Exodus 19:1 -4 “In the third month, on the same day of the months that the Israelites had left the land of Egypt, they came to the Wilderness of Sinai. After they had set out from Rephidim, they entered the Wilderness of Sinai, and Israel camped there in front of the mountain.
Then Moses went up to God, and the LORD called to him from the mountain, “This is what you are to tell the house of Jacob and explain to the sons of Israel: ‘You have seen for yourselves what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself.
INCREDIBLE GOD!!! Appearing as a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night, God has led the Israelites out into the desert and away from the Red Sea and the Mediterranean Sea. Now the group is encamped before Mt. Sinai, where God previously called Moses into ministry using a burning bush to get his attention. God reminds the Israelites that just as a mother eagle will briefly carry her eaglets on her back as she flies to allow them to become used to flight, so He has carried Israel. God has delivered Israel out of Egypt with all its demonic gods and has brought them to a quiet place in which He can meet with them. Now God is sharing his vision for the Nation of Israel, and it is amazing.
v. 5-6 “Now if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, you will be My treasured possession out of all the nations—for the whole earth is Mine. And unto Me you shall be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you are to speak to the Israelites.”
God has chosen Israel to be a kingdom of priests to all the earth, mediators between God and man. God wants Israel to be a holy nation to demonstrate to the rest of the people of the earth what can happen when an entire nation follows God. Does this mean that God is blind to the faults of the Israelites? Far from it! God knows every thought and every intent of the heart. God knows how many Israelites have Egyptian amulets and images hidden in their baggage. But God also knows that He can clean up the Israelites and make them holy. God wants the all the people of the earth to see that HE can sanctify them.
v. 7-8 “So Moses went back and summoned the elders of the people and set before them all these words that the LORD had commanded him. And all the people answered together, “We will do everything that the LORD has spoken.” So Moses brought their words back to the LORD.”
Buoyed up by the Red Sea deliverance and miraculous supplies of manna, quail, and water, the Israelites are quick to respond that they will obey God completely. SAY WHAT??? These are the same people who have nearly stoned Moses and Aaron on numerous occasions when things didn’t work out precisely the way they anticipated. But that was then and this is no. The Israelites have conveniently short memories and also absolutely no clue as to the hardness of their own hearts.
APPLICATION: We might read this story and think smugly about how we would have responded to God. We would have realized the enormous value of God’s calling! We would certainly have followed up on our promises! We would never have fallen away… or would we?
Remember Simon Peter on the night when Jesus was betrayed? When Jesus told all the disciples that they would desert him, Peter was quick to assert that he would NEVER do such a thing and that in fact, he was ready to die for Jesus. Only a few short hours later, Peter flatly denied that he had ever known Jesus, even though his Galilean accent clearly showed him to be one of Jesus’ followers.
God still calls us and the promises He made to Israel are also for all believers. God wants each of us to be holy and to be priests and priestesses to worship before Him. But there is a catch; we must keep covenant with God. Most of us are very easily distracted by all sorts of things – social media, television, hobbies – the list is endless. We are just like the sheep that Moses used to herd; we wander off in search of one more blade of delicious grass, never realizing that we are distancing ourselves from God in the process.
Today, what are the things that are taking God’s place in your life? Is it sports or your work or your family? Have you become addicted to videos on YouTube? Have you gotten caught up in online gaming? Or are there even darker things such as pornography and gambling?
God is calling you to come out! Come out of your obsessions and focus on Him! He can make you holy! He can purify your heart! And the peace and rest you are seeking in your obsessions can only be found in Him.
PRAYER: Father God, you know our hearts. Help us to leave anything behind that is not of you. Help us to answer your call to holiness, knowing that you are the one who can clean us up and make that call a reality. In the mighty and precious Name of Jesus. Amen.
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