Commentary
19:1 “on the third new moon after the people of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, on that day they came into the wilderness of Sinai.” Israel has now been in the wilderness three months. It has taken three months to get to the mountain of God, a journey that could have taken 11 days. Rosh Chodesh, head of the month or the new moon festival is mentioned in numbers 28 when God instructs Israel “On the first of the month you are to present to Adonai a burnt offering of two young bulls, one ram, and seven flawless male lambs a year old’ twenty-seven times the new moon festival is mentioned in the scriptures. In Isaiah God says his soul hates the new moon festivals because they have become occasions for hypocrisy and the worship of false gods. Israels heart eventually strays so far from God that keeping the new moon or the sabbath or the Passover isn’t about drawing closer to God or honoring him, but about rote and meaningless tradition. As he said in Matthew. It became more important to them to check the boxes than to truly rend their hearts and surrender them each month to God. Here the new moon is mentioned as a marking of the passage of time.
19:3-4 “The Lord called to him out of the mountain, saying thus you shall say to the house of Jacob and tell the people Israel. ‘You yourselves have seen with your own eyes what I did to the Egyptians and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself.” Israel’s deliverance was not for them exclusively, nor was their freedom from Egypt a release into the wild. God delivered Israel as part of a promise and covenant he made with Abraham and their freedom from Egypt was to bring them to himself, as he told Abraham and will tell Israel again and again throughout the history, “I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will be their God. 46 And they shall know that I am Jehovah their God, that brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, that I might dwell among them: I am Jehovah their God. Ex. 29:45-46
19:5 If you obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession. Among all the people (not just among the Egyptians, but all the people of the earth.) God chose Israel out of all the people in the world.
19:6 “you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” God wants Israel to know who they are. The are set apart, the entire nation is called to be a light to the nations and the world. The entire nation is called to be witnesses of God’s glory and power, agents of truth and peace. Although God will set apart the Levites to serve the temple and oversee all the worship, God has called the people as a nation to be priests, a priest job was to teach the law to Israel and make the sacrifices that would atone for the sins of the congregation. This is precisely what Israel did when the leaders brought Jesus, the lamb of God to Pilate to be crucified. This is what they did when they recorded the law and kept it. They are teaching the world they are being a nation of priests and a kingdom of holy people set apart in how they live and behave.
The Lord also calls Israel to be faithful to the covenant even before the particulars of the law are revealed, he has not given them the ten commandments yet. What they have seen in Egypt reminds them, God’s covenant relationship proceeds the agreement and the details, and yet the covenant is also essential for living as Gods people. God’s covenant existed before and is for Israel, it will also continue though they break it. The covenant relies on God, is continued in Christ’ blood and it is eternal. When God made the covenant with Abraham, Abraham was in a deep sleep when God passed through the divided animals’ parts, declaring that he would keep both parts of the covenant, and so he did when He died for the sins of Israel on the cross.
19:7 “all the Lord has spoken we will do” this is a preliminary agreement the people haven’t not even heard the stipulations or judgments only a few blessings. Their agreement, like wedding vow, is not at this point based in love for God, although that will be a commandment later on. Their vow is based in fear and awe at all God did for them in Egypt. Later When God sends his only son as a love offering those he has chosen begin to understand and relate to God with affection and devotion being able to reflect back to God what he reveals to them/us. Jesus teaches the disciples about what love looks like and seems to focus much of his teaching and ministry on love, culminating with John’ declaration that God is love.
19:10 “the Lord also said to Moses go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow and let them wash their garments; and let them be ready for the third day, for on the third day the Lord will come down on mount Sinai in the sight of all the people.”
Revelation 22 “whoever washes the robes has the right to the tree of life. This washing seems to be an act of preparation for the congregation for God. They had a role in their own sanctification. This washing was symbolic and practical. They were exchanging their garments of skin and flesh and slavery from Egypt for robes of righteousness and holiness and priests’ garments. This was a washing off of the old and preparing themselves for the new.
God is also setting an expectation and requirement. We do not come before the presence of a holy God in filthy garments and sinful flesh. He has made provision with the blood to wash us, but Israel and eventually all those chosen are responsible to apply that provision and wash our garments. This requirement never changes is never adjusted or softened. After Jesus died and was raised up, more is expected from us, not less because we are given the holy spirit as a pledge. Revelation 7:13 says, there is a multitude coming out of the tribulation of every tribe they have washed their robes in the blood and made them white. Revelation 19:7-9 His bride has made her self ready and it was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen bright and clean for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints (holy ones). Revelation 22:14 blessed are they who wash their robes that they may have the right to the tree of life and may enter by the gates into the city. In Matthew 22:11-13 Jesus tells a parable which a man came into the wedding feast without wedding garments on, and was cast out. Zechariah 3, the prophet Joshua is given, in exchange for his filthy robes, clean and white garments which are the according to Isaiah the garments of righteousness and salvation. We cannot underestimate or outdate the ritual bath and cleanliness of what we wear before God and the importance of being clean in his presence.
When God is instructing Moses to consecrate the people, he is setting a standard by which they will gauge their attendance before the Holy One for all eternity.
19:11 “you shall set boundaries for the people all around, saying beware that you do not go up on the mountain or touch the border of it whoever touches the mountain shall be put to death.” We should not assume this means God in his anger will smite, kill or punish the people who might simply touch the mountain. God is gracious, why then should we account him in some instances as a tyrant without mercy who kills unreasonably? We should not, but God’s character is one of grace and mercy and protection of the weak and vulnerable. In the same way that we may warn a child who is near fire, do not touch the fire or you will get burned. This is not a threat, “we will burn you or hurt you if you touch the fire”, but a warning, a fair and good warning. God is holy, he is a consuming fire, he is the sun shining in full strength, if we touch, we will be burned. There is no doubt God had to limit his power in order to descend /come down upon mount Horeb, so that the people would not instantly burn up. His warning therefore could, like with eve and Adam, be a sincere cautionary for their good. I can hear him pleading with Moses not once but twice, “do not let the people touch the mountain…do not let the children touch the fire…” he was keeping them safe from his glory and holiness, which is not bad but it is powerful. Consider Paul was blinded by the light of Christ on the road to Damascus, Uriah fell down dead when he touched the ark. God spared Adam and eve death when they ate from the deadly poison of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, Ezekiel fell down like a dead man, mortal fragile man cannot stand in the presence of a mighty God without being changed, humanity cannot touch God or the mountain where he resides, as a consequence of our fallen nature, we will be instantly consumed. He is a fire and we are mere sinful flesh on an earthen altar.
19:12 “whether beast or man he shall not live.” The author of Hebrews contrasts Sinai and Zion. John Bunyon also popularized this comparison between the two mountains as one between law (Sinai where the law was given) and grace (mount Zion, where the blood of Christ was poured out). In Hebrews the author says, “18 For you have not come [a]to the mountain that may be touched and that burned with fire, and to blackness and [b]darkness and tempest, 19 and the sound of a trumpet and the voice of words, so that those who heard it begged that the word should not be spoken to them anymore. 20 (For they could not endure what was commanded: “And if so much as a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned [c]or shot with an arrow.” 21 And so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, “I am exceedingly afraid and trembling.”) 22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, 23 to the [d]general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, 24 to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.
And what is the author saying but this: (For they could not endure what was commanded) The congregation of Israel were afraid at Sinai. It was a fearful thing to encounter Yahweh. But now, it is not less fearful it is not that God has changed, but that now Christ has been provided, the lamb, the atonement that they should be covered in grace and mercy and approach the throne of God without fear. They now (at zion) can endure what is commanded because they come with blood and God accepts the blood of his own son. They come with access to the Holy Spirit inside them, they come with resurrection power. We have not worry or need to fear because God has sent the lamb before us to mediate a new covenant, one in which we do not have to bear alone, but Christ bears for us. We will not die because there is life in the blood, because the angel of death passes over those sprinkled in blood of Jesus. It is not merely blood, it is God’s blood. Have we still commands and God and the voice and thunder and power? yes but we also have Christ who has overcome the power of death and sin in US! So, we can live and not die. We are not consumed, because as he says all that can be shaken has been shaken, all that can be burned has been burned, all that can die has died. We now approach a living God as living beings.
19:13 “when the Ram’s horn sounds a long blast” different sounds meant different things. IN Jewish tradition even today, there are three distinct sounds the shofar makes. One means to gather; ones mean prepare for battle and one announces the king. “The shofar has four sounds: tekiah, a long, loud blast calling people to attention; Sheva rim, three broken blows which sound like crying; teruah, nine or more staccato rings serving as a wakeup call to the new year; and tekiah gondola, a great blast played at the end of the Rosh Hashanah service.” Rosh Hashanah, blowing the shofar is a holiday which celebrates the beginning of the world and the coronation of the King. It is also called the feast of trumpets. We are also reminded that it will be a shofar that sounds upon Christ return to earth. In the book of revelation, the seven trumpets’ sounds reveal the plagues upon the earth, each trumpet a different plague. This is the ram’s horn. Also, the ram’s horn was used to blow when God brought down the walls of Jericho. God appeals to all five senses as he relates his instructions to Moses. This will ensure that Israel remembers.
19:15 “be ready for the third day” for Christ followers and certainly the early disciples this third day carries with it significance beyond that of the ten commandments being given, this was when God came down among the people. They were instructed to be ready. God was about to appear. Even so on the third day is when Jesus Christ arose from the grave and appeared to the people. Here before God descends, the men of Israel are told not to go near a woman, what did this mean? Could not stand beside women, as some might suppose or even as in Judaism, they interpreted often keeping men and women separate. I speculate that God was telling them to not have sex. Do not go “near” to be intimate, to uncover nakedness, first because they had just washed and second, they were waiting for God, not intercourse. Women would distract them from their anticipation and eagerness. In the book of Revelation, it is those who are chaste and pure who have never been with a woman in a sexual context that have some additional value in God’s eyes, or at least that follow him with undivided devotion. Paul says, if possible, it is better not to marry. However, God also created Eve for Adam and without doing so how could mankind reproduce and populate the earth? We cannot assume that Paul meant every man is better off single and chaste, but those who were called to be such disciples with undying devotion to God and Torah (his instruction). A man who has a wife must care for his wife and provide for his family and children; a man who has no wife can invest himself fully without reservation to God alone. But this is not the call of every man. I suspect that this instruction may find some meaning in the garden, for Adam chose closeness with Eve over obedience to God once before.
19:16 “it came about on the third day when all the people trembled, there were thunder and lightening flashes and a thick cloud upon the mountain and a very loud trumpet sound so all the people in the camp trembled.” We cannot imagine what this may have been like, however, we know from the scriptures, that a thick cloud seemed the usual way in which Gd appeared. Thunder lightening and darkness often accompanies his mighty presence. When the disciples stood staring at the place where Jesus ascended on the cloud, the angels said to them he will return in the same way. When Daniel saw the vision of the ancient of Days it was on a cloud, giving way to future images and art work of God on a cloud. But the scripture says plain, He dwells in darkness and thick cloud. 2 Samuel 22:12
And he made darkness pavilions round about him, Gathering of waters, thick clouds of the skies. Psalm 18:11
He made darkness his hiding-place, his pavilion round about him, Darkness of waters, thick clouds of the skies.
19:17 “AND MOSES Brought the people out of the camp to meet God and they stood at the foot of the mountain.” God has not removed the fear humans have of him naturally. He is God and we are not. But rather, he appeared in a form that we could receive, a helpless human infant, even so when the shepherds and the kings and the angels saw him even in this form their response was awe and honor, bowing to worship, offering gifts and praise without hesitation. We cannot help but tremble at the sight and sounds of Creator God no matter what form he takes or how he approaches or we approach. He is a mighty king and we are simply mortal fragile cells brought together to form broken vessels. Even Moses standing before the burning bush trembled before God. This is always the appropriate response to a holy God who appeals to every one of our senses that he created us with, when the people treated God as common, he was angry, when the disobeyed it was evidence of their light esteem towards God. When they brought him lame animals for sacrifice this was a sign of disrespect and God frowned upon it. God does not want to be treated as a common peer or a buddy. He is holy and ought to be respected. This show was especially important as they were being introduced to their savior so that they would forever fear God. Did it work, not for individuals, but on a national level yes. Consider orthodox jews and Christians today continue to fear God and tremble at his mercy and goodness and power.
19:18 “the Lord descended upon it in fire and its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace.” When God covenanted with Abraham, a deep sleep fell upon Abraham and God appeared as a smoking oven and a furnace passing between the pieces of cut animals.
19:19 “God answered him in thunder” God also speaks to Jesus and the people hear thunder. Why is it that Moses and Jesus heard the voice and words of God but the people hear only thunder? The holy spirit is the one who teaches us the words of God. We need a mediator, Moses was that mediator for a time, Jesus is the eternal mediator, the holy spirit is an interpreter. I think that God speaks, but because of our sin and flesh and filthy nature we cannot hear him. Our sin becomes an obstacle between us and God. A channel is needed to tune in, a channel which is pure and clean and innocent of sin. Even though we are washed and redeemed we live in a world weighed down in sin. We are unclean. We must wash and consecrate and then remain pure. How does that happen living in this world. Sin does not reign but sin remains. Does this mean Moses was without sin, not necessarily, and yet God spoke to him face to face. God seemed to speak to more consistently in the ancient scriptures then in modern times to people. Perhaps sin is like a fungus that grows and spreads over time. Perhaps our sin becomes like wax in the ears of our hearts and minds. The holy spirit does the work of not just sanctifying us but releasing Gods words to us in a way and means that we can understand them for those who desire to know and hear him.
19:23 “the people cannot come up” this is evidence of Moses innocent nature. He believes that because God told the people already, they would listen and he didn’t have to repeat or worry, Moses is perhaps naïve. The Lord is concerned that the people will break through to gaze upon him and they will perish and for good reason, they are on the cusp of the fashioning the golden calf and rejecting the commands before they have even had a chance to digest them. That God is telling the people they cannot come up is interesting considering in just a few verses he tells them to come up. God wants to be seen and interacted with, however, not gazed upon like a spectacle. I wonder too does he bear scars of the whips and nails? Isaiah says he has no appearance that is handsome that men long to see, but he is despised. God calls the priests and Aaron and Moses to come up to him. Was this to form a type of wall between God and the people. A mediating wall to protect the people from God and God from the people?
One of the very first commandments in the next few verses, “you shall not make for yourself an idol or any likeness of an idol or any likeness of what in in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth.” Also, in Deuteronomy when God is reiterating these commandments he repeats:” Deuteronomy 4:15-18
This was paramount to the people not seeing God, so that they would not begin to cast and forge idols in his likeness. The only likeness would be the likeness to Man, because man was made in his likeness. Even so, when Jesus rose from the dead his own disciples were not recognizing him by his face and appearance but by his words and communication.
My Faith Place 