Exodus 19

Exodus 19:1-25

Exodus 19:1-25I. The Giving of the Greater Law (Exodus 19:1-25; Exodus 20:1-26)

1. The Preparation for the Giving of the Law (Exodus 19:1-25) In this chapter certain events preliminary to the giving of the Law are recorded. Past blessings are recalled as forming a legitimate basis for future obedience. Indeed, the obedience which God requires of His people is based on His redemption of and guidance granted to His people. What a contrast we have between Mount Sinai, representing the old, and Mount Zion the new dispensation (cf. Hebrews 12:18-24). Here we have the beginning of a new dispensation-that of Law. So far we have had the Edenic Dispensation (Genesis 1:1-31; Genesis 2:1-25; Genesis 3:1-24; Genesis 4:1-26; Genesis 5:1-32); the Patriarchal Dispensation (Genesis 3:1-24 to Exodus 19:1-25) which included, probably, the Age of Conscience (Genesis 4:1-26; Genesis 5:1-32; Genesis 6:1-22; Genesis 7:1-24; Genesis 8:1-14), of Human Government (Genesis 8:15-22; Genesis 9:1-29; Genesis 10:1-32; Genesis 11:1-9), of Promise (Genesis 12:1-20 to Exodus 19:1-25). Now begins the third great dispensation-that of Law, which extends from this point to, probably, the book of Acts. (a) The Ascent of Moses up Mount Sinai to Receive the Divine Revelation (Exodus 19:1-9) Here God enters into covenant relations with His people. These relations are in a sense legal, and yet they are of grace, for, as we have seen, they are based on redemption and the goodness of God. Some differences have been made between this covenant and that made to Abraham. In the Abrahamic covenant God bound Himself as an aid to Abraham’ s faith. In the covenant of Israel God seems to require of the people that they bind themselves to obedience, so that in the one case we have an oath of allegiance, and in the other one of assurance. God would know whether these people were willing to assume the responsibility involved in this covenant of obedience, and it is probably for this reason that the obedience of the people is challenged before the nature of the covenant is made known.

The people readily assent to the requirements of God. How little they knew of their own hearts! (b) The Preparation of the People for the Reception of the Covenant (Exodus 19:10-14) Moses is commanded to prepare the people for the receiving of the covenant and the manifestation of the divine presence. This is to be accomplished by an outward cleansing of the camp, which, of course, is symbolic of inward cleansing of heart (cf. Amos 4:12); then the setting of bounds about Mount Sinai. All these preparatory arrangements were for the purpose of teaching Israel the lesson of reverence and awe for the divine and for God. This was the lesson taught Moses at the bush. It is the lesson Israel would learn when observing the distance between the ark and the marching column that followed it.

It is the lesson so seriously taught Israel in connection with the slaying of Uzzah who put out his hand to stay the ark (2 Samuel 6:2-7). The priests are especially warned to be careful and reverent, probably because they may have had the feeling that inasmuch as they were priests they had just as much right as Moses and Aaron to break through the boundaries and ascend the mount. It may be also that they felt that the command for cleansing and purification had reference to the people and not to them. (c) The Divine Manifestation (Exodus 19:16-25) God manifested Himself to these people in a thick cloud. No man could bear the sight of God as He is, for He dwells in light unapproachable. To see God would be to die (Exodus 33:20, cf. John 1:18). What awe inspiring accompaniments of the divine presence-fire, smoke, thunder! What a contrast between this mount, representing the old dispensation, and the mount from which Christ delivered the Beatitudes. Hebrews 12:18-24 is interesting and worthy of study in this connection.