God’s Covenant with Israel

October 8, 2017 Background Scripture: Exodus 19; Isaiah 60:3 Lesson Passage: Exodus 19:16 – 25 God led the descendants of Jacob to Mt. Sinai three months after bringing them out of Egypt. It was at Mt. Sinai where God allowed all the people of Israel to hear His voice. Prior to this encounter, they listened to what Moses said the Lord had told him but now they would hear Him for themselves. God’s covenant with Israel would also be established at Mt. Sinai during this encounter. God had Moses to put a barrier around the base of the mountain and to warn the people that if a person or an animal touched the mountain while the Lord’s presence was upon it in the cloud, then the offender would be put to death. This warning was to be made clear to the priests as well. God was going to speak to Moses in the presence of the people so that they would respect Moses as their spiritual leader throughout their generations. Prior to the encounter God instructed Moses to have the people to sanctify or set themselves apart from anything unclean for three days. They were to wash their clothing in preparation for witnessing the presence of the Lord. The morning of the third day the people heard the loud blast of a trumpet and Moses led them to the foot of Mt. Sinai. A thick cloud descended on the mountain and the mountain quaked violently and smoke rose up from it. They heard loud thunder and saw the lightning flashing within the cloud. Out of fear, they begged Moses to speak to God on their behalf because they did not want to remain in His presence. So God made the agreement with Israel using Moses as an intermediary. The essence of the covenant is sanctification (separation unto God) of the people of God. That aspect of this covenant was emphasized from the beginning to show that separation is a characteristic of holiness. Much of the details that were provided later emphasized this separation. The outcome of the covenant would be that Israel would become a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. This would make them a peculiar people among all nations of the earth but it would require an extensive amount of change in them. God offered the plagues He had used in Egypt to deliver them from bondage as proof that He would finish what He started with their deliverance. They were not delivered just to spread out over the earth and live and do as they chose but they were delivered from Egypt to be separated unto God as His special people. Their duties required them to be separate from the other nations but it did not extend to them the privilege of going wherever they chose to in God’s presence. The barrier around the mountain was the first example of such a restriction. Moses, on the other hand, was permitted to come up on the mountain and speak with God on behalf of the people. Aaron, Israel’s first priest, would later receive his instructions from Moses as to what he was to do. Although all of Israel would become a kingdom of priest, it was necessary for them to first be taught the criteria for holiness and the specific responsibilities and duties of priests. This was accomplished through God’s covenant with Israel. Robert C. Hudson September 11, 2017