes of lightning, and a thick cloud was on the mountain, and a very loud blast was sounded on a ram’s horn, so that all the people who were in the camp trembled. 17 Then Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they stood and presented themselves at the foot of the mountain.
- CONSECRATION. 'Consecrate' means to make holy or to dedicate to a higher purpose. Because God's presence will come down to Mt. Sinai, with thunder and lightning, and thick clouds-- the Israelites were to prepare and mindfully and literally make themselves clean by washing their clothes and being ready. But there shall be barriers, they couldn't come near, and they could not even touch the border, or else they'll die. At this point, it seems that everyone was obedient and they stood and presented themselves before God. We serve and follow a holy God, therefore we should be holy as well. Not because we are holy and righteous, but because our Savior Jesus Christ is holy and righteous in behalf of us.
"Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”1 Peter 1:13-16
18 Mount Sinai was wrapped in smoke because the Lord descended upon it in fire; its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked violently. 19 And it happened, as the blast of the ram’s horn grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and God answered him with [a voice of] thunder. 20 The Lord came down on Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain; and the Lord called Moses to the top of the mountain, and he went up. 21 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, “Go down, warn the people, so that they do not break through [the barriers around the mountain] to the Lord to see [Me], and many of them perish [as a result]. 22 Also have the priests who approach the Lord consecrate (sanctify, set apart) themselves [for My sacred purpose], or else the Lord will break forth [in judgment] against them [and destroy them].” 23 Moses said to the Lord, “The people cannot come up to Mount Sinai, because You warned us, saying, ‘Set barriers around the mountain and consecrate it.’” 24 Then the Lord said to him, “Go down and come up again, you and Aaron with you; but do not let the priests and the people break through [the barriers] to come up to the Lord, or He will break forth [in judgment] against them [and destroy them].” 25 So Moses went down to the people and told them [again about God’s warning].
- FIRE, SMOKE, VOICE OF THUNDER. God is holy and full of glory, and our physical (worldly) flesh/bodies won't be able to contain His holiness. We will literally die in His 'presence'. Even God's chosen ones like Moses haven't seen God, and we only see a glimpse of God through His Son Jesus:
John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.’ ”
And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him." John 1:14-18
"He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together." Colossians 1:15-17
* Study Guide Commentary from David Guzik:
b. So Israel camped there before the mountain: In one sense, all that went before was meant to bring them to this place. This was the beginning of the fulfillment of what God said in Exodus 3:12: this shall be a sign to you that I have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.
i. Sinai was the place where Moses met God at the burning bush. The whole nation of Israel would soon experience some of what Moses did at the burning bush. Moses could lead them to this mountain for this experience because he had already been there. The people could not go farther than their leader.
d. I bore you on eagles’ wings: An eagles’ wings are strong and sure; but they also speak of careful protection. It is said that an eagle does not carry her young in her claws like other birds; the young eagles attach themselves to the back of the mother eagle and are protected as they are carried. Any arrow from a hunter must pass through the mother eagle before it could touch the young eagle on her back.
i. “This metaphor is developed most extensively in Deuteronomy 32:11, where the loving compassion, protection, strength, and watchfulness of God is compared with the majestic bird’s attributes.” (Kaiser)
e. And brought you to Myself: The deliverance (I bore you on eagles’ wings) was for fellowship (brought you to Myself). God didn’t deliver Israel so they could live apart from God, but so they could be God’s people.
b. Then you shall be a special treasure to Me: God intended for Israel to be a special treasure unto Him. He wanted them to be a people with a unique place in God’s great plan, a people of great value and concern to God. It wasn’t as if God ignored the rest of the world (for all the earth is mine), but that He was determined to use Israel to reach the earth.
i. The Apostle Paul also wanted Christians to know how great a treasure they were to God; he prayed they would know what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints (Ephesians 1:18).
i. Not a hand shall touch him: Any person or animal killed for getting too close would be regarded as so unholy they could not even be touched, they had to be executed with a stones or arrows.
ii. If there is anything basic to human nature, it is that we need boundaries. In setting these boundaries and providing the death penalty for breaching them, God showed Israel that obedience is more important than their feelings. We don’t doubt that some bold Israelites felt like going beyond the boundaries, but they were to submit their feelings to obedience.
b. The sound of the trumpet was very loud: What Israel saw and felt in the thunder, lightning, the cloud, the smoke, and the earthquake was terrifying; but each of these are natural (though frightening) phenomenon. Yet the sound of the trumpet did not come from the camp, but from heaven itself. No wonder that all the people who were in the camp trembled.
i. Many today feel we need to get more of the thunder and fire and trembling of Mount Sinai into people as a way of keeping them from sin. Yet, not forty days from this, the whole nation would have an orgy around a golden calf, praising it as the god that brought them out of Egypt.
ii. “Awe is one thing: the submission of the will is another.” (Chadwick) Israel had plenty of awe, but little submission of their will.
Reference and credits to https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/guzik_david/StudyGuide2017-Exd/Exd-19.cfm ©2013 David Guzik
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