The Three natures: Exodus 19:1 - 34:6
Introduction: The people had been in bondage 430 years, God wonderfully brings deliverance as he had promised, leading them miraculously through the parted Red Sea. Within a three month period they experience deliverance and provision with manna from the sky, water from the rock, then they reach the foot of Mount Sinai – where they will meet with God . Here God will give them special instructions through Moses directing them in a special relationship with Him.
In chapters 19 - 24 a major new development takes place God makes a covenant called the Mosaic covenant. The basic form of this agreement is found in (19:4 - 6.) it takes the form of Gods law . God tells Moses that in the light of Gods deliverance the people will have certain blessings, with one cravat on their part v5 they are to obey God’s law out of love.
There are five blessings here are those blessings......
1. Out of all the nations they would become His treasured possession (special attention) Ex.19:6
2. A kingdom of priests (Special access) Ex.19: 6
3. A Holy nation (Lev 19:2 be holy as I am holy - Influence in the world.) Ex.19:6
4. God will defend them against enemies Ex 23:22.
5. God assures them he will be merciful Ex 34:6- 7
The people reply to God’s promises 19:7- 8 “We will do everything the Lord has said” In chapter 24:7 The book of the covenant was read aloud and the people responded again “We will do everything the Lord has said” and then it was sealed with the sprinkling of blood v8 upon them a sign of consecration.
Today will be looking at 1. The nature of God. 2. The nature of man. 3. The nature of the law
1. The nature of God .19:1 -20:1.
The true nature of course of God is that He is Holy - He is set apart - He is all together different - He is perfect .
Holiness is the essential characteristic and attribute of God’s true nature, All others attributes flow out off.
• I was in B.Q (D.I.Y.STORE) this week getting some paint for these walls in the church and I had it mixed on a machine, but the main ingredient was white their were tints of other colours but the main one used was white... And its the same with God’s Holiness God’s love is a holy love, God’s faithfulness is Holy faithfulness, Gods justice is holy and so on....
Let’s take a look at the circumstances which open up to us His holiness. Firstly because God is Holy one of the requirements of God’s people is that they too be holy nation. EX 19 :6 You will be a kingdom of priests a holy nation. And the same is for us as his people today 1Peter 1:15,16.
a) The consecration of the people v10
Here we see the need for the people to be washed (consecrated - the act of setting apart ) they were to be set apart ready to meet with a Holy God they couldn’t just stroll into Gods presence they needed to be consecrated people in the OT time and time again there was a need for consecration: people (Ex 19:10) priests (Ex 29.) objects (2 Chr 7:5-9) spoils from battle (Jos 6:19) and even animals (Lev 27:28) needed to be consecrated before God.
Cab I ask you a personal question? Have you ever consecrated yourself to God? As we approach a Holy God this morning are you consecrated. God called Moses to consecrate the people (v10 v14) He calls us too to be consecrated people: He is Holy we too are to be Holy (1Pet 1:16) We all need to be consecrated set apart for God - we need to examine ourselves that we are in a right relationship with God.
How are we consecrated before a holy God not by Moses but by Christ through His Word ( Jhn 7:17 ,1Pet2:9). And we are urged to offer ourselves as fully consecrated people (Rom 12:1) .
• Francis Ridley Havergal wrote, Take my life, and let it be consecrated Lord, to Thee.
b) The consecrated place v12 v17 v23
Again speaks of Gods Holy nature , they could only go so far , they could’nt go up the mountain there was limits to where the people could go, if they were to go further they would be put to death. They could only stand at the foot of the mountain. The mountain where God would come down would be a holy place v23 set it apart as holy.
Later in the life of Israel we see through the ceremonial law that has always been limits to where the people could go to approach God the temple courtyard then into the Holy place and the Holy of Holies. A Place separated from the rest of worship area by a sacred veil, represented the visible presence of God in all his power and holiness. In this room was the ark of the covenant covered by the sacred mercy seat (Ex 25:10-22). Only the High priest could go in once a year on the Day of Atonement for the sins of the people (Lev 16). These boundaries and limits point to Gods Holy nature once again.
Are we limited today? Yes and No.... No because church is a place where we worship God , it is a holy place a place recognised in the community as a place of worship – we can all enter into this place as we please, who ever we are, whatever our circumstances ..... But there are limits because although we may enter into this holy place and we may engage in worship. We still may be limited, because if we fail to have our sins dealt with through Jesus Christ and be conssecrated through His shed blood, if we fail to be truly consecrated people our access will be limited. We may be able to enter this Church but we will never enter into Gods Holy presence in worship today and then as we pass from this world we will never enter into heaven. So we must be made holy, otherwise access will be denied.
c) The divine presence. 19:16 18 20:18
The thunder the lightening the dense cloud – the fire - the smoke - the loud trumpet blast - the trembling people, all give us a picture of a God who is awesome in holiness. All the above symbolises God’s divine presence. Our God is a consuming fire, there is a real sense of awe and fear amongst the people because God is present 20:18 " 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.I wonder have we lost something of the fear of God?
• In the book and film the Lion Witch and the wardrobe which is a great children’s adventure but is also an allegory of Christ and salvation. There is a lion called Aslan, He represents King Jesus, the children get to know Him and at times feel comfortable enough to be in his presence, to ride on his back, to run their hands through his main. But when Aslan roared it brought an element of fear, it prompted Lucy to ask “is Aslan safe?” The reply “No He’s not safe, but He is good.” Friends God is a God of love and justice mercy and grace but God is also a God who is Holy and at times we need to hear His roar.
The fear of God is a vital ingredient to have. Notice what Moses says to the people (Ex 20:20) because a healthy fear of God will make us think twice before we enter into sin.
Charles Bridges said, “But what is fear, this fear of the Lord? It is the affectionate reverence, by which the child of God bends himself humbly and carefully to his father’s law.”
d) The Ten commandments 20:2 - 17
These commandments again point to His nature, let’s remember they were given by God directly here verbally (20:1) and later with the finger of God (31:18) – the Ten Commandments originate with God and are expression of his holiness and his love towards us and are designed to lead the people of Israel to a life of practical holiness in relationship with God ( 4 commands) and others (6commands).
The nature of God : v2 He is a gracious and merciful God - v4 No other gods jealous God v6 a loving God, a just God v7 a caring God V12 -17. God who wants the best for us in these commandments.
Some people see God as some sort of cosmic killjoy ( Satan’s lie )who wants to spoil our party – who wants to control us through his law - But its directly the opposite - I have never seen a person’s life wreaked as a result of obeying them – rather its the other way round (psalm 1:2, true happiness. Look what God says to Joshua 1:8-9> if he delights in the law of the Lord he will know what it is to prosper and be successfull) Psalm 1 is also key to the person who delights in the law of the Lord.
Have you heard the story of the young teenager and his girlfriend who decide to go for a swim in a neighbours pool as they are away for the weekend, as they approach the fence they see a sign that warns them to keep out of the pool, but they climb straight over and ignore the sign. The pool now is ten feet away there is another sign keep out of pool. They start to undress right by the sign. The boy in is bravado wants to show what the girl what hes made off. So he runs ahead and cries watch this? He runs onto the springboard to dive into the pool as he leaps into the air, the girl screams No....! The boy dives head first into the pool. The pool has been drained, the boy ends the rest of his life paralyzed in a wheel chair. The moral of this true story is that Gods law is their for our benifit and not to spoil our time here on earth but to make it better in relationship with God and one another. If we continue to ignore God’s moral law as society is doing today we will have to pay the consequences.
2. The nature of man. Ex 32: 1 .
In Ex 19: 3 - 8 we see God’s gracious deliverance out of Egypt and the setting up of His law on Mount Sinai -God recounts to Moses His deliverance and promises to Him that Israel would be His treasured possession a Kingdom of priests and a holy nation - if they fully obey Him and keep His covenant v5 Moses was to report back with this information he did - and the people responded all together v8 that they will do all that God commands.
Later the covenant is confirmed Ex.24:3 and again the people say that everything that the Lord has said we will do. Then the next morning Moss builds an alter sets up 12 pillars representing the 12 tribes and young men offer sacrifices. Moses uses the half the blood to sprinkle on the Alter and half he sprinkles on the people. Again they vow v7 “We will do everything the Lord has said: we will obey..”
Have you ever started out with good intentions - but have found yourself failing miserably?
Look at Israel not once not twice but three times we have recorded their response to fulfil their part of the covenant to obey God through the Mosaic law . Of course this was a foolish vow to make because during the period that Moses was receiving the Stone tablets the Ten commandments - we see the true nature of Israel and humanity in general.
It is a fallen nature (Ex 32:1) The people fall into gross sin breaking the 2nd commandment creating a golden calf to worship – remember they said they would do everything that the Lord commands a foolish vow to make – one which they failed to keep for no-one but Christ can fulfil the law.
Here we see the laws nature in its revealing work: God’s law is like a mirror, if I look into a mirror and see a s scab on my face, it doesn’t remove it, if I hold a plumb line to a wall it will reveal its crookedness but it doesn’t remove it, If I shine a torch along the path on a dark night it will light up all the obstacles in the way but it doesn’t remove them. Its the same with the law. Also the mirror, plumb line and torch do not create the problems and obstacles we might see they simply point them out, they neither create them or remove but simply reveal them to us. And so it is with the law , it does not create the evil, which is in our hearts, neither does it remove it, but it certainly reveals it.
They failed there vow in a matter of days what they whole heartedly said they would do....I want to reaffirm at this point no- body can fufill the commands of God only Jesus Christ.
Nobody will be declared righteous before God by keeping his commandments.- Rom 3:20 No one will be declare righteous by observing the law, if we love God we will keep them, but it is by faith that we are declared righteous before God. The righteous will live by faith.
• Try the commandment test on yourself, you will soon see what I mean? We have all failed....
3. The nature of law
But it wasn’t by law keeping that the people of Israel were to be right with God that was just a fruit of their faith in God. Within the Mosaic covenant we see another awesome side of God’s nature his amazing grace towards His treasured possession . The Ten commandments were there to protect - to guide – to convict – to prosper - to bless - to do them good – to bring them into a closer relationship with God and one another.God was not asking for sinless perfection when he laid down the law, when he said 19:5: if you obey my commands fully and keep my covenant and out of all nations you will be my treasured possession .
If it was through their obedience to the law, that they were right with God then they were in a mess because they ought to have been wiped out because of their idolatry (Ex 32 the golden calf) But He didn’t wipe them out. Moses interceded recalling His covenant so what was it based upon? Gods covenants to Abraham – Moses and the New covenant is based upon the grace of God and their faith in God.
What does God require? Faith in God, this is the requirement first and foremost. If we live a religious life by law without faith we will die in unbelief. God was not asking Isreal to live by law, He is not asking us to live by law but by faith. The Mosaic covenant at its heart was about God’s grace and the requirement of Israel to demonstrate faith – and its the same for us under the new covemnat Ephesians 2:8 We are saved by grace through faith..........
Three reasons to see the grace of God and mans faith in God....
1. Gods covenant is renewed with Moses on the basis of grace offering mercy and forgiveness of sins Ex 34: 6 And He passed in front of Moses, proclaiming the LORD, THE LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger and abounding in love and faithfulness maintaining love to thousands and forgiving wickedness and rebellion and sin. Firstly then forgiveness can only be received by faith. That was true then and its true now forgiveness can only be received by faith.
2. Ex 20:6. God promises mercy to all that love Him and obey his commands. The opposite to trying to earn wages from God. They needed to trust in him as the one who brought them out on eagles wings 19:4 and brought you to himself and made them a treasured possession.
3. Real faith is married with obedience to God ( Heb 11:8: 24-27, 29 ) yet again and again we see the reason why the people wandered in the wilderness for 40 years was unbelief they failed to trust God (Num 14:11 Psalm 78: 22 32 )( (Heb 3:19 Rom 11:20)
How could Gods grace be dispensed under the Mosaic covenant? God in His providence could see the future atoning work of Christ (Isaiah 53:6) The Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all, whose sacrifice would satisfy Gods holy requirements of all the disobedience of Gods people past present and future. And the people who trusted in God future promises would be saved by faith through the grace of God, like Moses who looked to Christ ( Heb 11:24-29.)
• Consider the Sun shining back upon the cross we look back by faith seing the finished work of Christ. Then consider the sun shining forward upon the sacrificial system they looked forward to the cross, we believe as we look back, they believe by faith as they looked forward.
In closing the nature of God is Holy, compassionate and gracious , the nature of the law is Holy and good it lead us to Christ revealing our sin, it also designed for our benefit and blessing leading us into a right relationship with God. The nature of man is that can be found in two states either in rebellion against God and filled with unbelief but also in love with God filled with faith experiencing Gods amazing grace as a result of this love and faith they will delight in the law of the Lord.
Psalm1:1.Blessed is the man whose delight is in the law of the Lord
