(1) What is a covenant? a covenant is more than a contract, a contract only said this is yours and this is mine, an exchange of terms. A convent binds 2 parties together, I am yours and you're mine.
(2) The flow of the events:
v.3-4, God was ready to make a covenant with Israel and the whole process started with the review of the history of their relationship. v.5 "if...then..." It they listened to God...then they will be His special nation, a kingdom of priest and a holy nation v.8 the people said yes, they will listen to all the LORD's commandments.
(3) v.4 19:4 ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt and how I lifted you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself
(NET) The figure compares the way a bird would teach its young to fly and leave the nest with the way Yahweh brought Israel out of Egypt... The image is that of power and love.
[brought you to myself] (NET) The language here is the language of a bridegroom bringing the bride to the chamber. This may be a deliberate allusion to another metaphor for the covenant relationship.
reflection: Do you remember how God had brought us to Himself? He has lift us up in His wings and taught us with love? Through Jesus Christ we have a relationship with God similar to the covenant relationship God has with Israel. Are we willing to bind together with God because of the history of who He loves us?
(4) 19:6 and you will be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’
This kingdom of God will be composed of a priestly people. All the Israelites would be living wholly in God’s service and enjoying the right of access to him. And, as priests, they would have the duty of representing God to the nations, following what they perceived to be the duties of priests—proclaiming God’s word, interceding for people, and making provision for people to find God through atonement (see Deut 33:9, 10).
(5) In v.8, the people has already said they would obey His commands, why did God do the following? They had matched the requirements, why more?
19:9 The LORD said to Moses, “I am going to come to you in a dense cloud, so that the people may hear when I speak with you and so that they will always believe in you.” And Moses told the words of the people to the LORD.
The commandments were given through a mediator, Moses. He was given authority by the appearance of God. Then they needed to follow the commandments given through him and then they would be the special nation of God.
The commandments were given through a mediator, Moses. He was given authority by the appearance of God. Then they needed to follow the commandments given through him and then they would be the special nation of God.
Reflection: God has done a lot to establish the trust of Moses among the people. God came down. This is not very common even in OT. Everything happened in v.16-19 was not repeated until the book of Revelation. For us, we needed to respect the authority of the Bible, which contains the commandments of God to us. God knew that if we do not trust His Words and respect them we will not follow them. Do you have the proper respect to God's words? Do you see the God who came down from Mount Sinai behind the Word of God?
(6) People needed to prepare for the appearance of God: sanctify themselves and refrain by getting close.
Sanctify themselves includes (a) washing them clothes for 2 days v.10
(NET) abstaining from things that would make them defiled or unclean, and then by ritual washings and ablutions.
(b) do not have sexual relationships with their spouses v.15.
(NET) the people were to approach him they were not to lose themselves in earthly love. Such separations prepared the people for meeting God. Sinai was like a bride, forbidden to anyone else. Abstinence was the spiritual preparation for coming into the presence of the Holy One.
Reflection: Before man can approach the Holy God we need to get ready, both by removal of sin and focusing our emotion. God is deserved our washing and focusing.
(7) Long details was to given to not going over the boundaries to the mountain. Even the punishment was written in details v.12-13. Then Moses met God on the top of the mountain God still wanted Moses to go down again and solemnly warned the people not to go up v.21. Even after Mose assured to God that God had already warned them v.23 God still wanted Moses to get down and warned them again.24.
(NET) God knew them better than Moses did.
Later on, we will read this. Israelites did not agree that only Moses could approach God. They think Moses took over the leadership with no reason.
Audrey
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