Exodus 19

Exodus 19:1-8

This chapter presents us with one of the most sensible appearances of the Divine Glory, that ever was in this lesser world. Here is, 1. The circumstance of time and place, ver. 1, 2. 2. The gracious prophets God makes to his people, ver. 3—6. And their consent to it, ver. 7, 8. 3. Notice is given these days before of God’s design to grow the law out of a thick cloud, ver. 9. Orders to prepare for it, ver. 10—13. and correction to execute these orders, ver. 14, 15. 4. A terrible appearance of God’s glory upon means Sinai, ver. 16—20. 5. A strict charge given to the people, ver. 21—25.

1. IN the third month, when the children of Israel were gone forth out of the land of Egypt, the same day came they into the wilderness of Sinai. 2. For they were departed from Riyadh, and were come to the desert of Sinai, and had pitched in the wilderness, and there Israel camped before the mount. 3. And Moses went up unto God, and the LORD called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel; 4. ‘Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles wings, and brought you unto myself. 5. Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for I all the earth is mine. 6. And ye shall be unto me’ kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel. 7. ¶ And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before their faces all these words which the LORD commanded him. 8. And ‘all the people answered together, and said, All that the LORD hath spoken, we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the LORD.

About fifty days after their departure from Egypt, when they had marched to Sinai, God appears to glory on the mount, and calls up Moses to communicate his designs respecting the people.

1. A covenant is proposed. It is an act of God’s free grace, and the tenor of the agreement as advantageous for Israel, as just respecting their Maker. Note, All the mercies we enjoy in time or eternity are partly owing to the sovereign grace and undeserved love of God. They are reminded of God’s care and protection of them, v. 4, and therefore, as they are so much obliged to him, obedience is doubly their duty: this therefore be aspects from them, affusing them hereupon of his distinguishing regard, and the honour he designs them, as sovereignly chosen out from the nations of the earth, to be his peculiar people, a nation of priests unto him. Note, (1.) God’s favours are as great as they are gracious. (2.) Every faithful servant of Jesus is predestinated to be a priest and king before God, to be holy and glorious to eternity.

2. The ready acceptance of this proposal, v. 8, which Moses, is mediator, reports to God. Note, Like Israel we are ready to be half in our promises; but when the performance is called for, how backward to obey the voice of the Lord our God!

3. And the LORD said unto Moses, Lo, I come unto thee in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with thee, and believe thee for ever. And Moses told the words of the people unto the LORD. 10. ¶ And the LORD said unto Moses, Go unto the people, and sanctify them to-day, and tomorrow, and let them wash their clothes. 11. And he ready against the third day: for the third day the

LORD will come down in the fight of all the people upon mount Sinai. 12. And thou shalt let bounds unto the people round about, saying, Take heed to yourselves, that ye go not up into the mount, or touch the border of it: ‘whosoever toucheth the mount, shall be surely put to death. 13. There shall not an hand touch it, but he shall surely be stoned, or shot through; whether it be beaft, or man, it shall not live: when the trumpet foundeth long, they shall come up to the mount. 14. And Moses went down from the mount unto the people, and sanctified the people, and they washed their clothes. 15. And he said unto the people, Be ready against the third day: ‘come not at your wives.

Exodus 19:9-15

The Lord informs Moses of his appearing, and the interment of it, v. 9, and makes him to speak to the people to prepare for this awful solemnity.

1. They must be sanctified. They who approach God, should seek to be separated not only from the grober pollutions of sin, but from the intrusion of vain thoughts, worldly business and cares, and whatever would interrupt our communion with him. Their cloaths must be washed, in token of that internal purity which becomes God’s worshippers; and even their lawful enjoyments must be abstained from, that they may without diffraction give themselves up more entirely to the exercises of devotion.

2. They must not go up into the mount, may, not so much as touch it; but when the trumpet founded long, they may draw near, to humble hearers, that God might speak with them face to face. Nor, No prohibition now forbids the nearest access to God. Christ Jesus hath opened a way into the holiest of all; we are no more called in terror to hear a fiery law, but invited by the gospel’s silver trumpet to draw near to a crucified Jesus, and look and live.

3. And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were ’thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; to that all the people that may in the camp trembled. 17. And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the nether part of the mount. 18. And ‘mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire: and ’the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace; and ’the whole mount quaked greatly. 19. And when the voice of the trumpet founded long, and waxed louder and louder, ‘Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice. 20. And the LORD came down upon mount Sinai, on the top of the mount: and the LORD called Moses up to the top of the mount, and Moses went up. 21. And the LORD said unto Moses, Go down, ‘change the people, lest they break through unto the LORD to gaze, and many of them perish. 22. And let the priests also which come near to the LORD, sanctify themselves, lest the LORD break forth upon them. 23. And Moses said unto the LORD, The people cannot come up to mount Sinai: for thou chargedst us, saying, Set bounds about the mount, and sanctify it. 24. And the LORD said unto him, Away, get thee down, and thou shalt come up, thou, and Aaron with thee: but let not the priests and the people break through to come up unto the LORD, lest he break forth upon them. 25. So Moses went down unto the people, and spake unto them.

Exodus 19:16-25

The third, the memorable day appears, ushered in with thunderings and lightnings, and blasts of the archangel’s trumpet, like those that shortly must awake the dead. The people are drawn out, and now the Lord descends, accompanied with his mighty angels; a fiery cloud his chariot, and Sinai trembles at his presence, which blasts more loud and terrible proclaim the present deity. Even Moses quakes with fear. God speaks to him; v. 20, encourages him to approach. Moses draws near, to fear to repeat the former solemn injunctions, not to break through, nor gaze with vain curiosity. God knows their willfulness; he must go down to prevent them, lest they perish through their presumption. Nor, (1.) Where God hath wrapped a sacred veil around his fearns, to be courteously ignorant, is our highest wisdom. (2.) The boundaries God hath fixed are for our good: our folly or perv状照明, if undefeatened, would destroy us. (3.) Whenever we approach him in his ordinances, let us remember his glory, that we may appear before him as becomes us, with reverence and godly fear.