Exodus 19 - Israel at Mount Sinai
Timeline: 1450 BC
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Israelite Journeys Rameses
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Exodus 19:1 In the third month after the children of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, on the same day, they came to the Wilderness of Sinai. For they had departed from Rephidim, had come to the Wilderness of Sinai, and camped in the wilderness. So Israel camped there before the mountain. Israel has been moving alongside the Horeb range since they came up out of the Red Sea. It was about two months since they left Egypt so it was sometime in May or June when they arrive at the mountain in Midian, the base of the mountain Sinai. The name Sinai is the name of the mountain peak in the Horeb range. Exodus 19:3 And Moses went up to God, and the LORD called to him from the mountain, saying, "Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel: 'You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wings and brought you to Myself. Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel." God refers to the people as the "house of Jacob" and the "children of Israel". Just as God had intended for Jacob to receive the birthright and the blessing, so did He intend to fulfill the Abrahamic covenant to the Israelites. Revelation 12:13-14 Now when the dragon saw that he had been cast to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male Child. But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent. The word Pentecost means "fifty" in Greek and it was celebrated 50 days after Passover. The Jewish feast of Pentecost (Shavuot) was primarily a thanksgiving for the first fruits of the wheat harvest. Over time, Pentecost will become a celebration commemorating when the people of Israel became the people of God, receiving the law of the covenant at Sinai. In the New Testament, the Spirit was poured out upon the apostles, fifty days after the death of Christ, at the feast of Pentecost. It is now considered an annual celebration of the giving of the new covenant. The presence of God himself descends to enter into a covenant relationship with his people. God saved his people and now wants them to draw near to him by trusting Him in faith. He makes a promise that if they would keep this Mosaic Covenant, He will regard them as priests and a holy nation. The whole nation was to act as mediators of God's grace to the nations of the earth. Exodus 19:7 So Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before them all these words which the LORD commanded him. Then all the people answered together and said, "All that the LORD has spoken we will do." So Moses brought back the words of the people to the LORD. And the LORD said to Moses, "Behold, I come to you in the thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with you, and believe you forever."
Moses had a special and unique relationship with the Lord. He carried out his role as mediator between God and Israel by making himself a messenger to the people of God's words and divine commands. He conveyed the message which he had received from God to which the people all agreed to accept these promises, giving themselves to be God's people. Moses and Jesus both served as mediators between man and God, Moses as the messenger of the Laws of the Old Testament, Jesus as the fulfillment of the law in the New Testament. They will see the Shekinah Glory, the supernatural light that glowed around the thick clouds. This light represented God's presence. God was going to speak audibly to Moses so everyone would know that it was really God speaking to Moses. Exodus 19:10 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their clothes. And let them be ready for the third day. For on the third day the LORD will come down upon Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. You shall set bounds for the people all around, saying, 'Take heed to yourselves that you do not go up to the mountain or touch its base. Whoever touches the mountain shall surely be put to death. Not a hand shall touch him, but he shall surely be stoned or shot with an arrow; whether man or beast, he shall not live.' When the trumpet sounds long, they shall come near the mountain." So Moses went down from the mountain to the people and sanctified the people, and they washed their clothes. And he said to the people, "Be ready for the third day; do not come near your wives." God told Moses on the mountain that He would be coming in 3 days and Moses was to prepare the hearts of the people. This means not only to wash their clothes and obtain from sexual relations but also to bathe themselves. If a man or beast touches the mountain or its base, they will die. Then no one should touch the dead body because it would be regarded as unholy. If they did touch it they also would be contaminated and they had to be executed with a stones or arrows. Exodus 19:16 Then it came to pass on the third day, in the morning, that there were thunderings and lightnings, and a thick cloud on the mountain; and the sound of the trumpet was very loud, so that all the people who were in the camp trembled. And Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. Now Mount Sinai was completely in smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire. Its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked greatly. And when the blast of the trumpet sounded long and became louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him by voice. Then the LORD came down upon Mount Sinai, on the top of the mountain. And the LORD called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up. Revelation 8:4-6 And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel's hand. Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it to the earth. And there were noises, thunderings, lightnings, and an earthquake. So the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound. The people trembled in terror at the foot of the mountain when the trumpet sounded and the "storm" began. The voice of God was so loud, when he spoke with Moses, that all the people who had been placed around the lower part of the mountain, heard plainly and distinctly all that was said; so that they could not deny that the law was delivered to them from God, since they heard it with their own ears; and therefore they would believed it forever, and could not distrust of the divinity and authority of it. Exodus 19:21 And the LORD said to Moses, "Go down and warn the people, lest they break through to gaze at the LORD, and many of them perish. Also let the priests who come near the LORD consecrate themselves, lest the LORD break out against them." Before Moses could reach the top of the mountain, God sent him back to give the people another warning. Perhaps some had the intention of following him. God know the hearts of the people, that in spite of the warnings, they were curious. His goal was not to prevent people from climbing the mount, but to prevent them from being killed as they tried to climb the mount. How often do we correct our children for their own sake, only for them to be disobedient and suffer the consequences of their actions? The consequences of their actions, in this case, would result in death. Exodus 19:23 But Moses said to the LORD, "The people cannot come up to Mount Sinai; for You warned us, saying, 'Set bounds around the mountain and consecrate it.'" Adam and Eve were specifically told not to eat of the tree of knowledge. Did they listen? The people were told not to come near the mountain, they too were disobedient. This time, however, they were warned not once but twice! These were stiff-necked people who never seem to listen or believe. Even after all the examples that God is all powerful, they continue to be disobedient. Bible Study Questions 1. After the Children of Israel left Rephidim, where did they go next? a. Wilderness of Midian 2. What did God tell Moses to say to the people if they obey His voice? a. You shall be a special treasure to Me. 3. When Moses told the people all the words which the LORD commanded him, what did the people answer? a. All that the Lord has spoken we will do. 4. What did God say would happen to the people if they touched the mountain? a. They would be turned to stone. 5. What did Moses tell the people to do in order to get ready? a. Prepare for a storm. 6. What day did God appear to the people?
7. Where on the mountain did God appear? a. At the top of the mountain. 8. How did the people react when the trumpet sounded? a. All the people who were in the camp trembled. 9. What did God say about the priests? a. Cleans themselves, lest the Lord break out against them. 10. Who went up to the mountain with Moses? a. No one. |
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