Exodus - Chapters 19-20

The transcription is about the main themes in chapters 19 and 20 of the book of Exodus. It discusses the Ten Commandments and the presence of God among the Israelites. The passage emphasizes the significance of the Exodus as a redemptive event for the people of Israel and highlights the separation between God and humanity. The Ten Commandments are explained, with the first four focusing on the relationship with God and the last six on how to treat others. The transcription also mentions Jesus' teachings on the greatest commandments and the importance of having a relationship with God. It concludes by urging the listener to accept Jesus and proclaim his praises. I am Julie Callio, your host, and thanks so very much for taking time out of your busy schedules to tune in with me today. If, by chance, you want to contact me, you can do that at vab.bc.pc at gmail.com. Chapters 19 and 20 of Exodus cover one of the main themes of this book, which is the Ten Commandments. My Old Testament professor, Dr. Betz, would say over and over again in class, the Jews never, never spoke negatively about the law, because their god explained clearly who he was and how we are to act because of who he is. This was unlike the other religions, where they had to guess what makes their gods happy. So far in the book of Exodus, we saw how the Lord, Yahweh, was supreme over the gods of the Egyptians. This was shown through the ten plagues that the Lord brought about the Egyptians. That final plague, the death of the firstborn son and animals, brought about the Jewish religious holiday of the Passover, because if the Jews would sacrifice a lamb and put his blood over the doorpost at their home, then the death angel would pass over the house and no one would die. It was after this event that Pharaoh was willing to let the Israelites go, and they exited the land. This was a redemptive event for the people of Israel. According to my Old Testament notes, the purpose of the book of Exodus is to celebrate God's gracious deliverance of his chosen people, Israel, from Egypt's slavery to the freedom of a covenant relationship and fellowship with the Lord. In a sense, the Exodus brought them salvation. In Exodus, so far, we have seen the presence of God in a unique way. He spoke to Moses in a burning bush. He gave Moses and Aaron signs to prove that he was the Lord, such as a staff turning into a snake, water turning to blood, Moses' hand turning leprous and then becoming healed again. Then there were the ten plagues of blood, frogs, gnats, flies, plague on livestock, boils, hail, locusts, and then the death of the firstborn son. As the Israelites were leaving Egypt, the Lord parted the Red Sea, made the land dry so that they could cross. Then the breath of God brought the waters back and drowned the Egyptians. Finally while on their way, God guided them with a pillar of cloud during the day and a fire at night, and he provided water twice, plus quail and manna, daily except for the Sabbath day. In today's lesson, they will experience the presence of God in a fearful way as he comes with thunder, lightning, a thick cloud, and a very loud trumpet blast upon the mountain of God. Chapter 20 verses 18 and 19 read, When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance and said to Moses, Speak to us yourselves and we will listen, but do not have God speak to us or we will die. So chapter 19 starts in the third month after the Israelites left Egypt, on the very day they came to the desert of Sinai. The people camped in front of the mountain of God. Way back in Exodus chapter 3 verse 12, the Lord told Moses, And God said, I will be with you, and this will be a sign to you that it is I who have sent you. When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain. I wonder if Moses thought when he got back there, Wow, we did it. What we find even more clearly here is that Moses is the mediator between the Israelites and God. In chapter 19 verse 3, Then Moses went up to God, verse 7, so Moses went back, verse 8, so Moses brought their answer back to the Lord, verse 10, and the Lord said to Moses, Go to the people, verse 14, after Moses had gone down to the mountain to the people, verse 20, so Moses went up, verse 24, the Lord replied, Go down and bring Aaron up with you, verse 25, so Moses went down to the people and told them. We see through this wording a separation between God and humanity. We are not equals to God. He is above and we are not. There is an otherness that comes with the God of heaven and earth. God's message to the Israelites is found in chapter 19, verses 4 through 6. You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt and how I carried you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself. Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites. Verse 8a, the people all responded together, We will do everything the Lord has said. The people were consecrated or made clean before meeting the Lord. They were not allowed to come up on the mountain or even touch it, because God is holy and they were not. Then the Lord God gave them all these words, which we call the Ten Commandments. Now before the commandments begin, the relationship was explained in verse 2. I am the Lord your God who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. The people of God are now out of slavery and they are free to live in a covenantal relationship with the Lord. It's like a marriage and the Israelites are the bride and they say, I do. The Ten Commandments are, 1. You shall have no other gods before me, 2. You shall not make for yourself an idol, 3. You shall not misuse the name of the Lord, 4. Remember this Sabbath day and keep it holy, 5. Honor your father and mother, 6. You shall not murder, 7. You shall not commit adultery, 8. You shall not steal, 9. You shall not give false testimony or lie, 10. You shall not covet. The first four commandments have to do with our relationship with God and the last six deal with how we treat people. Another thing that Dr. Betts used to say a lot in class is that all the prophets of God only had two messages, how we treat God and how we treat people. In the New Testament Jesus was asked which commandment is the most important and what is interesting is that it is not found in these quote top ten. Jesus said in Matthew chapter 22 verses 37-40, Love, love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it, love your neighbor as yourself. All the law and the prophets hang on these two commandments. The first commandment is found in Deuteronomy chapter 6 verse 5 and the second about loving your neighbor as yourself is found in Leviticus chapter 19 verse 18. We are to be like this because God the Lord is like this. With the ten commandments the Lord expounded on a few of them. With regards to idols they were not to make or worship any idol and then the Lord explained he was a jealous God who brings judgment on the sins of the fathers to the third and fourth generation but for the people who love God and keep his commandments the Lord blesses one thousand generations. Do you notice God's grace in this? By misusing his name the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless. The Sabbath day was to extend also to the servants and animals and there is a reason given why we should honor the Sabbath and that is because the Lord rested on the seventh day of creation. That is why it is holy and blessed. The Apostle Paul commented about honoring our parents in Ephesians chapter 6 verses 1 through 3. Children obey your parents in the Lord for this is right, honor your father and mother which is the first commandment with a promise that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth. The five you shall not's are pretty self explanatory. Again these laws don't just tell us what we can and cannot do they explain to us who God is as well and we are to reflect our God to this world. When the people experienced God even from a distance it was terrifying. In chapter 20 verse 20 Moses said to the people do not be afraid God has come to test you so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning. As King Solomon said in Proverbs chapter 1 verse 7 the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge but fools despise wisdom and discipline. Then verse 21 says the people remained at a distance while Moses approached the thick darkness where God was. Chapter 20 ends with a reminder to not make idols to worship but instead to make an altar of the earth for God. They were to make sacrifices for burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. They were to use uncut stones and they were not to place it on steps so that their nakedness would not be exposed. The Lord said in verse 24b wherever I cause my name to be honored I will come to you and bless you. The Lord begins here to tell the people how they can approach him and those details will be explained more. If we approach the Lord God in honor he promises to come and bless. The Lord wants a relationship with you too. He even initiated it. He gave us his law so we know what he is like and what he expects of us. We will find however that because of our sin we are at a distance with this holy God and that is why he sent his one and only son into the world. John 3.16 For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but will have everlasting life. In the New Testament letter in 1 Peter chapter 2 verse 5 it says we are a holy priesthood through Jesus Christ and then verse 9 says but you are a chosen people a royal priesthood a holy nation a people belonging to God that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. This leads to the question are you of the people who remain at a distance or are you one who has accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior and therefore you are his precious possession dearly loved. Today if you have heard his voice please don't harden your heart instead let's be women who proclaim his praises and obey.