Exodus | Chapter 19

Exodus 19:1-6 – “Time to meet your maker (a)”

Outline:

1. Intro.
2. Vs. 1-6 Do you know how much I love you?

Intro.

As we come to the 19th chapter of Exodus & Israel’s arrival at Mount Sinai, they will remain here until the 10th chapter of the book of Numbers, some 11 months or 57 chapters of scripture devoted to their time at the mountain. So it will be good for us to get a solid picture of their first encounter with God. Sooner or later, every Christian will ponder their life. Usually, it is after some powerful experience. We will say to ourselves, “What is this Christian life all about, why did He save me?” Then there is the companion question, “What does God want from me?” It is here on our journey through the book of Exodus that we have come to those questions. The difference here in our text is that it is not the Israelites that ask the questions; it is the Lord that answers them.

Israel was not a nation; it was Egypt’s workforce. All of that was changed in a moment of time, as Israel was set free. Freedom! It is what nations, movements, & people long for. When people describe freedom these days, they do so with a selfish twist, “The ability to do what you want when you want!” Folks, that’s not freedom, it’s anarchy. It is interesting to me that God describes freedom in terms of a covenant, if you will, a marriage between Himself & the nation. How odd when so many think of marriage not as freedom but rather restriction? As we look at this passage, I want you all to pay close attention to how God won the heart of Israel, for it is in God’s heart that we will experience ultimate freedom.

II.) Vs. 1-6 Do you know how much I love you?

Vs. 1-2: According to this verse, three months have passed by, making this the month of June when they finally arrived at the wilderness of Sinai. It is interesting to realize that this would have been the approximate time that later the feast of Pentecost would have taken place. Now, as you realize the significance of that event in light of Church history, perhaps this will shed some light on what is before Israel. Pentecost was where we are told that the Church received power to be witnesses to the world. Thinking of that for a moment, this journey very much mirrors our own journey.

So they left Rephidim (rest stop) & traveled some thirty miles, arriving at a small stretch of land 2 ½ miles long by ½ mile wide, & jetting right before it was a solid granite mountain known as Mount Sinai or Mount Horeb. I have seen pictures of this region & frankly, it is not much to look at. I wonder how Israel thought of this spot? This was to be a special time in their lives & yet the surroundings would not indicate that. The other day, I drove by our five acres, which is nothing more than dirt, & I was trying to imagine what it will all look like in a year & a half. The truth of the matter is I could not do so, but I know this: for that building to be up, we must first have this hunk of dirt! Folks, in your own lives, don’t put too much importance on your surroundings as a gauge to spiritual growth. You are right where God wants you to be. There are no shortcuts, no ways to skip a step. In fact, if you try to do this, you will only find yourself repeating the journey.

Now, here is where perspective is a cool thing. This nation had been set free from bondage from the mightiest nation in the world. And for three months, God was guiding them to this place. Through the Red Sea, through food & water, through the victory over the Amalekites, the Lord orchestrated every step; He knew exactly where He was taking them, but they had no clue. Over & over again, we read that Israel set out on their journey according to the commandment of the Lord. So? Folks, God has not just called you out of something; He has called you to something. Do you see that? And the something, as we shall see, is really Himself! Pastor, I don’t understand your point? Well, my point is that all of what you are going through is God guiding you into a deeper relationship with Himself!

Vs. 3-4: Moses was led by God back to the place where he had encountered the Lord at the burning bush. Now notice here how the Lord addresses the nation of Israel as well as “the house of Jacob.” Israel was the name God had given Jacob after he had surrendered his life to the Lord. His name prior to that was Jacob, & he was the weakest, most carnal of their forefathers. You see, God knew that there were some like Israel & some like old Jacob. It is the same today as well; in the church today, there are some out for what benefits themselves & others out to serve the Lord. Now, two things come to mind as I read this:

1. Israel was more like Jacob than Abraham. That is, they were not men of faith as was Abraham; instead, they were connivers like Jacob, & God knew that about them already.
2. In light of the first point, God still wanted to reach those who were still in the flesh. Is that not great, that God has a desire to draw you to Himself no matter where you are? And you know what? The process is the same for both.

Vs. 4: God is going to reveal His purpose & plan for the nation, but before He does that, He is going to remind them of three things that He already has done for them, the last of which was fulfilled that very day. Notice the words, “You have seen…” In saying these words, God is appealing to their own personal experience. It is as if God was saying, “Come on now, you saw what happened!” Before God can reveal what His plans for the future are, He has to get them to recognize & appreciate what He has already done for them.

Man, does that strike a nerve in me! So often, I’m self-absorbed, worrying about tomorrow, that I don’t realize what God has already done for me. On my wall, I have taken a copy of the title deed to our land, so that when I get that way, I can look & see what God had already done for Calvary Chapel. It is then that I realize that He has blessed us beyond what I could have ever imagined.

1. “What I did to Egypt”: God defeated the mightiest nation in the world. So? Simply put, God defeated that which had placed them in bondage for over 400 years. God had set them FREE! Folks, don’t miss this in your life: God has set you free from the things of the world that hold you; it does not matter how mighty they were, God has defeated them all at the cross. I cannot comprehend what this must have felt like for Israel; all they had ever known was a life of slavery & second-class citizenship. Then by God’s outstretched hand, He delivered them. When you consider that Israel was as big a mess as Egypt was, then this must have weighed heavy upon their hearts.
2. “How I bore you on eagles’ wings”: This is a reference to their three-month journey. He had led them away from battle when they were not ready, destroyed Pharaoh’s army at the Red Sea, provided food & water, & defeated the Amalekites. Now, this is a particularly beautiful picture that God uses here. You see, eagles are taught to fly in a most remarkable way. The mother simply destroys the nest around them. Then, as they have no place to rest, they try to fly. Well, they flap their wings & head out & down, all under the watchful eye of the mother, & just as it seems that they would crash to their deaths, she swoops down & bears them up on her wings. This goes on & on until they learn to fly. So God says here that this is how He has dealt with them. He has taken them out of their comfort zone & is teaching them to fly. Hey, Christian, do you realize that God has designed you to soar? The trials that you face are part of the process to get you to try your wings in Him! Every difficult situation is intended by God to get you to fly. But where are we to fly to?
3. “And brought you to Myself”: That’s the destination! The journey has a purpose; it’s to bring you closer to the Lord! Hey, folks, God is not concerned with your temporal happiness; He is interested in drawing you nearer to Himself! God does not just deliver us out of bondage, sin & going to hell. No way, He has delivered you not only FROM, but TO! Salvation is not fire insurance, it’s a relationship.

So what is God telling them? He is saying, “I’ve poured out my heart to you, I’m not going to let you go, I’ve brought you right to myself!”

Vs. 5-6: Those three things God had done for them should reveal what He has for them. And in the next two verses, God shares how He sees them & how they can experience the benefits of how He sees them.

First, you will see the words, “If you will indeed obey My voice & keep My covenant, then you shall be..” Several points of interest here:

1. “If you”: This reveals that the benefits of this were conditioned upon them. What I’m saying is that they would not experience this unless they fulfilled their part, obeying His voice & keeping His covenant.
2. “My covenant”: God is proposing to them! He is the initiator of the contract, one in which they have already benefited.
3. “Obey My voice….keep My covenant”: The way to experience all the benefits of this relationship is clearly stated, “Stay in the Word of God!” Folks, apart from knowing & obeying the Word of God, we will never experience the blessings of our relationship with the Lord.

So God is not saying, “Never blow it or you’re out!” Instead, He is saying, “If you want to experience all of Me, then don’t break off the relationship.” It is God that will preserve the relationship. It ought to be the desire of every believer, as Jude says, “to keep yourselves in the love of God.” Why? Because Jude goes on to say it is God, “who is able to keep you from stumbling.” You know what? Within six weeks of this, they will all be having an idolatrous orgy around an idol of a golden calf! I’m convinced the reason they fall back into the world is that they failed to see themselves as God sees them.

1. “A special treasure”: God wanted them to know that He saw them as a King’s most prized jewel. All the nations belonged to Him because He is their maker & sustainer, but He chose Israel to be His special treasure. Not that Israel was the best looking or most talented? No, scripture tells us that it was quite the opposite. Moses, writing in Deut. 7:7, declares, “The LORD did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any other people, for you were the least of all peoples.” Do you realize that God sees you as His prized possession? You are His pearl of great price! Paul writes something similar to the Ephesians when he prays that they would know the riches of the glory of God’s inheritance in the saints.
2. “Kingdom of priests”: The idea is that God desires that every one of them would be able to come into His presence. Not just the High Priest once a year, but every believer. Israel was to be a light to the gentiles. By the way in which they lived, they were to reveal that there is none other than the true & living God. They were to so live that the world would know that the best way to experience the fullness of what life has to offer is in serving the living God. Instead, they were influenced by the nations around them. How about it, do those around you know that you are a believer because of how you live your life?
3. “Holy nation”: A nation set apart from the rest of the world, fit for God’s purposes. We are to be living advertisements of God’s grace & power. It is amazing to read these words, “kingdom & nation” with the words, “priests & holy.” In God’s plan, there is no separation of Church & state. Folks, we all are to serve at the pleasure of our King!

To put this into perspective, remember this is how God saw them, if you will, this is what they are in the eyes of the Lord. Now, they will experience the truth of that in everyday life as they stay in the word of God.

The question then arises, “How then shall we live as His special treasure, priests & holy nation?” Well, we are told that priests were to offer up the bodies of sacrifices upon the altar, which was acceptable to the Lord. In the book of Hebrews, we are told that Jesus, as our great High priest, offered Himself once & for all. So what are we to offer? Rom. 12:1 tells us that we are to, “present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.” Wow, what a picture! We offer our bodies to the Lord. “Lord, here is my broken-down old carcass. I’ve trashed it with self-centered living, caused problems with others with it, had millions of sinful thoughts go through it, are you sure you want it?” And the Lord says, “I’ll take it, My Son died for that carcass & He has made it beautiful.” Our offering of our bodies does not atone for our sin or anyone else’s, but it does point others to Him.

God wanted them to realize that what He did for them makes them who they now are! Furthermore, what we now do must be based upon His perception of who we are.

Exodus 19:7-25 – “Time to meet your maker (part b)”

Outline:

1. Intro.
2. Vs. 7-15 Set yourself apart
3. Vs. 16-20 A glorious appearing
4. Vs. 21-25 Not as good as it gets

Intro.

Anyone ever having looked into purchasing a new car has experienced the powerful draw of a “good” photograph. To gaze upon the full-color glossy pages of the brochure is to imagine the thrill of riding in your brand new vehicle. The benefits are not listed, they are suggested in the picture: FREEDOM, SECURITY, JOY, EXCITEMENT, are just some of the subliminals that come off the pages. In the first six verses, God clearly gave Israel a “snapshot” of the benefits of a relationship with Him, “I’ll take you from where you were to where you want to be!” How can they be sure of this? Well, He had already taken them from slavery to freedom, from weakness to power, from insecurity to security. Then He had revealed to them the future benefits of their identity in Him, their status would be that of a “treasured possession”, their job was to be “set apart priests dispensing His love to the world”. Those are the promises God offers Israel if they would agree to the contract. Who would not want such a deal? As good as this “snapshot” is, it has limitations. A picture can reveal the character of what is contained in its frame & it can even reveal where we are in reference to that character, but it cannot take us anywhere. That is like the law, which we will soon be looking at, it reveals a lot about God; it reveals that God is holy & good. Furthermore, it reveals to us that we are not, & try as we might to obey them, they cannot take us to God. Romans 7, Paul explains this to us,

“Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good. Has then what is good become death to me? Certainly not! But sin, that it might appear sin, was producing death in me through what is good, so that sin through the commandment might become exceedingly sinful. For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin.”

You see my point? The law was never designed to bring us to God; only Jesus can do that. The law takes us to the mountain, but Jesus takes us past the barriers into the presence of the Father!

III.) Vs. 7-15 Set yourself apart

Vs. 7-8: Wow, what a God! Fresh off of hearing how God saw them & what He had already done for them, they respond with a desire to serve the Lord in “all He said”. The problem will not be in their desire but rather in their ability to accomplish it. They have agreed to follow the Lord before they even knew what that would be. Of course, no price would be too much if God was to see them that way. Perhaps they thought that if they just followed the right rules, they would be able to accomplish getting closer with God. The truth of the matter is that the rules could only bring them so close to God, but never could they come into His presence.

Vs. 9: God reveals to Moses that He is going to speak to him in a cloud so that the people would watch & learn to trust in Moses’ leadership. God is clearly establishing Moses’ leadership before the people. The thick cloud symbolizes the presence of the Lord & when the people hear the Lord speak to Moses, they will realize the unique relationship that God has given Moses before the people.

There is a similar scene in the N.T. where the Father establishes Jesus as the only mediator between heaven & earth. You remember the story? Jesus took Peter, John & James up the mountain where Jesus was transfigured before them. Jesus was speaking to Moses & Peter wanted to treat them as equals. We are told that a cloud formed & a voice was heard which said, “This is my beloved Son; listen to Him!” Moses was the mediator of the old covenant which led people to the mountain, but Jesus broke down those barriers & has taken us into the presence of the Father.

Vs. 10-15: Now I want you to realize some things in this time of preparation for meeting the Lord. First, there are two phrases that God tells Moses to share with the people in these verses & they are absolutely necessary to enter into a relationship with the Lord, & they are the same today:

1. Vs. 11, 15 “Be ready” (Repent): The people are told twice to be ready.
   1. The first time we see these words, it is followed by the words, “for the third day”. The point being that the meeting of the Lord was soon at hand; if you will, there was no time to waste, they needed to prepare for the meeting now. Folks, we procrastinate so much, but may I encourage you not to do so when it comes to knowing & walking with God.
   2. The second time they are admonished with the words “be ready”, they are again told about the third day, but the words, “do not come near your wives” are added. This is a reference to intimate relations between man & wife. So what is the point? Well, God values the marriage relationship above any other earthly relationship, but even this should be placed in the right order when it comes to a relationship with the Lord. Simply put, “readiness” carries with it the idea of making any changes necessary, that is another way of saying repent! They needed to make any changes to be ready so they could come into a new relationship with God. Folks, that’s the same today, any relationship we have that would hinder us from entering into the most important relationship needs to be changed, not discarded but rather put in the right perspective.
2. Vs. 14 “Be sanctified” (washed in the blood): This word means to be set apart for a specific purpose. The way that they were to be set apart was to wash their clothes.
   1. Vs. 10-11, 14 “Wash their clothes”: Since most people had only one set of clothes, this was seen as a new beginning. The idea is also that of being clean set apart, (verse 14). If you will, God is saying, “You have been told how I see you, now I want you to see yourself the way I see you, clean washed in my blood.” Folks, you are ever going to grow in your relationship with the Lord, you need to see yourself as God sees you. Only those cleansed from sin can enter into a relationship with the Lord.

There is one other thing we see in these verses:

Vs. 12-13 “Set boundaries”: They were not to be flippant as they approached the Lord. What God is showing them is that they need to approach Him His way, & only those that have repented & been washed in the blood of Jesus can approach Him. The Bible says that “There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.” Obedience is more important than feelings. They were to submit to the Word of the Lord, not how they felt, even if they felt as though they wanted to get closer to God, they needed to do so in the way He said! It was the death penalty to try to approach God in a manner He did not prescribe. Hey, did you know the same is true today? You can only draw near to God by way of His Son! They could not come to Him until the third day, & they had to stay at a distance.

In all of these preparations, God is sharing with them that He desires that they have the same heart towards Him that He has with them. This, if you will, is very much like a marriage & God has said His vows, He has demonstrated His love towards us, & we are invited to be His bride, but not if we are not serious about it. Can you imagine courting your spouse & showing your love & when it comes to the marriage, pledging your love, only to have them smack a big bubble & say, “Yeah, whatever!” So God has every right to expect us to be faithful towards Him.

IV.) Vs. 16-20 A glorious appearing

Vs. 16: Now notice that it says here that in the morning of the third day was when these manifestations of the Lord’s presence happened. So? Well, remember that it was the same time when Jesus rose from the dead! Think of the remarkable difference between Moses & Jesus. Moses brought the nation of Israel into an encounter with the living God, but they could only take them to the foot of the mountain. Jesus, on the other hand, not only took us past the barriers & boundaries, we are told that He took us all the way into heaven. What? Yeah, Ephesians 2:6 says that we are seated with Him in heavenly places. Here, God descends to earth & so too in Jesus. But the difference is that when Jesus ascended, He took us with Him. I’m sure I can fully grasp that here in this life, but man, do I appreciate it.

So what is all of this awesome phenomena of thunder, lightning, thick cloud, fire, smoke & an earthquake convey to us? Well, it shows the character of the Lord. God is Holy, in fact, we are told in 1st John that there is no shadow or turning at all. Man, the Lord is powerful, when He shows up to meet you, it’s not some casual deal. The people get the point right away & tremble. Now folks, God is the same today as He was then, yet now we enter into His presence boldly. Why? Because we do so through the work of His Son.

Vs. 17-19: Folks, there is a reverence that we all ought to have towards the Lord. God wanted them all to realize that they were in His presence by grace, not merit! Now even though we can now approach His throne boldly, we do so by grace. The Bible says that it is a, “fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” I pray that we all appreciate the incredible privilege we now have to come into fellowship. Hebrews tells us, “Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.”

IV.) Vs. 21-25 Not as good as it gets

Vs. 21-25: Man, look at the limitations of the old covenant. The people could only come so close & if they came any closer to God, they would die. People today try to approach God based on the law or good works; they will never be able to do so. Hey, no amount of good living will get you up the mountain of His holiness, only faith in Jesus Christ can do that. In the Old Covenant, there was a certain distance from the Lord; they could not draw near to gaze upon the Lord as we can through Jesus, & yet so many today still prefer to stay at a distance.

So why does God show us this? Well, it reminds us that we cannot just take our relationship for granted. God sent Moses down to make sure that the people wouldn’t try to take the grace of God in vain. With the awesome splendor of the Lord, we ought to appreciate His grace all the more. In the Old Covenant, God’s majesty & might was displayed to all, but only a few could draw near. In the New Covenant, we have beheld His glory & majesty in His Son, & all can draw near. Did you know that if you look into the face of Jesus, you can see forever! In the manifestation at Mount Sinai, the truth of His holiness is seen, which demands separation. In the manifestation at Mount Calvary, His grace is seen, which is how we can draw near to a Holy God! Folks, the holiness of God & the love of God have met together at the cross. We must never diminish the holiness of God & our need to be pure. For it is in this purity that we experience the benefits of our relationship. The coming of Jesus made it possible for us to have intimate fellowship with the same God who manifested His nature on Mount Sinai. The barriers, which were of necessity to keep men from this Holy God, have been taken down. The barrier was because of our sin & Paul says in Ephesians 2:13-16.

“But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity.”

So what can we do with this truth? Enter in, man! You don’t have to con God or follow all sorts of rules; you can just come right in through the finished work on the cross. But whatever you do, please come in; all in Jesus are welcome!