Exodus 19 July 19 2020

Have you ever promised something to God? How did it go? • Do you ever think about God's mighty deeds? • What does it feel like when you are in the middle of a move? When you arrive? ISRAEL AT SINAI 19 In the third month from the very day the Israelites left the land of Egypt, they came to the Sinai Wilderness. 2 They traveled from Rephidim, came to the Sinai Wilderness, and camped in the wilderness. Israel camped there in front of the mountain. 3 Moses went up the mountain to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain: "This is what you must say to the house of Jacob and explain to 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 if you will carefully listen to me and keep my covenant, you will be my own possession out of all the peoples, although the whole earth is mine, 6 and you will be my kingdom of priests and my holy nation.' These are the words that you are to say to the Israelites." 7 After Moses came back, he summoned the elders of the people and set before them all these words that the Lord had commanded him. 8 Then all the people responded together, "We will do all that the Lord has spoken." So Moses brought the people's words back to the Lord. * They are only 3 months out from the Passover! They have already complained to the Lord about food and drink, and the Lord provided mana, quail, and water for them. They were already attached by the Amalekites, when Moses raised his hands so that Israel won whenever his hands where up. They will stay under the mountain for the rest of Exodus, Leviticus, and up to Numbers 10. They are back for most of Deuteronomy. * What stood out to you in this section? How would you summarize it? * How does God describe himself? How does the Lord describe Israel? * How does the Lord begin describing the relationship in v.4? * What is the "if" of the covenant? What is the result of the covenant? * Priests intercede between God and man. What should a nation of priests do? * How would you describe God based on these verses? * How do the people react? * How do these verses apply to the church? 9 The Lord said to Moses, "I am going to come to you in a dense cloud, so that the people will hear when I speak with you and will always believe you." Moses reported the people's words to the Lord, 10 and the Lord told Moses, "Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. They must wash their clothes 11 and be prepared by the third day, for on the third day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. 12 Put boundaries for the people all around the mountain and say: Be careful that you don't go up on the mountain or touch its base. Anyone who touches the mountain must be put to death. 13 No hand may touch him; instead he will be stoned or shot with arrows and not live, whether animal or human. When the ram's horn sounds a long blast, they may go up the mountain." 14 Then Moses came down from the mountain to the people and consecrated them, and they washed their clothes. 15 He said to the people, "Be prepared by the third day. Do not have sexual relations with women." 16 On the third day, when morning came, there was thunder and lightning, a thick cloud on the mountain, and a very loud blast from a ram's horn, so that all the people in the camp shuddered. 17 Then Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. 18 Mount Sinai was completely enveloped in smoke because the Lord came down on it in fire. Its smoke went up like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain shook violently. 19 As the sound of the ram's horn grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and God answered him in the thunder. 20 The Lord came down on Mount Sinai at the top of the mountain. Then the Lord summoned Moses to the top of the mountain, and he went up. 21 The Lord directed Moses, "Go down and warn the people not to break through to see the Lord; otherwise many of them will die. 22 Even the priests who come near the Lord must consecrate themselves, or the Lord will break out in anger against them." 23 Moses responded to the Lord, "The people cannot come up Mount Sinai, since you warned us: Put a boundary around the mountain and consecrate it." 24 And the Lord replied to him, "Go down and come back with Aaron. But the priests and the people must not break through to come up to the Lord, or he will break out in anger against them." 25 So Moses went down to the people and told them. THE TEN COMMANDMENTS 20 Then God spoke all these words: 2 I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the place of slavery. 3 Do not have other gods besides me. * Moses goes up and down the mountain 3 times in this passage. The people needed to know that Moses spoke as the Lord's agent and with his authority. This also highlights the Lord's holiness. Sinful people cannot approach God without a mediator (but the Lord does come down the mountain . . . wow!). * What stood out to you in these verses? * What do you think about the Lord coming down and speaking to his people? How does it relate to the earlier verses? * The Lord, king of the universe, king of Heave, extended his royal courtroom to the foot of the mountain. Like any throne room (White House), you follow the rules at the risk of death. It would be a great disrespect to any king to break the rules. * V.15. Semen is ritually unclean (Lev.15). The pagan would use semen and sex in general as part of their worship. Most religions have a fertility focus. The Torah allows for no confusion on this issue. Worship of the Lord is holy. * The Lord will come down off the mountain and live in a tent (Tabernacle) for 450 years. Wow. * Has the Lord come down again? Do we shudder? * How do these chapters shape our view of Jesus? 1 Peter 2:9-12 9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his possession, so that you may proclaim the praises of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. A CALL TO GOOD WORKS 11 Dear friends, I urge you as strangers and exiles to abstain from sinful desires that wage war against the soul. 12 Conduct yourselves honorably among the Gentiles, so that when they slander you as evildoers, they will observe your good works and will glorify God on the day he visits.