A Kingdom of Priests, A Holy Nation
Study Scripture: Exodus 19:1 – 14
Background Scripture: Exodus 19:1 – 6, 24: 3 – 8
Lesson 1 March 1, 2025
Key Verse
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.
And Moses came and told the people all the words of the LORD, and all the judgments: and all the people answered with one voice, and said, All the words which the LORD hath said will we do.
Exodus 24:3
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![Study Notes]()
INTRODUCTION
Our Lesson Study is a turning point which connects what has happened before in the Scriptures to what salvation is really about. Our Study will show the way how God corrected the failure of Adam as king over the earth and all in it, and his failure as priest since he represented God should instil the knowledge of God and should lead the worship of all beings in the worship of God. And since he had dominion over all the earth including animals, land creatures, flying creatures, and sea creatures he had been placed in the position of king and priest.
Now we will study how God continues by His grace to
- Draw Israel into fellowship with Himself. Note we ourselves today are now grafted into the original olive tree and because of the blessing to Abraham are called into fellowship with God.
- Show how God intends to have to do Himself what Adam failed to do.
- God will create a nation for Himself and establish a renewed covenant with them, speaking to the nation’s mediator Moses before as God predicts sending the final Mediator, Kinsman Redeemer, and Saviour to bear the sins of the nation and all those who are called by God and are obedient to Him.
It is therefore critical that we look at how God presented Himself to Israel and to the first words He spoke to them. Look carefully at the nature of the promise He made and how He intended to carry them to their destination.
Note this promise of ‘carrying the people’ when they were in obedience to God’s laws and rule, and walking as instructed.
As we study let us note carefully the comments of this writer:
“It is easy, and perhaps tempting for Christians to try to differentiate between rule-following and relationship in our Christian walk.
We would do well to remember that relationship is at the very heart of God’s gifts of covenant and commandments..
God brought Moses and the beloved community to Sinai to propose a dramatic intensification in their relationship. God used classic covenantal language to solemnize their bond”.
Remember also that the arrival of the nation at Sinai after deliverance from Pharaoh’ slavery and his attempt to enforce continued slavery leading to his dramatic defeat at the Red Sea was the fulfilment of the command by God to Moses at the Burning Bush recorded in Exodus 3:12 “I will be with you; and this shall be a sign for you that it is I who sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall worship God on this mountain”.
Clearly now the promise had been made for deliverance from slavery and bondage and it was fulfilled. The command to the appointed leader have been observed.
But notice carefully that the true journey was just beginning in the covenant relationship between Israel and the all-powerful Almighty God. One writer therefore reminds us:
“The first eighteen chapters of Exodus create the setting for the covenant. From the desperate situation of the Israelite slaves in Egypt to their miraculous rescue at the Sea and their terrible hardships in the wilderness, God had met their needs every step of the way, a point God made in this reading, You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself (19:4).
This is a point that will be driven home time and again throughout the Pentateuch. It is the basis for the Decalogue: “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery” (20:2).
God had proven to be powerful and dedicated to the well-being of the children of Israel as they journeyed to this holy mountain.
The covenant made at Sinai is thus born and nurtured in a matrix of trust and steadfast love”.
We should not miss the pointing to the nature of God’s salvation. This is very important. Note therefor this observation:
“It is that God never only rescues us from something, but He always rescues us to something, and that something is himself.
God’s salvation is a salvation by grace—by him and to him. And if you don’t that, then you don’t want his salvation”.
And this is one of those critical questions that we have to ask ourselves at the practical level. Here it is:
Do we—when it comes to how we live—do we want God to forgive us, OR do we want the life with God that forgiveness gives?
Do you want Jesus to let you off the hook of your sin, or do you want Jesus?
Because the good news of God’s gospel is that he brings us to himself (see 1 Peter 3:18). God, by his grace, draws us into his fellowship”.
It was now time for God to show Himself to Israel as Yahweh, I AM WHO I AM.
In Exodus 6:3 God had said that He had not previously manifested Himself to the people in that way but now it was time for Him to show them Himself as the living God, who kept faithfully the promises to Abram.
Clearly therefore the Covenant at Sinai that would be initiated is a step toward the fulfillment of the Abrahamic Covenant, where in gracious promises to Abram he had been promised a seed, the land, and a royal land.
Today we continue to look at covenant relationships and in particular, God’s Covenant with Israel.
In order to understand this Lesson, we must look at what is a “covenant”. It is considered that ‘covenant’ is derived from the Hebrew word “berith” which comes from a word meaning “fetter”, or “to bind”. It also has elements of “cutting”, and in Obadiah it is translated “allied”.
The word was one used for common relationships, but it has a distinct religious meaning when applied to the relationship between God and men. As such there are two shades of meaning, the first, the covenant proper, which can be defined as ‘a solemn mutual agreement’, an agreement which is voluntarily assumed, while the second involves something like a command, where there is “an obligation imposed by a superior upon an inferior”.
This early Semitic idea of covenant would involve the concept of ‘blood brotherhood’, where a person was adopted into another clan, and/or in which two men became brothers by drinking each other’s blood. Of course, the religious aspect of the ceremonies was always there for each clan had their gods, and the gods were always interested in these covenants of blood.
Later it appears that substitutes to the drinking of each other’s blood arose, where there was sacrifice under the specific gods practice, the blood was sprinkled on the parties, and the parties involved together ate the sacrificial meal.
When we look at the Old Testament we see specific modifications. In Genesis 26:29 and 31:50-52 we note that:
-the terms are stated and agreed on,
-an oath was made. In fact, sometimes the term “oath” was used, in Ezekiel 17:13 it is used as equivalent to covenant,
-connected to the oath, a curse was invoked by each one upon himself in case one of the participants broke the agreement. Sometimes the curse was not specifically stated but in the Deuteronomy 27:15-26 statement of covenant the idea is clear.
-the covenant was always formerly ratified by a solemn external act, with different ceremonies used in addition to or in replacement of the one of blood sharing previously mentioned.
-the matter of a sacrificial meal as in Genesis 31:54 with Laban is another feature. So in Exodus 24:4-8 we note a sacrificial meal and a sprinkling of blood upon the two parties with the altar representing Yahweh. We will look at this in detail later.
In the case of God’s covenant with Abraham recorded in Genesis 15:9-18 the ceremony carried out served the same purpose. There an animal was cut in two parts and the smoking furnace and flaming torch representing God, not Abraham, passed between the severed portions. Jeremiah 34:18 refers to this custom. Clearly here God is the one who made the promise, binding Himself, this being “in effect a formal expression of the curse imprecating upon oneself the same, i.e., cutting in pieces, if one breaks the terms of the covenant”. However some believe that this ceremony symbolized that both parties “were taken within the mystical life of the victim”.
Note there were other non- fundamental features such as setting up a stone or a heap of stone as in Genesis 31:45-46.
The Abrahamic Covenant is considered immutable. The superior party, God, always takes the initiative. The mutual agreement element varies in different cases. In some God makes promises, His subjects agree to do what He commanded, with the fulfillment of the promises dependent on their obedience. There are blessings for obeying and penalties for disobeying. The people might break the Covenant, and then be required to renew their oath, but God in contrast does not break His promises.
Several covenants are mentioned in Scripture. Paul also speaks of the covenants, referring in Galatians 4:24-26 to one originating from Mount Sinai, and the other from Jerusalem.
Covenants are very important for they contain God’s guarantee to provide salvation for men even though men are unable to keep their side of any agreement.
The covenant we study is the continual unfolding of God’s plan for man; what we see here will put the New Covenant into proper perspective as it relates to us.
Christ is the substance of the Covenant and the mediator of it Heb_8:6; Heb_9:15; Heb_12:24.
We see throughout Scripture several pertinent covenants made by God, that with Abraham Gen_15:7-18; Gen_17:2-14; Luk_1:72-75; Act_3:25; Gal_3:16; Isaac Gen_17:19; Gen_17:21; Gen_26:3; Gen_26:4; Jacob Gen_28:13; Gen_28:14; 1Ch_16:16; 1Ch_16:17; Israel Exo_6:4; Act_3:25; and David 2Sa_23:5; Psa_89:3; Psa_89:4;
At various times the covenant was renewed Jeremiah_31:31-33; Romans_11:27; Hebrews_8:8-10; Hebrews_8:13.
However the Covenant was ultimately fulfilled and confirmed in Christ Luke_1:68-79; Galatians_3:17, and ratified by the blood of Christ Hebrews_9:11-14; Hebrews_9:16-23;
It is s an everlasting, unalterable covenant of peace that the wicked have no part in. God is faithful and ever mindful of his covenant and cautions us about forgetting it. Isaiah_54:9; Isaiah_54:10;Psalms_89:34; Isaiah_54:10; Isaiah_59:21; Galatians_3:17; Psalms_111:9; Isaiah_55:3.
Covenants are important for they reveal the mind of God, tell us of the character of God, what God thinks about us and what God has in store for us.
It is important to note that this 19th chapter of Exodus is considered to be a “preamble” to the Commandments given by God to Israel. It tells us how we should regard the Commandments and also tells us of the purpose of God’s Commandments.
The Commandments of God will mean very little or maybe nothing to us, if we do not understand who we are. If believers are what this Chapter tells us we are, especially in verses 5 and 6, (note these ideas are repeated in the New Testament as applying to Gentiles who are grafted into the original Olive tree) we must pay the utmost attention to these Commandments.
This Text we are studying very strongly implies that these Commandments which would be given to Moses in the succeeding Chapters are to be taken seriously in every age by every believer. If we look at the laws given to Moses properly, particularly in view of Chapter 19, we will see the attitude we should have toward the Law and the futile discussion of Law versus Grace. We will have a proper attitude to the Commandments of God.
THE TEXT
We will now Study of
- God’s Witness (Exodus 19: 4,
- The Obligation to obey His voice and keep His commandments (Exodus 19:5), and
- The Promise, “You shall be a treasured possession out of all the peoples- you shall be for me a priestly kingdom and a holy nation”.
Exodus 19 Verse 1. A new episode in the life of the Moses and the Children of Israel had begun. Moses had some trepidation about his abilities to do what God required, so God gave him a sign that would quell those fears.
“And he said, Certainly I will be with thee; and this [shall be] a token unto thee, that I have sent thee: When thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain.”
(Ex 3:12).
Here we see that God had fulfilled His promise to Moses, the sign that he would indeed bring his people to this mountain to worship Him, It had come to pass. “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.”
Note here that according to the time of their departure from Egypt and the arrival at Mount Sinai this marks the institution of the Feast of Weeks, the first Pentecost (fiftieth day after Passover).
This third month is called Sivan, and is equivalent to the month of May. Israel had apparently journeyed and camped in Rephidim where they had the infamous murmuring about water. There they had fought with Amalek. Jethro had brought Moses’ wife and children to him and given him advice to improve his administrative arrangements. Then Israel broke camp and journeyed to a new encampment before Mount Sinai.
They had three months to learn how to trust God. They had seen deliverance from Egypt, they had seen the Red Sea parted, Pharaoh’s army destroyed, the Pillar of fire and the Pillar of cloud following them by night and day respectively; they saw how God miraculously provided food and water for them and they had seen prayer bring them a marvellous victory over the Amalekites.
Verse 2. This stay in this Wilderness was a most important event. Details of Israel’s residence in the Wilderness of Sinai occupy more than fifty-seven chapters in Scripture.
Moses had met God there at the “burning bush”, and now the entire nation would meet God and experience some of what Moses had experienced.
Israel was right on schedule and was where God wanted them to be. Israel would remain there for eleven months.
Horeb and Sinai are two peaks of the same mountain, and as such the mountain is referred to by the names of these summits. Sinai was on the east side of the mountain and border the wilderness of Sinai.
Rephidim is located on the west side of the mountain; so the Children of Israel traveled around the mountain from the west going to the east side, where they made camp in the wilderness of Sinai.
Note that this was desert, not a place of luxury. God would have to
miraculously look after Israel there for many months.
Note the importance of mountains in salvation history.
Moses received the Law at Horeb/Sinai (God’s mountain (Ex. 3:1).
One writer refers to this.Moses died on mount Nebo (Deuteronomy 32:49-50).
Elijah defeats the prophets of Baal at Mount Carmel (1 Kings 18)
Solomon builds the First Temple on Mount Moriah (2 Chronicles 3) which was Mount Zion.
Jesus will be revealed in Hi glory on the Mount of Transfiguration (Mount Tabor) Matthew 17.
Jesus just before His death prays with the disciples on the Mount of Olives (Luke 22:39).
Jesus will return and will set foot on the Mount of Olives.
Verse 3. Having come to the mountain, the presence of God was in the thick cloud and covered the top of the mountain; possibly the same cloud that went before them on the journey.
It was on the second day that Moses went up into the mountain, “…and the LORD called unto him out of the mountain…”. It is not likely that Moses dared enter the presence of God before hearing the call. Note that the people were not allowed to even touch the base of the mountain and the elders had to be consecrated before even going part way with him.
Once in the presence of God, God gave Moses instructions on exactly what he should say to the people. “Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel;”
Note the dual designation, the house of Jacob and the children of Israel are the same people. The language used is to remind the people of their humble beginning, just seventy souls went into Egypt and were now a nation – the children of Israel stand before God.
It is significant to note that God addressed Israel in the name of the most carnal and weakest of the patriarchs. The reason might have been that the people were at this stage acting more like Jacob than Abraham or Isaac. They had not started out as well as they should have. God’s message through Moses was aimed at making Israel realize that he was a faithful God.
Verse 4. So God pointed out that they had seen His power. God was appealing to their own eyesight.He had clearly demonstrated His power in bringing them out of Egypt; preserving them from the plagues that afflicted the Egyptians and in a glorious display of His sovereign power over all creation, gave them clear passage through the Red Sea. Meanwhile the enemy was destroyed as they were swallowed up by the same waters that the Children of Israel had passed through.
Note there is a “bringing out” and a bringing in”.
God brought them to Himself to demonstrate His sovereign election of the nation; the purpose for which is noted in the following verses.
The metaphor “bare you on eagles’ wings…” shows that God with power and love delivered and cared for His people. He had taken them through an incredible trip. They were never able to look after themselves, and could not have even defeated the Amalekites in their own power. No kind of human organization in the ancient world could have carried that mass of people through the wilderness providing food and water for them, and protecting them the way that had been done.
The eagle is particularly noted for it strength and the manner in which it trains its young to fly; taking them upon its back and allowing them to fall, but never letting them hit the ground. The image is of a bird soaring above the fray swooping down effortlessly from on high when necessary, protecting the vulnerable Israelites out of danger. The power and style of the eagles cannot compare to God’s power as He cares for and protects His people. This God does, till we learn to fly.
Though food, water, administrative organization, and protection from their enemies were great things, the greatest statement God made, which should have made them sing songs of praise, was the statement that the purpose of the journey was to meet the King, who was waiting at Mount Sinai for them.
They had been brought to Him. He had gone through lot of trouble to bring them to this place. He had something special to tell them.
“As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings:”
Deuteronomy 32:11.
“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, [thou] that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under [her] wings…” Mat 23:37.
This imagery is seen in the Old and New Testaments, as related to the congregation of God and the Church. To paraphrase one writer
“the eagle of the old covenant more significantly represents the power of God in protecting his people; while the hen in the new Testament represents love and she gathers her young under her wings to protect them and in case at the cost her own life.
God appealed to the eyesight of the people of Israel. Now apply that idea to yourself. Has it been easy for you to recognize and appreciate what God has done for you? Has great things happened which did not even register because you were worried about protecting yourself and feeding your self?
These words of God should encourage us to recognize and praise God for what he has done for us. Let us stop closing your eyes.
Verse 5. “Now therefore…” Having recounted all that God had already done for them; they being the recipients of such favor and all done on the Lord’s account, with no charge or obligation to them; they are now presented with a most extraordinary proposal. Some have called it a marriage proposal, in other words a covenant relationship, as well as the means to secure the perpetual blessings from this relationship.
“If you will obey my voice indeed…” If they would continually submit in obedience to God’s word, obey His voice and sincerely devote themselves to God, they would be the benefactors of the blessings of the Covenant. But note the “if”.
Of course the blessings were contingent on keeping the Covenant that God was about to make with them.
Let us not forget though, as some seem to, and that there are unconditional as well as conditional elements in this proposal. It was not as though God would allow them to go on sinning at all. The promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as well as to Joseph and the other sons of Jacob, always remain in the background.
To make the covenant formal, it not only stipulated what God bound Himself to, but would also consist of promises of good things to be done to them on His part, and of duties to be performed by them on their part.
God invited the people to obey His voice now, not later, and this of course calls for a response.
Let us understand that “keeping the covenant” means that one must enter into this Covenant, and then they must remain in it.
This means that they were not to sin, not to do anything at all to break the relationship, and if they did make a slip, they were to do what God required to restore the relationship.
This of course means that if we consider ourselves to be in Covenant with God, the New Covenant being simply an expansion of the Old Covenant, we must persevere in our relationship with God, and depend on God’s guarantee to enable us to persevere.
God requires of us then to “hear” and “keep”. Only then would they and us be the possession of God.
Deuteronomy 7:6 and 26:18 reinforces these concepts. In 2 Peter 2:9 the Apostle Peter makes sure to apply these verses to us.
We should not expect to be God’s possession and simply ignore what He said, turning to other gods. Remember that in Matthew 25:44-46 we are warned that some will think that they are followers of God when they are not. So the Apostle Paul warns us in Corinthians 13:5 to examine ourselves to see if we are in the faith. In other words,’ the proof of the pudding is in eating’. We have been offered a relationship to God, and we must take him up on this offer, hearing his voice, and keeping his covenant, each day falling deeper and deeper in love with him.
Our status and identity is “God’s possession”. Our perseverance in the Covenant is simply evidence that we have entered into it. Let our behaviour show we in the covenant. If we do not, it is likely a sign that we are not in the covenant, irrespective of what we might say or think.
When God says He will make them a peculiar treasure, it means He has singled them out in a special fashion and will honor them in a special way through the service they would perform. They were to be unique, a people of great value. They were to be the jewels in God’s treasure chest, the most valuable and precious thing that God has. No wonder that God would send His dear and only Son to die for these precious “things”
The whole earth belongs to God and is subjugated to His sovereignty, thus God declares His right to single them out for His purpose and His pleasure.
So brethren, please recognize that our identity is that we are the Lord’s special treasure. We must understand who we are, and that we motivate others to do what God wants. One writer sheds light of the meaning of treasured possession. He states,
”The word “treasured possession” is not used a ton in the Old Testament, and in most cases it refers to Israel (see Deuteronomy 7:6; 14:2; 26:18; Psalm 135:4; esp. Malachi 3:19). But what is fascinating is when you track down how this word was used in other writings from this time period, It carries this idea of sonship. “Treasured possession” was a way to talk about someone’s choice servant or son—which is exactly how the word is used in Malachi 3:17…This is Yahweh talking about Israel, Malachi 3:17 God says
“They shall be mine, says Yahweh of hosts, in the day when I make up my treasured possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him”. Mal.3:17.
In Malach 3:17 “treasured possession” is parallel to one’s son who serves him. Israel being Yahweh’s treasured possession carries the idea of Israel being Yahweh’s son- which that’s something we have already seen. Back in Exodus 4 remember Yahweh says, “Israel is my firstborn son”. (Exodus 4:22), and then he tells Pharaoh in Exodus 4:23, “Let my son go that he may serve me”. And then in Hosea 11:1, about the Exodus God says, “Out of Egypt I called my son”.
Another writer points out the precision of the language God used in this matter when God speaks of Israel’s responsibility to obey Yahweh. He states:
“If they will do that, Yahweh will make them “my own possession”
(segulla) among all the peoples.
This word segulla apparently refers “to a king’s persona treasury, in distinction from what we might call the public purse (Janzen, J. Gerald).
While a king would be jealous of his prerogatives over public funds, he would value his personal funds even more highly. When Yahweh says that he will make Israel “my segulla among all peoples”, he is not promising to make Israel his only cherished people, but is promising to cherish them above all the peoples”.
Verse 6. Now obedience leads to important titles. Three titles were given to Israel, ‘peculiar treasure’, ‘kingdom of priests’ and ‘a holy nation’ and these defined the roles they would have, as long as they remained obedient to God’s Word and kept the Covenant.
Let us not forget though, that these ‘types’ are so powerful that they can be frightening. God though does not ‘trash’ His treasures or throw them away. Nobody does that with their special treasures. Rather they take care of them, scrubbing them, sometimes quite hard, scraping the mud off them, a rather painful thing, polishing them so that they shine brightly.
As a kingdom of priests, they would no longer serve as slaves as they did in Egypt, but would be elevated in to the highest call in the kingdom, performing their duties under the immediate direction of the King of the Uinverse.
Note the parallel between kingdom of priests, and a holy nation. They both go together.
They would no longer be subject to an earthly throne, but would become an independent commonwealth with it own laws; they would become a theocracy subject to the Most High God and His law.
As a holy nation they were set apart from all others to preserve the true knowledge and worship of the Most High God, and for this they were specially consecrated. As a nation they were to be a light to the world, having access to God through revelation that no pagan could ever have.
Remember also that priests offer sacrifices, physical as well as spiritual sacrifices. Jesus offered His own body as a sacrifice to atone for our sins.
So we are told in Romans 12:1 to offer our bodies to the Lord as living sacrifices. God wants us to keep our bodies beautiful, set aside, doing acceptable things, and not abused, filled with unacceptable things, used to serve our own purposes.
Priests are mediators, and we must go before God to plead for others. This is a thrilling life into which God has brought us. Our Covenant relationship with God allows us to live with compassion for the world, calling all men to salvation in Christ.
The church as the body of Christ, that spiritual entity, also acts in this capacity having been delivered from the kingdom of darkness and into His light. We are subject to His law and are bound to be an example to the world and deliver the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ.
“But ye [are] a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:” 1Pe 2:9
“…these are the words thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel:” What He would have them do, and they were bound to do in a way of duty to Him, and what He in a way of grace would do for them, and they should behave toward God.
Verses 7-8. Moses as instructed by God called all the elders of the people and transmitted the words of God. Obviously Moses did this because he could only have spoken directly to a few thousand at the time personally. The elders were those who led the people and administered.
The people met and answered together that they would do everything God had said. They thus formally accepted the terms of the Covenant
Note all the people were willing to listen and they listened and responded Yes to God. They repeated this same response in Exodus 24 after they received the Law.
The important point here is that at the time Israel was will to agree and to obey God. They agreed to all that God had spoken. That was an important first step. It was so for Israel and it is so for us also.
Sadly we note that willingness does not guarantee following through.
One scholar reminds us “that spiritual transformation involves the intention to be transformed. That intention doesn’t guarantee that you will be transformed. But not having the intention guarantees that you won’t be. He stated bluntly:
“People who do not intend to be inwardly transformed…. Will not be. God is not going to pick us up by the seat of our pants and throw us into transformed kingdom living”.
Listening to God begins with a willingnesst. Are you willing?
Verse 9. Moses reported to God that the people had accepted the terms of the Covenant and their hearts were at one with His heart.
The Lord therefore as a result of this formal acceptance of the Covenant terms promised to come down in a thick cloud and speak so that the people would hear when He was speaking to Moses. They would at this believe Moses forever, at all times.
Moses reported to the people all God had said.
Verse 10-14. God told the people to make themselves ready. They were to spend two days consecrating themselves, making themselves holy.
They were to wash themselves and their clothes, something rarely done in the desert. They were to prepare to meet God, dress up, and focus on the coming meeting. Sexual relationships were forbidden.
Nothing should mar their focus on meeting God.
The mood would be one of penitence and great expectations. They would have to create space for God in their life.
The meeting would be an incredible experience
It would be such an extraordinary event that the people would want to get close to God. They were thus warned not to go near the mountain. The trumpet would sound for a long time and then they could draw near to the mountain. They however were not to touch its base.
Any disobeying of those limitations would mean the person guilty of disobedience would be stoned to death or shot to death by arrows.
Moses dutifully did as God commanded. He sanctified the people. He prepared them as God had wished for they had to understand that God was absolutely holy and they too should ne holy.
He made sure to tell them to be ready to meet God on the third day.
CONCLUSION
We as believers can learn much from this, We must remember that we are a covenant people.
We must learn that God has holy requirements and that there are things we must do before we come to Him, in preparation for meeting God and things that we must do when we are in the presence of God.
We prepare ourselves physically and mentally.
We must receive God’s Word. We must consider ourselves as being set apart, and so we must take the cleansing offered by God.
We are guaranteed the enjoyment and blessing of the covenant, because our King whose law we follow, being subjects not of an earthly kingdom but a heavenly kingdom, is a covenant keeping God.
Clearly, the occasion of God’s giving of His Law at Sinai was a glorious one. It was introduced in a blaze of glory, with a display of God’s majesty and might, but with only relatively few being physically near to God.
This Covenant and the accompanying Law was holy, righteous, good, and spiritual.
The New Covenant is better, because it was ratified by the blood of Jesus Christ. The new covenant did not replace the Law given at Sinai, in the sense of wiping it all away, but made the Law more meaningful. In this New Covenant God gave His Son to die for us, so that we might have everlasting life.
We as Gentiles have been brought into the Covenant keeping community and God has made us His peculiar people, a royal priesthood and a holy nation, (1 Pet 2:9). So let us now proclaim the grace and mercy of God, who has brought us out of darkness.
Prepare yourself to listen to God. Develop a prayer routine. Clear away the noise. Create a space for God.