Exodus 19:1- 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.
It had been three months since the Lord brought the Hebrew children out of Egypt. He had been leading them through the wilderness while God proved that He could provide their needs.
Now, God was going to make them very different from any other people on the face of the earth. God was going to give them laws. Other nations had laws that they expected people to obey, but none of these other nations were given laws by God!
Exodus 19:Exodus 19:9-13- 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. And the LORD said unto Moses, Go unto the people, and sanctify them to day and to morrow, 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. 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: There shall not an 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.
God told Moses that He was coming down to talk to the people. He told them that they had to do some specific things before this could happen. They had to wash up- that's why some people say that cleanliness is next to godliness. They also had to put up a boundary line around the mountain. If anyone or anything crossed that boundary line, they were to be killed!
Do you think the people were excited? Maybe.
Exodus 19:16-19- 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. 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. And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice.
The people may have been excited when they heard that they would hear form God, but when they saw some of the power of God they were afraid! God came down on the mountain and it looked like a thick thundercloud. There was lightning and thunder and the earth shook like an earthquake. Then, when God started talking, it was like hearing the loudest trumpet they could have imagined!
God then spoke the 10 commandments to the Hebrew children. These ten main laws were the foundation for the guidelines that Israel was to follow. These 10 Commandments have become the foundation for the laws of many nations around the world!
Exodus 20:1-3- And God spake all these words, saying, I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
Exodus 20:4a- Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image,
Exodus 20:7- Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
That means that you shouldn't use God's name as a curse word.
Exodus 20:8- Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Exodus 20:12- Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
Exodus 20:13- Thou shalt not kill.
Exodus 20:14- Thou shalt not commit adultery.
That means don't act like you're married if you're not married. You are only to act like you're married with your spouse.
Exodus 20:15- Thou shalt not steal.
Exodus 20:16- Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.
That means that you shouldn't lie.
Exodus 20:17a- Thou shalt not covet
That means that you shouldn't want something that you shouldn't have.
These are the 10 commandments. The first four deal with how man should treat God. The last six deal with how man should treat each other.
Do you think the people appreciated the laws of God? I think they did. But, the voice of God and the sight of God's power scared them.
Exodus 20:18- And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off.
The people got back as far as they could from Mount Sinai. But, they were still scared!
Exodus 20:19- And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die.
They asked Moses if he would speak to God and then come and tell them what God said.
Exodus 20:20-24- And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not. And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was. And the LORD said unto Moses, Thus thou shalt say unto the children of Israel, Ye have seen that I have talked with you from heaven. Ye shall not make with me gods of silver, neither shall ye make unto you gods of gold. An altar of earth thou shalt make unto me, and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt offerings, and thy peace offerings, thy sheep, and thine oxen: in all places where I record my name I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee.
