Exodus 19 The Lord Reveals Himself at Sinai
1 Exactly two months after the Israelites left Egypt, they arrived in the wilderness of Sinai. 2 After breaking camp at Rephidim, they came to the wilderness of Sinai and set up camp there at the base of Mount Sinai.
3 Then Moses climbed the mountain to appear before God. The Lord called to him from the mountain and said, “Give these instructions to the family of Jacob; announce it to the descendants of Israel: 4 ‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians. You know how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. 5 Now if you will obey me and keep my covenant, you will be my own special treasure from among all the peoples on earth; for all the earth belongs to me. 6 And you will be my kingdom of priests, my holy nation.’ This is the message you must give to the people of Israel.”
7 So Moses returned from the mountain and called together the elders of the people and told them everything the Lord had commanded him. 8 And all the people responded together, “We will do everything the Lord has commanded.” So Moses brought the people’s answer back to the Lord.
9 Then the Lord said to Moses, “I will come to you in a thick cloud, Moses, so the people themselves can hear me when I speak with you. Then they will always trust you.”
Moses told the Lord what the people had said. 10 Then the Lord told Moses, “Go down and prepare the people for my arrival. Consecrate them today and tomorrow, and have them wash their clothing. 11 Be sure they are ready on the third day, for on that day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai as all the people watch. 12 Mark off a boundary all around the mountain. Warn the people, ‘Be careful! Do not go up on the mountain or even touch its boundaries. Anyone who touches the mountain will certainly be put to death. 13 No hand may touch the person or animal that crosses the boundary; instead, stone them or shoot them with arrows. They must be put to death.’ However, when the ram’s horn sounds a long blast, then the people may go up on the mountain.”
14 So Moses went down to the people. He consecrated them for worship, and they washed their clothes. 15 He told them, “Get ready for the third day, and until then abstain from having sexual intercourse.”
16 On the morning of the third day, thunder roared and lightning flashed, and a dense cloud came down on the mountain. There was a long, loud blast from a ram’s horn, and all the people trembled. 17 Moses led them out from the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. 18 All of Mount Sinai was covered with smoke because the Lord had descended on it in the form of fire. The smoke billowed into the sky like smoke from a brick kiln, and the whole mountain shook violently. 19 As the blast of the ram’s horn grew louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God thundered his reply. 20 The Lord came down on the top of Mount Sinai and called Moses to the top of the mountain. So Moses climbed the mountain.
21 Then the Lord told Moses, “Go back down and warn the people not to break through the boundaries to see the Lord, or they will die. 22 Even the priests who regularly come near to the Lord must purify themselves so that the Lord does not break out and destroy them.”
23 “But Lord,” Moses protested, “the people cannot come up to Mount Sinai. You already warned us. You told me, ‘Mark off a boundary all around the mountain to set it apart as holy.’”
24 But the Lord said, “Go down and bring Aaron back up with you. In the meantime, do not let the priests or the people break through to approach the Lord, or he will break out and destroy them.”
25 So Moses went down to the people and told them what the Lord had said.
You might think that after all the miracles God has already done and the way in which He killed all the firstborn of Egypt, that the Israelites would instantly follow instructions as soon as God gives them…..and you’d be wrong! Mount Sinai stands at a height of 2,285 meters (7,497 feet), making it one of the prominent peaks in the southern part of the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt. Now the entire mountain range is shaking, a divine ram’s horn is blasting, smoke and fire cover the top of the mountain, and thunder and lightning are roaring. The Israelites should be shaking in their tents. Even so, God must advise Moses to warn the people or some of them will go beyond the barrier previously set in hopes of seeing the Lord.
The mere fact that God orders Moses to warn the people demonstrates that these people have a long way to go spiritually. Rather than listen to a divine edict, some of these people are so ignorant, so arrogant, and so thick-skulled that they believe they are perfectly suited to approach a holy God. What’s wrong with these people? They are still behaving like Egyptians; even now, they still have no idea how pure God is and how sinful they are, nor do they view sin as God does. An internet search reveals the following about ancient Egyptian concepts of sin:
The ancient Egyptians had a complex understanding of sin. They viewed sin primarily as a form of disorder rather than an inner moral failing. This perspective was deeply intertwined with their religious beliefs and practices, particularly the concept of Ma’at, which represented truth, balance, and order in the universe. When individuals committed acts that disrupted this order, they were seen as sinning.
Understanding of Sin
- Disorder vs. Guilt: Unlike many cultures that emphasize guilt, the Egyptians focused on restoring balance through purification rituals and offerings to the gods.
- Purification Practices: Rituals were essential for correcting sins and restoring one’s standing with the divine.
- Communication with Deities: Egyptians believed they could convince the gods of their innocence or seek forgiveness through proper rituals.
Contextual Significance
- Religious Framework: Sin was often linked to the afterlife, where one’s actions in life determined their fate in the Duat (underworld).
- Cultural Impact: The concept of sin influenced various aspects of Egyptian life, including law, morality, and social order.
After 400 years in Egypt, it’s likely that the Israelites have bought into the Egyptian concepts of sin. God is concerned about holiness, while the Israelites have no idea about guilt but are concerned with balance. Coming from Egypt with a works-related religion that depends on propitiating various deities, the Israelites truly believe they are good people who simply need a little help and who might convince God of their innocence if they carefully observe certain rituals. But God is holy, almighty, all-knowing, all-powerful, and completely pure. There’s no convincing God of one’s innocence, for God already knows all a person’s thoughts and intentions, even before they do. For now, the Israelites will obey Moses; however, there are no guarantees about their behavior in the future.
Considering the concepts embodied in Egyptian religion, obedience to one all-powerful deity has no place in such thinking. So far, the Israelites have obeyed Moses to a degree; however, they still have no idea of the kind of obedience God demands from His followers. It’s likely that succeeding generations have failed to inculcate the experiences of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph-men who KNEW what it meant to obey God. Now God must train His people, rooting out their Egyptian beliefs and substituting His truth and righteousness.
Few of us become believers as young children. How many of us who have believed as adults are dragging outmoded beliefs into our current faith? When we begin to follow God, we are just like those Israelites who have spent generations copying their Egyptian neighbors. Look at the difference between the Egyptian theology and God’s.
The concept of sin. Romans 3:21-24 “21 But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”
The concept of guilt. John 1:5-10 says, “5 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. 8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.” Many of us want to believe that we really aren’t fundamentally bad people.
The need for a Savior. Hebrews 9:22 “In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” Many of us hope that if we simply do enough good things, we will earn our way into heaven, not realizing that we are sinful and everything we do is therefore tainted by sin.
May God help us so that we will search our hearts and confess the “stuff” we’ve dragged in from our previous lives!
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, please reveal to us our fixed beliefs that have no basis in You or in Your Word. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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