(Exodus) Exodus 19:9-25

Now, verse 9 of this 19th chapter of Exodus, 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 forever. And Moses told the words of the people unto the Lord. There are those that think that the giving of the law was a very beautiful thing.

Many years ago in Georgia, I had a lady that came up to me. She was a very cultured, refined, southern lady. And she said to me, Mr. McGee, don't you think the giving of the law was such a beautiful and lovely thing? And I think I shocked her.

I said, I don't see anything beautiful in it. It's a frightful and terrifying thing. All right? Let's look at this now, because here's the giving of the law.

And you tell me whether you see anything beautiful in it or not. Listen, verse 10, And the Lord said unto Moses, Go unto the people and sanctify them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their clothes, and be ready against the third day. For the third day the Lord will come down in the sight of all the people upon Mount Sinai.

This is a tremendous scene, you say. Well, wait a minute. We're not through.

Will you listen to this? And thou shalt set 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. Now, does that sound beautiful to you, my friend? Why, they were told not to even get near the mount and not to touch it.

They'd be smitten dead. That's not beautiful. That's awful.

Now, verse 13, Thou shalt not a hand touch it, but he shall surely be stoned or shot through, whether it be beast or man. It shall not live. When the trumpet soundeth long, they shall come up to the mount.

And Moses went down from the mount unto the people and sanctified the people. And they washed their clothes. And he said unto the people, Be ready against the third day.

Come not at your wives. 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, so that all the people that was in the camp trembled. My friends, this is not a circus parade that's going by.

This is the giving of the law. And this is terrifying. And the people trembled because it was a frightful experience.

Listen, I'm not through reading verse 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.

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. You want to tell me that you think that the giving of the law is beautiful? My friend, it was a terrifying thing that took place.

Now we are told that when the voice of the trumpet sounded long and waxed louder and louder, Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice. 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.

And the Lord said unto Moses, Go down, charge the people, lest they break through unto the Lord, to gaze, and many of them perish. You see, a great many thought they might see something. Well, they'll not see anything.

They're only going to hear a voice, because it's still true today, no man hath seen God at any time. Now will you notice verse 22, And let the priests also, which come near to the Lord, sanctify themselves, lest the Lord break forth upon them. And Moses said unto the Lord, The people cannot come up to Mount Sinai, for thou chargest us, saying, Set bounds about the mountain sanctified.

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. So Moses went down unto the people and spake unto them.