19:1 IN THE THIRD MONTH, WHEN THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL WERE GONE FORTH OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT, THE SAME DAY CAME THEY [INTO] THE WILDERNESS OF SINAI.
A.IN THE THIRD MONTH: Their month Sivan, corresponding with our June. Two months after leaving Egypt they arrived at Mt. Sinai, and would camp there about eleven months. During that time they would have an opportunity to rest, to become equipped and organized, to receive the Law, to ratify the covenant with God, and to construct the Tabernacle.
B.THE SAME DAY: We assume this means on the first day of the month; However, some commentaries go to great lengths to give various other views as to the meaning of the phrase.
19:2 FOR THEY WERE DEPARTED FROM REPHIDIM, AND WERE COME [TO] THE DESERT OF SINAI, AND HAD PITCHED IN THE WILDERNESS; AND THERE ISRAEL CAMPED BEFORE THE MOUNT.
THERE IS A BREAK HERE IN THE BOOK OF EXODUS: TAKE A GLANCE AT ISRAEL AT THIS POINT IN THEIR HISTORY:
Three Divisions of EXODUS: Historical/Legislative/Ecclesiastical.
1-18, HISTORICAL: The Exodus -- Divine Power.
19-24, LEGISLATIVE: The Law -- Divine Holiness.
25-40, ECCLESIASTICAL: The Tabernacle -- Divine Wisdom.
1.HISTORICAL: THE EXODUS (DIVINE POWER) - CHAPTERS 1-18.
A.BONDAGE OF THE PEOPLE OF GOD: CHAPTERS 1-7:13.
B.DELIVERANCE BY THE GRACE OF GOD: CHAPTERS 7:14-19:2.
2.LEGISLATIVE: THE LAW (DIVINE HOLINESS) - 19:3-24:18.
19:3-8, The Law sealed God's covenant with Israel.
19:3 AND MOSES WENT UP UNTO GOD, AND THE LORD CALLED UNTO HIM OUT OF THE MOUNTAIN, SAYING, THUS SHALT THOU SAY TO THE HOUSE OF JACOB, AND TELL THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL;
**HOUSE OF JACOB: This expression recalls the promises made to Jacob that he would have numerous seed, and they would grow from a family (house) to a nation - Gen 28:14, "And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed"; And Gen 35:11-12, "11 And God said unto him, I [am] God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins; 12 And the land which I gave Abraham and Isaac, to thee I will give it, and to thy seed after thee will I give the land."
19:4 YE HAVE SEEN WHAT I DID UNTO THE EGYPTIANS, AND [HOW] I BARE YOU ON EAGLES' WINGS, AND BROUGHT YOU UNTO MYSELF.
A.WHAT I DID: Before talking about the future, God reminds them of what He had done for them in the past.
B.HOW I BARE YOU ON EAGLES' WINGS: With His great strength God had tenderly cared for His people as well as a mighty eagle cares for its young - cf Deu 32:9-12, "9 For the LORD'S portion [is] his people; Jacob [is] the lot of his inheri-tance. 10 He found him in a desert land, and in the waste howling wilderness; he led him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the apple of his eye. 11 As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings: 12 [So] the LORD alone did lead him, and [there was] no strange god with him."
C.AND BROUGHT YOU UNTO MYSELF: He had brought them safely to Mt. Sinai, the mount of God, where He was going to reveal Himself and His law to them.
19:5 NOW THEREFORE, IF YE WILL OBEY MY VOICE INDEED, AND KEEP MY COVENANT, THEN YE SHALL BE A PECULIAR TREASURE UNTO ME ABOVE ALL PEOPLE: FOR ALL THE EARTH [IS] MINE:
A.OBEY MY VOICE: Faithfully obey all the rules.
B.AND KEEP MY COVENANT: The Law which was to be given was a continuation of the Covenant God had made with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob - cf Ex 2:24, "And God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob"; And Ex 6:4-5, "4 And I have also established My cove-nant with them, to give them the Land of Canaan, the Land of their pilgrimage, wherein they were strangers. 5 And I have also heard the groaning of the children of Israel, whom the Egyptians keep in bondage; and I have remembered My covenant."
C.Now it seems God was going to make a covenant directly with the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
D.YE SHALL BE A PECULIAR TREASURE (SPECIAL TREASURE, NKJ): The idea in English: "My very own people." A precious possession to be carefully guarded.
E.ABOVE ALL PEOPLE: There would be no other people who would be as precious in God's sight as would be the Israelites.
F.ALL THE EARTH IS MINE: So all the nations are His in a sense, but the Israelites alone would be His SPECIAL TREASURE - cf Deu 14:2, "For thou [art] an holy people unto the LORD thy God, and the LORD hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself, above all the nations that [are] upon the earth."
19:6 AND YE SHALL BE UNTO ME A KINGDOM OF PRIESTS, AND AN HOLY NATION. THESE [ARE] THE WORDS WHICH THOU SHALT SPEAK UNTO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL.
A.A KINGDOM: Each of them would be a king in that they had no earthly king set over them, but were to be a theocracy which was intended to reign over the heathen. Later, through unfaithfuless and disobedience they lost this privilege.
B.OF PRIESTS: Each of them could pray and praise God.
C.AND AN HOLY NATION: Different from all other nations -- Set apart, consecrated to God's service.
D.THESE ARE THE WORDS: Very little had to be said; The choice was set before them, and they could accept the covenant if they chose to do so.
19:7-8, Terms of the Sinai Covenant accepted by the people.
19:7 AND MOSES CAME AND CALLED FOR THE ELDERS OF THE PEOPLE, AND LAID BEFORE THEIR FACES ALL THESE WORDS WHICH THE LORD COMMANDED HIM.
**After Moses went back, he reported to the elders (leaders) what the LORD had said.
19:8 AND ALL THE PEOPLE ANSWERED TOGETHER, AND SAID, ALL THAT THE LORD HATH SPOKEN WE WILL DO. AND MOSES RETURNED THE WORDS OF THE PEOPLE UNTO THE LORD.
A.ALL THE PEOPLE ANSWERED TOGETHER: In effect they said, "We will do everything Jehovah has commanded." This was a posi-tive response to God's words in Verse 5, "If ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant . . ."
B.Thus they accepted the covenant before they knew all of its provisions -- They trusted God that all would be right, and also they wanted the blessings which were promised.
C.Their answer is refreshing, but it may have been spoken some-what hastily -- They seem to have trusted themselves to be faithful without question. Compare the need of the Corinthi-ans to fulfill their year-old promise - 2Co 3:10-11, "10 And herein I give [my] advice: for this is expedient for you, who have begun before, not only to do, but also to be forward a year ago. 11 Now therefore perform the doing [of it]; that as [there was] a readiness to will, so [there may be] a perfor-mance also out of that which ye have." When we obeyed the Gospel we were promising to be faithful -- Are we?
D.MOSES RETURNED THE WORDS: He took their answer back to God.
19:9-25, The two parties of the Covenant meet.
19:9 AND THE LORD SAID UNTO MOSES, LO, I COME UNTO THEE IN A THICK CLOUD, THAT THE PEOPLE MAY HEAR WHEN I SPEAK WITH THEE, AND BELIEVE THEE FOR EVER. AND MOSES TOLD THE WORDS OF THE PEOPLE UNTO THE LORD.
A.I COME UNTO THEE IN A THICK CLOUD: No human being could bear the brightness of God's Presence, so God veiled Himself.
B.THAT THE PEOPLE MAY...BELIEVE THEE FOR EVER: "The people will hear Me speak to you; Then they will always trust you."
19:10 AND THE LORD SAID UNTO MOSES, GO UNTO THE PEOPLE, AND SANCTIFY THEM TODAY AND TOMORROW, AND LET THEM WASH THEIR CLOTHES,
**SANCTIFY THEM (CONSECRATE THEM, NKJ): The people were to get themselves ready to meet Jehovah.
19:11 AND BE READY AGAINST THE THIRD DAY: FOR THE THIRD DAY THE LORD WILL COME DOWN IN THE SIGHT OF ALL THE PEOPLE UPON MOUNT SINAI.
**AGAINST THE THIRD DAY: That is, in modern English, "by the day after tomorrow." Or "for the day after tomorrow."
19:12 AND THOU SHALT SET BOUNDS UNTO THE PEOPLE ROUND ABOUT, SAYING, TAKE HEED TO YOURSELVES, [THAT YE] GO [NOT] UP INTO THE MOUNT, OR TOUCH THE BORDER OF IT: WHOSOEVER TOUCHETH THE MOUNT SHALL BE SURELY PUT TO DEATH:
A.They were not to touch any part of the Mountain, not even its BORDER (its base).
B.There must be a sense of the distance sin has put between the human soul and God.
19:13 THERE SHALL NOT AN HAND TOUCH IT, BUT HE SHALL SURELY BE STONED, OR SHOT THROUGH; WHETHER [IT BE] BEAST OR MAN, IT SHALL NOT LIVE: WHEN THE TRUMPET SOUNDETH LONG, THEY SHALL COME UP TO THE MOUNT.
**No one was to come near the Mountain until a signal was given on the trumpet.
19:14 AND MOSES WENT DOWN FROM THE MOUNT UNTO THE PEOPLE, AND SANCTIFIED THE PEOPLE; AND THEY WASHED THEIR CLOTHES.
**SANCTIFIED THE PEOPLE: Had them to make themselves acceptable to worship God.
19:15 AND HE SAID UNTO THE PEOPLE, BE READY AGAINST THE THIRD DAY: COME NOT AT [YOUR] WIVES.
A.They were to be prepared to meet Jehovah on the third day.
B.Involved on this occasion and for this time was their re-fraining from normal marriage relationships. This event on the mountain was to be of such great importance that all other comforts and privileges were to be temporarily forsaken so they could give undivided attention to God and His will.
C.This does not teach an unhealthy attitude toward sex in mar-riage (see the true teaching on that subject - Gen 3:16; Deu 24:5; Heb 13:4; 1Co 7:3-5); But is simply separating this intimacy from their religious service. This would help them see the error of pagan religions with their fertility rites.
19:16 AND IT CAME TO PASS ON THE THIRD DAY IN THE MORNING, THAT THERE WERE THUNDERS AND LIGHTNINGS, AND A THICK CLOUD UPON THE MOUNT, AND THE VOICE OF THE TRUMPET EXCEEDING LOUD; SO THAT ALL THE PEOPLE THAT [WAS] IN THE CAMP TREMBLED.
19:17 AND MOSES BROUGHT FORTH THE PEOPLE OUT OF THE CAMP TO MEET WITH GOD; AND THEY STOOD AT THE NETHER PART OF THE MOUNT.
**NETHER PART: (AT THE FOOT, NKJ) of the Mountain.
19:18 AND MOUNT SINAI WAS ALTOGETHER ON A SMOKE, BECAUSE THE LORD DESCENDED UPON IT IN FIRE: AND THE SMOKE THEREOF ASCENDED AS THE SMOKE OF A FURNACE, AND THE WHOLE MOUNT QUAKED GREATLY.
A.ALTOGETHER (COMPLETELY, NKJ) ON A SMOKE: The Mountain was covered with smoke.
B.THE WHOLE MOUNT QUAKED GREATLY: Not just from the sound of the great thunder and of the trumpet, but because the ground moved and the WHOLE mountain shook.
C.Hear Moses discuss this event nearly forty years later - Deu 4:11,12,36, "11 And ye came near and stood under the mountain; and the mountain burned with fire unto the midst of heaven, with darkness, clouds, and thick darkness. 12 And the LORD spake unto you out of the midst of the fire: ye heard the voice of the words, but saw no similitude; only [ye heard] a voice......36 Out of heaven he made thee to hear his voice, that he might instruct thee: and upon earth he shewed thee his great fire; and thou heardest his words out of the midst of the fire."
19:19 AND WHEN THE VOICE OF THE TRUMPET SOUNDED LONG, AND WAXED LOUDER AND LOUDER, MOSES SPAKE, AND GOD ANSWERED HIM BY A VOICE.
A.MOSES SPAKE: We are not told what he said, but we wonder if this was the time when he spoke the words recorded in Heb 12:21, "I exceedingly fear and quake."
B.GOD ANSWERED HIM: Whatever Moses said, it marked the end of the preparations for giving the Law -- GOD ANSWERED, and then He CAME DOWN UPON MOUNT SINAI, and CALLED MOSES UP (Verse 20).
19:20 AND THE LORD CAME DOWN UPON MOUNT SINAI, ON THE TOP OF THE MOUNT: AND THE LORD CALLED MOSES [UP] TO THE TOP OF THE MOUNT; AND MOSES WENT UP.
19:21 AND THE LORD SAID UNTO MOSES, GO DOWN, CHARGE THE PEOPLE, LEST THEY BREAK THROUGH UNTO THE LORD TO GAZE, AND MANY OF THEM PERISH.
A.CHARGE THE PEOPLE: Warn the people not to cross the boundary which had been set at the foot of the mountain.
B.MANY OF THEM PERISH: If they were to BREAK the boundary and look upon the Presence of Jehovah they would die.
19:22 AND LET THE PRIESTS ALSO, WHICH COME NEAR TO THE LORD, SANCTIFY THEMSELVES, LEST THE LORD BREAK FORTH UPON THEM.
A.This predates the Levitical priesthood, but we are told that all ancient nations had priests; Israel was not an exception.
B.Only the PRIESTS could come near God, and that only after they had consecrated themselves by obedience to strict rules.
C.The language may suggest that the priests considered them-selves to be as pure as Moses and Aaron, and therefore they were qualified to go up on the mountain. Perhaps they were proud to the point of being somewhat rebellious, and had re-fused to go through the ceremonies of Verse 10, "And the Lord said unto Moses, go unto the people, and sanctify them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their clothes."
D.LEST THE LORD BREAK FORTH UPON THEM: An instance of such "breaking forth" is seen in 2Sa 6:6-7, "6 And when they came to Nachon's threshingfloor, Uzzah put forth [his hand] to the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen shook [it]. 7 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote him there for [his] error; and there he died by the ark of God." (Only Levites could touch the ark - Deu 10:8).
19:23 AND MOSES SAID UNTO THE LORD, THE PEOPLE CANNOT COME UP TO MOUNT SINAI: FOR THOU CHARGEDST US, SAYING, SET BOUNDS ABOUT THE MOUNT, AND SANCTIFY IT.
A.The people could not come near because God had CHARGED (WARNED, NKJ) them to stay away from the holy Mountain.
B.That does not mean they could not break through the barrier.
19:24 AND THE LORD SAID UNTO HIM, AWAY, GET THEE DOWN, AND THOU SHALT COME UP, THOU, AND AARON WITH THEE: BUT LET NOT THE PRIESTS AND THE PEOPLE BREAK THROUGH TO COME UP UNTO THE LORD, LEST HE BREAK FORTH UPON THEM.
A.AWAY, GET THEE DOWN: In Verses 21-22 God told Moses to go back down the mountain and warn the people again about breaking through to see the LORD; In Verse 23 Moses argues that they would not do so because they had already been warned; Now in Verse 24 God sternly rejects Moses' words, and orders him to go and do as he had been told.
B.AARON WITH THEE: Moses and Aaron were to come back up the mountain.
C.LET NOT THE PRIESTS AND THE PEOPLE BREAK THROUGH: The solemn warning that others were not to push their way through the boundaries was to be given again.
D.LEST HE BREAK FORTH UPON THEM: The consequence of their irrev-erence would be that God would rush upon them like a flood.
19:25 SO MOSES WENT DOWN UNTO THE PEOPLE, AND SPAKE UNTO THEM.
**Moses now obeyed without further question or suggestion, and WENT DOWN and warned the people again.
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