Exodus 19, Mount Sinai

The Israelites continue their desert sojourn.

Exodus 19: 1-2, Camping in the Sinai desert

In the third month after the Israelites left Egypt--on the very day--they came to the Desert of Sinai. After they set out from Rephidim, they entered the Desert of Sinai, and Israel camped there in the desert in front of the mountain.

After two months, the nation comes to Mount Sinai.  (The Jewish calendar began anew with the Exodus.) This is the same mountain where Moses saw the burning bush in Exodus 3. Here it is given a different name but once again, God will suddenly be physically present; YHWH will provide a physical manifestation of His nearness.

Exodus 19: 3-8, God's covenant offered to the people of Israel

Then Moses went up to God, and the LORD called to him from the mountain and said, "This is what you are to say to the house of Jacob and what you are to tell the people of Israel: `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."

    

So Moses went back and summoned the elders of the people and set before them all the words the LORD had commanded him to speak.

    

The people all responded together, "We will do everything the LORD has said." So Moses brought their answer back to the LORD.

Israel, carried on eagles' wings by YHWH, is set aside as a "particular people", a "treasured possession."  Ime's, in her class on Exodus, focus on the phrase "treasured possession."  It is the Hebrew word segulla, appearing eight times in the Old Testament. It means a special personal treasure, maybe a favorite piece of jewelry.  But in the Old Testament it almost always appears as a description, by YHWH, of His special covenant people.  In the Septuagint it is translated as the Greek peripoiesis and is used in I Peter 2:9 to describe the followers of Messiah Yeshua (Jesus.) 

At this time the Israelites have confirmed their enthusiasm for having YHWH as their God and King. They commit to a covenant relationship.

Exodus 19: 9-13, Israel to be consecrated to God

The LORD said to Moses, "I am going to come to you in a dense cloud, so that the people will hear me speaking with you and will always put their trust in you." Then Moses told the LORD what the people had said.

    

And the LORD said to Moses, "Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. Have them wash their clothes and be ready by the third day, because on that day the LORD will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. Put limits for the people around the mountain and tell them, `Be careful that you do not go up the mountain or touch the foot of it. Whoever touches the mountain shall surely be put to death. He shall surely be stoned or shot with arrows; not a hand is to be laid on him. Whether man or animal, he shall not be permitted to live.' Only when the ram's horn sounds a long blast may they go up to the mountain."

The Israelites prepare to welcome their King.  He will be physically apparent in a dense cloud. 

But be careful! Nearness to God means death; in this case the death will be carried out by the people.

Exodus 19: 14-19, Mt. Sinai covered with smoke

After Moses had gone down the mountain to the people, he consecrated them, and they washed their clothes. Then he said to the people, "Prepare yourselves for the third day. Abstain from sexual relations." 

    

On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, with a thick cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast. Everyone in the camp trembled. Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain.    

    

Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, because the LORD descended on it in fire. The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace, the whole mountain trembled violently, and the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder. Then Moses spoke and the voice of God answered him.

NIV footnotes point out differences in ancient manuscripts: In verse 18, most Hebrew manuscripts say "the whole mountain trembled" but a few Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint say "all the people trembled". In verse 19 the final phrase could be "and God answered him with thunder." Regardless, we feel the terrifying volcano-like explosions of fire and thunder. The visible presence of God on the mountain is a frightening thing.

I'm not sure why the instruction "abstain from sexual relations" is there -- maybe sex would be a distraction to a day consecrated only to God?

Exodus 19: 20-25, Moses called to the top of the mountain

The LORD descended to the top of Mount Sinai and called Moses to the top of the mountain. So Moses went up and the LORD said to him, "Go down and warn the people so they do not force their way through to see the LORD and many of them perish. Even the priests, who approach the LORD, must consecrate themselves, or the LORD will break out against them."

    

Moses said to the LORD, "The people cannot come up Mount Sinai, because you yourself warned us, `Put limits around the mountain and set it apart as holy.'"

    

The LORD replied, "Go down and bring Aaron up with you. But the priests and the people must not force their way through to come up to the LORD, or he will break out against them."

    

So Moses went down to the people and told them.

Once again, all the people are warned away from God and the mountain.  We note that to meet at the top of the mountain, YHWH comes down while Moses goes up.