Why don't you have your Bibles open to Matthew. I was meditating on Matthew. Exodus 19, and would you stand with me? Let's read the entire chapter together. Men, let's begin with verse 1, and the ladies, if you have the NASV, follow along with verse 2, and so on and so forth until we finish to the end of the chapter, verse 25. Let's begin. In the third month after the sons of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, on that very day they came into the wilderness of Sinai. Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain, saying, Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the sons of Israel, Now then, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, then you shall be my own possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is mine." So Moses came and called the elders of the people and said before them all these words which the Lord had commanded him. The Lord said to Moses, Behold, I will come to you in a thick cloud so that the people may hear when I speak with you and may also believe in you forever. Then Moses told the words of the people to the Lord. Let them be ready for the third day, for on the third day, the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. No hand shall touch him, but he shall surely be stoned or shot through. Whether beast or man, he shall not live. When the ram's horn sounds a long blast, they shall come up to the mountain. He said to the people, be ready for the third day. Do not go near a woman. And Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. When the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him with thunder. Then the Lord spoke to Moses, Go down, warn the people, so they do not break through. The Lord gazed, and many of them perished. Moses said to the Lord, The people cannot come up to Mount Sinai, for you warned us, saying, Set bounds about the mountain and consecrate it. So Moses went down to the people and told them. Amen. Have a seat. Do you know how many times Moses had to go up and down, up and down the mountain? About eight times. Here. It's interesting how God brings out his people and helps them to finally come to Mount Sinai on the seventh week. That is, two months have elapsed and the third month they arrive and they camp there for the next 11 months. And from this point on, Exodus 19, all the way to Numbers chapter 10, we're talking about 58 chapters now, folks, we cover the most of the Pentateuch. And then from that point on we know that from Kadesh Oasis, Kadesh Barnea, they have grumbled against the Lord and did not believe that the Lord could deliver them into the land of Canaan. They believed the bad report of the ten spies who came with unbelief saying that they cannot occupy because the people are too big The cities are too well fortified and there's no way that they can occupy. And that's when it happened. And so from that point on, they wander for the next 30, a little over 38 years. So, on the 40th year, we find them on the plains of Moab, where Moses is now giving his last will and testimony and repeats the very law that God is about to give to them. So if you think about the great volume of this text, the five books of Moses, not counting the first book, Genesis, because it covers all the history from creation all the way down to the people of Israel. But if you look at the rest of the books, the great majority and the significant part is given at this place, at Mount Sinai. How important is this to God then? I mean, if you consider that 60% of the Gospel of John is based on Jesus' last eight days, And all four Gospels record extensively Jesus' death on the cross and the resurrection and the few days that preceded. How important is that event? For the great majority of Jesus' life, it's an obscurity. And only once do we know, in his later childhood at the age of 12, as Luke only records, that Jesus went to the temple. We know so little about Jesus' life And yet we know so much about His ministry, especially the ministry of the cross. How important is that for God, do you think? And what about this? When God's revelation comes, right? And the great details are given that some of us may be exasperated by reading detail after detail after detail about the priestly vestments, ornaments of worship, the exact dimensions of the tabernacle, the very specific details of civil and moral and ceremonial laws. And yet, look at the events of creation. Six days of creation, less than a chapter. And so, what is really important to God as He sees so As we see so much information dedicated to describing God's holy character, we see this is what God wants us to know. And He wants us to get the meaning behind the Law of God. The Law of God serves many important purposes. For the people of Israel, it served a very important transitory purpose. That the Abrahamic covenant, which was unconditional, is contingent upon the Mosaic Covenant, which is conditional, and they go hand in hand, just like the book of James and the book of Romans go hand in hand. Faith that works goes hand in hand. Abraham's faith will ultimately produce a genuine work that trusts in God, that will be sanctified, that will be mature, that Abraham would manifest God's glory. even while he was alive. So would Isaac and Jacob and the people of God are selected and set aside as holy people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation before God. God has an incredible plan for His people. That should tell us a lot about why He redeemed us and what He wants us to be in this life. And so this is a very important lesson for us. And so we don't have a lot of historical events now. We have a lot of theological themes. And this is just as practical as you will see. So what we find here in chapter 19 is all too familiar Near Eastern suzerain-vassal treaty. Suzerain-vassal. Suzerain comes from the word sovereign, vassal. So here is a king who has a vassal a underling, if you will, a viceroy, and he gives his powers and conditions and says, I will bless you, I will protect you, I will manifest these kinds of things to you, I will do this for you, but you need to submit to me, and in return I will protect you and bless you and so forth, and you submit to me under these conditions. And that's a suzerain-vassal treaty. So the pattern is, first there's a preamble. And look at verse 3. There is a summons from God. Moses went up to God. And the Lord called to him from the mountain. Second, there is a historical prologue. Verse 4. You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians. Historical context. And how I bore on eagles' wings and brought you to myself. Then, number 3, there are stipulations. Verse 5. Now then, if you will indeed obey my voice. If you will indeed. stipulation and then the second part of verse 5 to verse 6 blessings then I will do what XYZ you shall be my own possession among the peoples for the all the earth is mine and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation and then finally accept the acceptance in a solemn assembly verses 7 and 8 Moses called the assembly and the people answered in verse 8 said, all that the Lord has spoken we will do, follows line by line of a typical Near Eastern suzerain vassal treaty. So this segment of scripture is divided into three sections. First, the preamble. The second, the preparation. And the third, the presentation. The preamble points to the law and how they came to a place where they received the law. The preparation is for the people. Before they receive the law, they have to be prepared. They have to be consecrated. They have to get ready. And of course, finally, the presentation. It's not the presentation of the law. It's as much as a presentation of the law giver. God presents himself. He reveals something about his character before he gives them the law. And so we're going to see these things from chapter 19. Let's jump right into it. Verses 1 and 2 gives us the historical background and how they traveled and where they came. Isn't it interesting that it is at Mount Sinai in the wilderness that God reveals His direct revelation? And isn't it also interesting that in the Old Testament, in Israel's first encounter with God and His revelation, God does what He hasn't done in the past. that is, he is publicly displaying his revelation to all the people, not just to Moses. He speaks in a way that is fantastic, it's thunderous, and yet he speaks to Moses in a way that not only Moses understands and hears, but also all the people hear. Moses has a closer encounter with the Lord, but the people hear it as well. So that by the time Moses goes back and tells them, they all heard it too, and they go, yes, whatever you say, we will obey. Why does God do this? God says He will do this by establishing Moses. Verse 9, 9. Behold, I will come to you in a thick cloud, so that the people may hear when I speak with you. God is bringing all the people of Israel into this conversation and may also believe in you forever. What does God do? He establishes His servant. So that this would be the setting whereby which when Moses shows up to the people and said, Thus saith the Lord, they would have a historical precedent saying, Yeah, we heard God speak to you before, so therefore He must have spoken to you now. Later on, when they move away from Sinai, Moses meets God at the Tent of the Meeting, at the Tabernacle, and God speaks to him, as the Bible records, face to face. That means intimately. And so, God does this. Isn't it interesting that God does this visibly? There's clouds, there's smoke. Audibly, thunder, loud trumpets. We don't know who's blowing the trumpets. I don't know if it's Moses. I don't know if it's the Lord. I don't know if they're the angels. But there's fantastic trumpets playing. And God's voice is audible. That means that He spoke Hebrew. And the people heard it in their own language in Hebrew. gift of tongues here, no need for interpretation, it was just heard and it was understood. That's the way it came. In other words, there was not a mistake among the millions of people camped at Sinai who was speaking. It was God. Isn't it interesting that in the New Testament though, God spoke through the Son. What does the writer of Hebrews say in Hebrews chapter 1 verse 1? Let's look there in the New Testament. He says, God, in the past, after He spoke long ago to the fathers, in the prophets, in many portions and in many ways, in these last days, He has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom He also made the world. You see that? In these last days. It's not only final and complete revelation, but it is something that is more clear. And yet, how did that revelation come? John says, And the Word became flesh, and He dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory of the One and Only Begotten, full of grace and truth. And yet that glory, that revelation, only came to a few people. And even to them, only at the Mount of Transfiguration, the three got to see a glimpse of the supernatural. While Jesus was ministering, healing, and having control over nature, casting out demons, raising the dead, He was veiled in His humanity. When He spoke, people doubted. When He said, Son, your sins are forgiven, people doubted that. There is no doubt here who is speaking. This is a supernatural revelation. This is public. This is to everyone. And yet when Jesus communicated, He was fully veiled in human flesh, and He communicated His glory to a select few. Interesting contrast, isn't it? New Testament is more certain, right? Because it's a fulfillment of the Old Testament law. The Old Testament was very public, very clear. The Ten Plagues were very, very clear. And yet it was through a mediatory role of His servants, Moses and so forth. But in the New Testament, God Himself spoke and yet it was veiled to a select group of people. even those witnesses of the resurrection. It was through all of Judea, all of Jerusalem. It was through the 500. Interesting parallel there. One thing we need to understand is that God is God who always keeps His promise. Because the reason why they're hearing this at Sinai is because God promised that they would. Exodus 3.12, remember that passage? Certainly I will be with you. And this shall be a sign to you, that it is I who has sent you, when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall worship God at this mountain. There they are. Wilderness of Sinai at Mount Horeb. Right at the base of the mountain. Exactly the way God said it. He is a promise keeper. This arrival and this hearing is the fulfillment of that promise. So that is the arrival and that arrival is the preamble to the law. God wanted them exactly where they are so that he could give them the law. Exactly. And that played into God's sovereign plan. Secondly, God wants Moses and the people of God to know that he is a good and gracious and affectionate God. He is a good, gracious, and affectionate God. Look at verses 3 and 4. Moses went up to God. And there's no record that says God called Moses. We don't know. He might have. But Moses may have assumed, because that's the mountain there he saw, the burning bush that did not consume. He took off his sandals. It's a holy ground. He assumed that's exactly where he needed to be. He went up. The Lord called to him from the mountain, saying, Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, Also Jacob, of course, pointing to Israel's humble beginnings and tell the sons of Israel, typical parallel way of talking about their humble beginnings and yet God's chosen plan for them. Verse 4, you yourselves have seen, God's pointing to a clear understanding from their experience, what I did to the Egyptians. I have power and might, judgment. And how I bore you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself. That's a wonderful imagery. And if you look in Deuteronomy, basically it's a repeat of this event. Deuteronomy 32 verse 11, that imagery is a little bit more elaborated. Deuteronomy 32 verse 11, like an eagle that stirs up its nest, that hovers over its young, he spreads his wings and caught them, he carried them on his pinions. I was so blessed in tonight's worship set. All of the songs that we sang had allusions to Exodus 19. God here brings forth a beautiful imagery of the adult parent eagle. There are basically eight different kinds of eagles in the ancient Near East and Middle Eastern area. And we don't know exactly which kind this is, but it is definitely a flight, large, predatory bird. And what this eagle does is it has it perched up its nest way up high in the cracks of a hill on the top of the mountain. And then there, as the younglings grow up, and soon as their fuzz become feathers, the parent eagle would take them on their wing and fly. And then it would let go and drop and make the fledgling try to fly on his own. And when he can and he falls, the mother eagle or father eagle, papa eagle swoops down and catches them at over 200 miles an hour. I mean, this eagle has such a sight, it could see 2, 3, 4 miles clearly and zero in on a prey. I mean, this is just a fantastic animal. That's the imagery that God uses to talk about what happened with Israel and God's relationship to Israel. Let's pause for a moment and really develop this illustration because God uses it. What is God saying? He's saying, that's what I'm doing to you. I'm the mama eagle. I'm taking you on my wings for the first time. That's the only time when an eagle gets on mother's wings. When? When he first leaves the nest and learns to fly. What is God saying? Now I want you. to take your first step away from what you would call the nest, the comfort zone of Egypt, the land of sin, and now into the territory where I will give you a glorious future. And that is what? That is the king of the flight birds to fly, to soar to the heights where they've never gone before. Could you imagine these little fledglings, little young eagle chicks, they would have been terrified to be that high and be dropped and yet that's exactly what they need to go through. That sheer terror will turn into exhilaration, for they too will learn how to fly. This is what God wants for Israel. God wants them to soar. Look at the lofty titles that God grants to them. That's what God has for them. Now if that is true, when He did that to the people of God, the Israelites, how much more is it true, and we, children of God, bride of Christ, the body of Jesus Christ, How much more does he want us to soar? And it's a beautiful imagery there. You know, we're fond of our baby Elijah, Elijah Aang. Pretty soon, Jeremy and Audrey will be buying Elijah a little tricycle. Well, that will be a major leap, right? Right now he's carried and he rides on a stroller, but pretty soon he will be riding his own tricycle when he's about two. Maybe younger than that. A whole tricycle. And he'll insist that he'll get a bike, maybe with training wheels. And then training wheels will come off, and he'll be riding all over the place. And then, you know, he'll get into a bigger bike, and then pretty soon he'll be asking for a car. Now, brace yourself, that's coming, right? My kids will be asking for cars pretty soon. That's kind of scary. But after that, hopefully they will be responsible. They will get a job. They'll make money. They'll learn to be very responsible with their money. And they'll be hopefully responsible with their relationships and make the most important decisions of their lives. Find that marriage partner and get married. And then they'll have their own children. And they'll have to teach them how to ride a tricycle, ride a bike, be responsible if the Lord tarries. And we see that. That's the cycle of life and growth, isn't it? That's the process that God has indicated to us as the process of maturity. Now, if you can understand that, then you can understand what God is trying to do. Where is Israel? They're still in the stroller. God is still babying them. Where does God want them to be? Fully mature. That they would be a holy nation unto God. And we're going to see that in a little bit. So we've seen in the preamble the arrival of Israel at Mount Sinai. That is right on the clockwork with God's timetable. And then the affection that God has for these people. We've seen that. And finally, the assignment that God has for them. Assignment. If you look at God's assignment, First of all, let's take a look at verse 5. He says, Now then, if you will indeed obey my voice, notice the condition, if you will indeed, and keep my covenant, then you shall be my own possession. That word, own possession there in the Hebrew, points to a treasured possession. Precious thing. God sees the value in Israel. How? When they obey, when they submit, when they have a right faith relationship to Him. Israel's value was not because of their merit, but because of God's sovereign grace. Did Jacob merit God's favor? Is that why he became the son of promise? Not his older brother Esau? No. It's by sovereign grace. We're saved not of our own merit, but because of God's sovereign grace. So the ultimate value and worth as a Christian, as a child of God, just like the Israelites 3,500 years ago, comes from God choosing me, not me choosing God. He put the value there. Let's be sure about that. Without God, we would be a blank piece of canvas or a big block of rock. But with God and His masterpiece and His hand at work, we will be a priceless work of art, a masterpiece of painting and of sculpture. The question is, do we want to be a masterpiece? The question is, do we want to fly like the eagle? That's the question. Do we want to soar and serve God, or do we want to do our own thing and stay in the comfort zone of our nest and not submit to God's plan? That's the real question, isn't it? Well, God has a plan that He's working out in His people. And so, we saw the first assignment is that We are God's possession and we need to accept that. That's our value. Secondly, we are God's kingdom of priests. That's what it says. Kingdom of priests. You shall be to me a kingdom of priests. A priest is the one who mediates between God and man. The entire nation is to serve in a mediatory role, bridging the gap between the one true holy God and with all the other nations of the world. That's what he said to Abraham. Through you, I will bless everyone. All the nations of the earth will be blessed through you. As God blesses one, He wants to bless the many. He wants to use Israel as a royal priestly nation to the world. It's interesting that the Apostle Peter refers to this phrase and says that Christians are royal priests. That's 1 Peter 2. But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, all titles that only belong to Israel." But he says, we now have the same titles. That you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. What is the purpose of why God gave us these exciting values and assignments and prerogatives, these positions? so that we would proclaim the excellencies. It's oriented to the gospel, isn't it? To the Great Commission. If you're not interested in that, if you're not deeply involved in that, if you're not prepared to be a better royal priest, if you will, so that you can proclaim His excellencies with the most effectiveness and greatest joy, then perhaps you're not soaring. as God intends you to soar. Are we living advertisements for God? Do people see us and they say, hey, I want to know about your God? Or are we a stench to the world? What kind of people do we want to be? A self-oriented people? A people that is in the closet, if you will? A people who are royal priests, kingdom of priests? Furthermore, Israel is to be God's holy nation. A holy nation. Holy means separate. Belonging to God. Israel is to be a unique and separate nation that does everything differently. I'm talking about everything. The way they dress, what they eat, how they wear their clothes, how they perform their worship, how they live their daily lives. Everything is to be different. So unique. And no one has ever seen people like this. And so they're going to ask, why are you like this? And they're going to say, We have our identity in God. God made us like this. He gave us our inheritance. Isaiah 42, 6. The Word of God says, I am the Lord. I have called you in righteousness. I will also hold you by the hand and watch over you. And I will appoint you as a covenant to the people, as a light to the nations. The nations, of course, here are Gentile nations. As a light to the nations. See, that's the preamble. That's the preamble to the law. Why is God giving them this law? Why is God giving them his character, is because he wants them to know that he has brought them to come to the very base of the mountain, very place in the epoch of human history, so that they will be assigned these incredible riches, that God will demonstrate his deep affection, special, unique affection for them, and the way that he has a marvelous plan for their future, to mature them, to help them to soar with him, that they would be a royal priest, a holy nation unto God. Man, that's lofty, isn't it? That's lofty. So, if you think about it, God intended all this when He promised Abraham, when He sovereignly called Abraham out of Ur of the Chaldees. God planned this and He continued to work this out through Isaac, through Jacob, through Joseph, and now through Moses and the Israelites. Now, He's about to Let them have it, if you will. Finally deliver, if you will. This is the moment that they're waiting for. What will they do? Well, now let's take a look at verses 7 to 15, the preparation to receive the law. So Moses came, that is, he came down, and called the elders of the people and said before them all these words which the Lord had commanded him. And guess what the people said? And all the people answered together and said, All that the Lord has spoken we will do. Now, several Bible scholars have been overly critical of this. They said that Israel was too hasty in their response, that they should not have accepted the responsibility because they cannot keep God's law, because they are sinners and they need to recognize that. These scholars say that Israel should have asked God for help and mercy instead of saying, we will do. They should have said, we cannot do. Help us. Now, at one time I used to agree with that. But then there's this nagging detail in Deuteronomy 5, verse 28-29, it says, And the Lord heard the voice of your words when you spoke to me. And the Lord said to me, I have heard the voice of the words of this people which they have spoken to you. God already heard. Did He not? They have done well in all that they have spoken. Notice what it says. They have done well. in all that they have spoken. Oh, that they had such a heart in them, that they would fear me and keep all my commandments always, that it may be well with them and with their sons forever." There's a glowing commentary from God that God approves of what they said and God desires that they would fulfill their words. So I don't think that we should be critical of what the people had said. They understood in principle that God brought them out. God gave them a brand new inheritance, a redemption. They need to submit to God. Whatever God says, they need to do. He said, we're ready to do what God says. God says, good. He said, good. So, contrary to being critical of the response of the Israelites, the Lord commented and He approved of what they said. Now, it's interesting that many of the Old Testament saints had a very positive outlook to the law. Very positive. And the New Testament saints had a balanced, positive and a negative outlook to the law, because the law had become distorted, right? That the letter of the law were emphasized, like the Pharisees, who tied mint and cumin, but completely overlooked the weightier matters of the law, of justice and mercy and righteousness. And so the Lord Jesus Christ rebuked them sharply, for maintaining the superficial, external letter of the law, but not the spirit of the law, and obeying the commandments of men rather than the commandments of God. And yet, in the Old Testament, we see that the psalmists love the law. Psalm 119, verse 97, O how I love thy law! It is my meditation all the day. How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, or sit in the seat of sinners, or stand in the way of mockers, Delight is in the law of the Lord and on it he meditates day and night. His delight is in the law. Psalm 19, verse 10, they are more desirable than gold. Yes, much more than fine gold. It's valuable. It's the most precious thing. The psalmist says, sweeter also than honey and dripping of the honeycomb. It is delightful to the taste and to the soul. Now, contrast that to what the New Testament writers sometimes said about the law. How the law cannot justify. how the law was a tutor, leading us ultimately to Christ, that we cannot be made righteous by the works of the law. By the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. So, the law is good and the law is right, it has its rightful place, but if you misunderstand and misapply the law, then you'll have dire consequences. See, the law of God, there's nothing wrong with the law of God, it's perfect and it is good. The fact of the matter is, however we're sinners and we cannot keep God's holy law we can however please God and obey the spirit of the law when we love him and when we submit to him by faith by faith and that's the key isn't it and that's what Israel needed as well not just say we will do everything as if they can on their own they need faith and to love God's word and his law because they love God. So let's look at this passage here. They've replied. We're ready to do that. Well, verse 9, the Lord confirms His servant, Moses, Behold, I shall come to you in a thick cloud, in order that people may hear. Very public. God affirms Moses' leadership so that all that Moses had to say later on would be obeyed. Even then, people complained and try to stone him at one time. Secondly, verse 10, they needed to be consecrated. Before they received the law, they needed to wash their clothes and stay away from women later on. And we'll talk about that a little bit, why God says that. The whole thing is about separation, isn't it? So here, the servant of God is confirmed, the people of God are consecrated and for them to wash their clothes. Now, they're in the wilderness. I'm sure they have sources of water. But water is precious in the wilderness. But they have to wash their clothes because God told them. So they have to do something that probably wasn't a very commonsensical knee-jerk reaction. It was a thing of submission. For them to wash their clothes back in those days means that they had a brand new start. They washed their clothes because they had a brand new start. It's not like they had a wardrobe full of clothes. Chances are they only had one set, most of them, or two. So they had to wash their clothes and have a brand new start. It's like our New Testament understanding of 1 John 1, 9, when we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us or purify us from all unrighteousness. 2 Corinthians 7, verse 1, Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement in flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. It's when we surrender our lives to the Lord, consecrate our lives and say, Lord, I want a brand new start. So God gave clear instructions to separate between what is holy and what is profane. That's the whole idea. Wash yourselves. You're going to have a clean start. Before you receive the law, you're going to have to be consecrated, dedicated, and get ready. And so God continues to give His instructions. So in verse 12 and on, we see circumscription. God's principle of circumscription. And you shall set bounds for all the people around saying, beware that you do not go up to the mountain or touch the border of it. Why? Just like Moses had to take off his sandals because God's presence is there. God separates that mountain. It's holy. Whoever touches the mountain shall surely be put to death. Touching or not touching, coming near the mountain or not near the mountain is a matter of life and death. Let us not forget God is a holy God. His people needed to know that. This is not a trivial matter. It is a matter of life and death. And that's what we must learn about the character of God, that He is holy. No hand shall touch Him, but He shall surely be stoned or shot through. Whether beast or man, He shall not live. Someone who violates the law of God cannot even be touched, for dead bodies cannot be touched. They're washed and consecrated. So even these people have to be punished by means where you don't touch them. So you have to stone them from afar. And only when God specifies, when the ram's horn sounds a long blast, they shall come up to the mountain. Only when. Exactly the way He specifies. Isn't that the way that we find in scripture? Later on in the book of Numbers, how did Nadab and Abihu die? It was in Leviticus. It's one of those books. How did they die? They offered unauthorized fire and the fire of God came and consumed them. Remember Uzzah? He put his hand upon the Ark of the Covenant and God struck him down. So the whole principle of circumscription points to the fact that God is distant. He is separate from sin and sinners. That's the whole idea. Now we understand the relationship there describing verse 15, be ready for the third day, do not go near a woman. That means to consecrate yourselves and make sure that you are wholeheartedly devoted to me because you are about to receive my instruction and my law and separate yourself, circumscribe relationships, boundaries so that you will be ready. So the whole idea is that irreverent behavior and attitude will be immediately judged by God. Irreverent curiosity is unacceptable to God. They want to come near and find out what's happening, they're going to be struck down dead. It doesn't matter what the reasons may be from a human standpoint. God will not tolerate any sinful man coming to analyze and investigate God. He will not do it. He is holy God and must be revered, not an interesting God who can be considered, investigated, analyzed. That is not the way that God reveals Himself and His people must be sure of it. Everything about God's prohibition bears evidence to its weight and seriousness. Everything. Not only their external apparel, but their relationships have to be circumscribed. There must be a differentiation when people approach God and if you Break that covenant, it's a matter of life and death. So this principle teaches us that we cannot approach God as we see fit. That we must also distinguish between what is holy and what is profane. That we must have a reverential attitude toward God. And I say in our membership syllabus, the very zone between the love of God and the fear of God, that is the place where we need to be. Between the love of God and the fear of God. A reverence for God and an affection for God. That's where we need to be. If we fear God too much, we cannot boldly approach the throne of grace as the writer of Hebrews invites us, because he's our Abba Father. But if we're irreverent, thinking that he's our homeboy, rather than our holy maker, many people approach God that way, right? Great Santa Claus, genie, homeboy, God will judge. So God's Word says that we can only come to God through the very narrow way that God prescribed, just the same way that the Israelites could just even come near, approach God, even to the very mountain. Jesus said, I'm the truth and the life, I'm the way, the truth and the life, and no one comes to the Father except through me. Acts 4.12, there is no salvation and no one else, for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved. And yet we can approach the throne of God boldly with confidence, throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and may find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4.16. So we've seen the preamble of God, how He brought His people, He gives them an assignment, He shows His affection. and the preparation that's necessary for people of God to receive God's law. And finally, the presentation of the lawgiver in the next phrase is verse 16, the last passage is 25. It's the third day when it was morning, a thunder and lightning flashes, a thick cloud upon the mountains, a very loud trumpet sound. The whole thing, the visual, the auditory, everything was an awesome, fearful sight. And the camp trembled. Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God. That would be a fearful thing, right? Hey, let's go out and meet God. Oh, we don't want to. We don't want to. You go. And many times they did that. They were glad that Moses volunteered to go and meet God for them. And so they had great respect and reverence for the high priests and the prophets because they knew that no mortal can dare approach God and survive on their own. and they stood at the foot of the mountain." Verse 18, now Mount Sinai was all in smoke because the Lord descended upon it with fire and its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace and the whole mountain quaked violently. What we have here is almost like volcanic activity here. And it's interesting that in Sinai they found an entire quarter top of the mountain blown off, seemingly having volcanic activity. Nearby they saw traces of water erosion. huge alley of water erosion cut off the side of a rock. And I said it before, I alluded to the fact that God had to feed these people, not only with manna and quail, but with water. Because that had to be a lot of water. And so it would be an interesting phenomenon. And they found traces of large groups of people in the plains of the base of Sinai. And so even today, that place is called the Mountain of Musa by the Bedouins there, the Mountain of Moses, even today. So of course this is in Arabia, Saudi Arabia. Alright, so what we find in verse 19, the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, intimidating. Moses spoke and God answered him with thunder. It's a fantastic thing, it's a fearful thing. And the Lord came down on Mount Sinai, The presence was visible to the top of the mountain, and the Lord called Moses to the top of the mountain. He had to go up, and Moses went up. Verse 21, Then the Lord spoke to Moses, Go down, warn the people. Isn't it interesting that God doesn't come down and warn the people Himself, and yet He calls Moses, and Moses continues to be the messenger boy between the Holy God and His people. He is the prophet. He is the messenger of God's people. And the people must listen to Moses. And it says, lest they break through the Lord, the gays, and many of them perish. Break forth means break the line of demarcation that God set. Disobey the boundaries. Any kind of irreverent curiosity will be immediately dealt with, God says. Verse 22, And also let the priests who come near to the Lord consecrate themselves, lest the Lord break out against them. Now, the term priest here is the typical Hebrew word, kochen, and it's kochenim, and this is masculine plural, it's priests. But it's interesting, this is pre-law, and this is pre-Aaronic priesthood. So what is he talking about, priests? And I think he looks forward, God looks forward to the priests that they will be setting from the tribe of Levites. Do you know why the Levites got to be priests? Because they became, in effect, a substitute for the firstborn. And if you read Leviticus, you'll find it very clearly that they became the substitute for the firstborn. In other words, the Levitical tribe became a redemptive tribe being the substitute for all of the firstborn that God spared. And the Levitical tribe simply accepted that role and God presupposed that. So the priest here, most likely, is pointing to the firstborn. those people who were separated unto God, consecrated. So even the Levitical tribe, who would later on represent the firstborn, could not come. Even those who think that they have the right could not come near. Verse 23, Moses said to the Lord, People cannot come up to Mount Sinai, for Thou didst warn us, saying, Set bounds about the mountain, and consecrated Verse 24, and the Lord said to him, go down and come up again. Remember I told you a total of eight times. You can do the count. Back and forth, up and down, up and down. And now this time Aaron is with you. Why? God has a plan. He has not appointed a high priest yet, but Aaron will be. He will be the first high priest. That means that Aaron will singularly have the most important job of mediating between a holy God and sinful nation of Israel through a sacrificial system. And of course that was a intermediary system. That wasn't a permanent system. But Aaron would play a very important role there. So Aaron needs to come up because he needs to hear the law. But do not let the priest and the people break through and come up to the Lord, lest he break forth upon them. No one else is to come up. So Moses went down to the people and told them. We have the genesis of Moses being the good prophet, the messenger that he was, being faithful. Whatever God told him, come up, go down. Come up, go down. When you come up this time, later on, chapter 20, we'll see, bring two tablets. Then go down. Because people are in revelry. Because Moses is up there 40 days and 40 nights. And Moses gets so angry that he throws down the tablets and breaks them. And then he had to go up later on with another couple of tablets. The Lord wrote that in. It is a personal, private encounter with God while God manifests himself publicly to all the nations. And the lesson here for all of us is very clear. God is presenting himself as a holy, righteous, awesome God that no one has any claim on. No one has a claim on God, but God has a claim on everyone else. So, as we think about the Old Testament and the New Testament connection and how the law plays an important role, remember I said the Old Testament saints love God's law. The New Testament saints also can love God's law and keep it. The law of God is not in contradiction or in competition with the grace of God. The law of God is designed to show us God's holy character. Without knowing God's law, you'll have a very poor and weak view of God's holiness, and therefore, you have an over-inflated view of your own personal righteousness. It is a balancing thing. If you don't put the heaviness of the holiness of God, and you make it light, it'll just go up. And what will be more heavier in our perception? Our own righteousness. Hey, I'm not that bad. I'm a pretty good guy, compared to the next bad guy, right? But if you understand God's holiness the way it's supposed to be, it's heaviness, then you will see how much you're lacking. And that should cry out from our soul, Lord, you're holy, I'm not. Woe is me. Who will rescue me from the body of this death? And of course, the law is a tutor leading us to Christ. And God says, exactly where I want you to be. Your sins have been covered by my Son on the cross. He is the Savior. He is the answer. He is the sacrificial lamb. And so we would run to Jesus Christ. The law of God is designed to show us the holy character of God. The grace of God shows us His great mercy, the richness of His love. We have all that juxtaposed in this chapter 19. It is not in competition. It is beautifully balanced. And that's what we need to understand as we understand about the faith that leads to righteousness, and yet the righteousness of God, we must uphold the law because Jesus came not to abolish the law, but to fulfill it. And He did for us and for God's glory. So why don't we give thanks to God for the fact that God, thank you, that we can approach the throne of God boldly now, the throne of grace. It's no longer a fearful mountain. And we can call God Abba Father. when these people could not, and we have an intimate relationship with God through the Holy Spirit who indwells us, when these people saw external signs and they were trembling and in fear, and yet we have a personal relationship with God that is tender and dear because of Christ. Have you said at one time in your life, I wish I could see God like Moses and Aaron did? If you are a Christian, you know God more intimately. than Moses and Aaron ever could. We know God more intimately because He has revealed His full character to us in Christ Jesus. Moses would have dreamt to see Christ and His ministry and the fulfillment. We have the fulfillment. We have what Moses dreamt about. Moses said, later on God will send another prophet like me from among your people. You need to listen to Him. We're listening to Him. Moses was a signpost. We have the real substance. We have Christ. Let's give God praise for that, shall we? Father, we thank You that we are living in the New Covenant age where You have written Your law in our hearts. We delight along with all the saints regarding Your law. It is pure and it is good. Old Testament saints had it right. It is truly illuminating to our paths. It is delightful to our taste. It is the great joy of our hearts. We thank you that we have more than that. We have the Lord Jesus Christ who came to fulfill the law. And boy did He fulfill the law completely. We don't have to fall under the judgment of not keeping the law. We can come to Christ by faith and all His righteous works is imputed to us when all our unrighteousness was imputed to Him on the cross. We thank you that through his finished work on the cross that we can boldly approach the throne of grace. We don't have to fear like the Israelites feared, but we can still appreciate your holy character and yet draw near and call you Abba Father. Thank you Father for giving us your Son. Thank you for the Word of God. Thank you for the New Testament. Thank you for illuminating these things to us that we will enjoy the richness of what you have done. through your people Israel. Now help us to be the kind of people who will soar the way that you want us to and obey and reflect your character and your reputation and your holiness, your excellencies among the nations as royal priests and a holy nation. Lord, would we accept that assignment, that role given to us and may we not be the kind of unfaithful, unbelieving people who would insist on doing things our own way, disregarding your commandments and your perfect plan for us. So Lord, would you encourage us and encourage your people, help them to live for you, not only today, but tomorrow and for the rest of their lives, serving Christ, expanding your kingdom, living for your glory, proclaiming your excellencies. We love you because you first of lust first loved us in Christ, and it's in His name we pray, Amen.