It is 3:00 in the morning and we are waiting with other pilgrims on the back side of Saint Catherine’s Monastery at the base of mount Sinai. It is a moonless night - pitch black beyond the small light we huddle around. I wonder if I dressed warm enough, I am surprised it can be so cold in the desert, but what can I do I only packed a light coat?
Then out of the darkness appear a group of men leading the camels we will ride up the mountain. Mount Sinai is about 7500 feet high and the plan is to get to the peak just at sunrise. After some minimal introductions, each of us is lead out on our camel with a Bedouin guide holding the reins and leading the way. As we slip into the darkness, I realize I am heading out into the desert, hundreds of miles from nowhere with an armed man whom I just met who speaks a total of seven English words – it is so dark I can barely see past my camel’s head.
We quietly move up the mountain and gradually a series of fire lit huts come into view far off in the distance. People have been walking up this mountain for thousands of years, traveling to the peak where Moses met with God and was given the ten commandments. Now, no one is sure that this is the exact place where Moses met with God, but it was somewhere in this area in the desert of Egypt.
Slowly we ascend the mountain, winding back and forth past the fire lit huts. I am alone in the dark, riding a one eyed camel hundreds of miles from any sense of civilization and as I pass each hut the occupants cry out – “Kit Kat, Baby Ruth, Coca Cola”. In the desert the Hebrews were offered manna and cool water from a rock….we are offered highly processed sugar and caffeine.
The Hebrews have packed up camp and left Rephidim in the desert of Sin and have now pitched camp at the base of Mount Sinai. Here, they will meet with God, here God will speak to them, here they will vow to follow the Lord.
Let us remember, and let me emphasize, that what we see happening to the Hebrew people in the book of Exodus not only parallels the journey of our spiritual life as Christians, but additionally, what we see happening to the Hebrews instructs us in our spiritual walk with Christ, and here in chapter 19, there is no exception. Several key elements tell us not only who the Hebrew people were before God, but also who we are, as Christians before God.
We see in this chapter that God asks for our commitment to Him before He reveals what is fully required of us. We see God’s outline for the purpose of the Hebrew people, is fulfilled now in us the church, through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and we see that we are a people who are set apart – because of our personal relationship with God.
Looking at verse 2 we see that Moses is quite eager to hike to the top of Mount Sinai, so eager, that it is the first thing Moses does is go up the mountain after the Hebrews set up camp. Moses has been here before. This is where he had his first powerful experience with God when he was confronted with God speaking from a burning bush. It was an experience that changed his life. It was through this first experience that he was given the foundation of faith to go into Egypt and be used as an instrument of God’s power. This place, Mount Sinai, holds such powerful memories and has had such a transforming impact on Moses, that Moses wants the people to have the same experience with God that he has had.
Perhaps Moses believes that if the people have an experience of God like he has had, then they will “get it” and fully commit themselves to God. But this isn’t the case. The experience Moses had may have impacted Moses greatly – but for others, the same experience may not pull them into a close relationship with God. What Moses hopes for is what many of us hope for, a powerful experience of God for our friends and family.
We who have had a life changing experience with God, may pray that our friends and family have the same experience that we have had or we may attempt to bring our friends and family to the same type of event that changed us – we hope that if they experience the event the same way we did, they will “get it” and stop fooling around with life. So we get them to go to the bible study that changed our life, a crusade that turned us around, perhaps a worship service that opened our eyes or some other Christian event that was powerful for us – and nothing happens for our friends and relatives, really. Maybe they enjoyed their time and learned a great deal, but mysteriously, they leave unchanged. Has this happened too you? You work hard sometimes for years, just to get them through the door and…nothing. Don’t you feel so disappointed, so, so mystified? Weren’t they at the same event we were? How could they not be impacted! It is so discouraging.
But see, Christianity is not about an experience, a life changing event or even some magnificent spiritual experience; Christianity is about relationship, it is about a relationship with God. See, God wants to make us into the people we should be. He wants us to be whole people, He wants great joy and satisfaction in our lives, but something like that is not done by experience, nor is it done by following rules, and it is not even done by making a vow – it is done by relationship. Now, powerful experiences are great, the burning bush woke Moses up from his false belief that he bought into from his culture. The burning bush, turned Moses toward God. The burning bush hit Moses with shock and awe – but the burning bush was not God, rather, it pointed to God AND the relationship he wanted with Moses. If Moses is hoping an experience will make everything ok, he’s in for some heavy disappointment.
So Moses goes up the mountain. Moses is one incredible man. He is about 80 years old at this point, and in this passage, Moses takes three trips up and down the mountain. No camels, no Kit Kat bars, no Baby Ruth, no Coke Cola. Some may be hard to believe that Moses is trekking up this mountain at 80 years old, but sometimes we find folks of an advanced age that are tremendously physically fit.
Years ago, I had this wonderful man in my congregation who looked exactly like, no kidding, Marlon Brando. Mitch was this huge man who had a heart of gold. He had lost his wife to cancer years earlier, but had fallen in love with Louise, a sweet woman just a few years younger. At 80 years old, Mitch had proposed to Louise and they had a wonderful, very well attended wedding. Mitch had booked a trip through the Amazon for their honeymoon. Now this wasn’t one of those relaxing luxury cruses meandering up the Amazon river. This was a paddle your own canoe, a hack your own way through the jungle, a camp out under the stars kind of trip. They loved every minute of it. In fact the only complaint they had about the trip was that the jungle guide’s just couldn’t seem to keep up with them. You gotta love that.
On his first trip up the mountain Moses is told by God to tell the people that,” Ex. 19:4 ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself.” God didn’t do that, did He? The Hebrew people walked out of Egypt, walked through the Red Sea, and walked through the desert – What does God mean He carried them on eagle’s wings. The eagle is used as a symbol of God’s holy presence throughout Scripture. We see in the book Ezekiel the living creatures at the throne of God have representative faces, and one of those faces is the of an eagle; and in the book of Revelation one of the living creatures was like a flying eagle. The eagle is prized for ability to soar to great heights effortlessly, I see here, among other things, that God is pointing out, that He has accomplished everything that has happened to the Hebrews so far, without any effort. God has allowed them to struggle. God has allowed them to stand on the edge. God has allowed, worry, doubt and concern – but none of that means that God is in any way weak or unable.
God tells Moses what his plan for the Hebrews is in verses 5-6, this are key verses, “Ex. 19:5 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, 6 you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.”
Notice that though God has taken them out of Egypt, their commitment to Him at mount Sinai is voluntary...if you…then….. Have you also noticed that they don’t know what the covenant is, but God still wants a commitment? God wants a commitment from them, and we see they give God the commitment He seeks in verse 8, but they have not been given the Ten Commandments and the additional laws. God asks for a blind commitment. God does this without apology.
Sometimes we hold back from God because we want to know what is in it for us, or we want to know how we are going to have to change, we want some idea of what we are getting into. But God doesn’t play that game. He operates on his own terms. He takes us out of our world of plenty and into a hot dry desert and asks us to follow him through the hard time ahead – without apology. See, God knows our future, and He knows where we need to go – so He asks for a commitment up front. I don’t know what is next. You have no idea what is next, but what is next is not the issue, the issue is – come what may, will you follow God? This is a relationship, not some sort of bargain. When two people exchange vows at a wedding, they enter into a relationship, not a bargain. The bride and groom are not negotiating their future, they are entering into a relationship. They are vowing, come what may, and who knows what will come in the future, they vow that they will remain in relationship to one another. This is the type of commitment God is seeking here, this is why in the New Testament, the church is called the Bride of Christ.
Vows are a statement of future intentions and here marriage vows are a good example. God wants a special relationship, like a husband and wife. He wants a relationship, that come what may, either party vows not to get up and walk out on the other. Now voices from our culture ask: Why not just live together? Why go through the hassle and cost of a ceremony? Why do we need to exchange vows? We love each other, isn’t that enough, isn’t that what it is really all about?
Excuse me, while I take my things and walk out on you.
God doesn’t want to play house with us, God wants a relationship with commitment – up front. God demands that we commit to Him, God does not shack up for a trial run.
I also want us to note a very powerful thing: For the first time a grouping of a people as a nation is not based upon race. It is not based upon ethnicity nor upon heritage - it is based upon a commitment, it is based upon a vow of faith. Now it is true that most of the people in the community were related in some way or another, but they are not all from the twelve sons of Jacob. Joseph had taken an Egyptian bride, Moses married Zipporah a Medianite and his second wife that he takes years later is, Ethiopian (Numbers 12). In fact when Joseph’s brothers came into Egypt they brought with them many slaves and servants who had many children, who were not sons of Abraham.
For us, this is very significant, and I will only touch upon this, this morning: When we enter into the community of Jesus Christ, when we set our self aside and commit our life over to Jesus we become a part of the community of faith. Paul tells us that there is no Greek nor Jew – in other words – when it comes to faith in Jesus Christ, we are completely colored blind. Race, ethnicity, skin color, and family origin take a back seat in Christianity. I am a Christian, first and foremost and you as my brother and sister in Christ are my brother and sister first and foremost – above anything else, Why? Because we are held together by a mutual commitment, by a mutual faith, by a mutual love – and that supercedes….anything.
With this commitment in verses 5-6, God outlines the big plan for the Hebrews, and for us as Christians. God states three things which apply to the Hebrews and us as well: We will be a treasured possession; a kingdom of priests; and a holy nation.
A treasured possession. God calls them and us his treasured possession. Though the whole world is His, God has chosen a treasured possession. This means that He set them apart from the rest, that though everything is already his, He desires a special people. So when we see in verse 10 that God wants them to be consecrated, that He wants them to wash their clothes, it is more than the fact that the people needed a bath – and you can bet they did, God demands that they treat him differently than their peers. He wants them to prepare for his presence.
God also gives dire warnings about not just anyone going onto the mountain. This is simply because the people are not ready to face the presence of the Holy God. God told them to stay back because they were not prepared for the experience. Only Moses is prepared, Moses who knows God, Moses who has a relationship God, Moses goes up the mountain. Still, the people are set aside, because God chooses so. We are set aside for a special relationship, because God chooses so.
A kingdom of priests. Originally, all of Israel was to be a kingdom of priests. Originally all were to have upfront access to God. But because of the failure of the Hebrews to enter the land at Kadesh-Banea and because they worshipped the golden calf (we will explore these events in the future), only one tribe was chosen as priestly, the Levites. Because of their great sin of unbelief, only one group of Hebrews was then chosen to serve God.
This changed with the advent of the Lord Jesus Christ and with the advent of the church. Because of the death and resurrection of Jesus we now have a high priest above all high priests, and we all are in fact priests before God. Speaking of those who follow Jesus Christ we read in Revelation 5:10, “You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.” And again, speaking to us who are followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, Revelation 1:5b-6, “To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, 6 and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.” Now you may not feel priestly now, but God in His time and God in His place and God in His presence will someday bring all these things to fruition – His Word will be fulfilled.
A holy nation. 1Pet. 2:9 “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.” All this is not for self indulgence. We are called out to serve God for the sake of God and for the sake of bringing others to God. This describes the world of the ministry of God and describes what they were, and we are supposed to be: We are not to achieve by political means, we are not to achieve by our own strength and we are not to achieve by our own ability, no, we are to achieve on nothing less than our dependence of God. We are to be a holy people – committed to faith, a people to show the goodness of God, the reality of God – because we are set aside with a special relationship with God.
God brings the people to this point for they now cannot say that they are self made people, they cannot say that they did it by their own ability and strength, these are a people who are God made, God built and God upheld. These are God made people, not self made people.
So on the morning of the third day, the people are clean and come before God on at the foot of the mountain. This event is a formative event of faith for the people. Understand that they have already made a commitment to God and understand that they have seen miracle after miracle – the plagues, the Red Sea, manna out of thin air, water out of a rock, the impossible victory over the Amalekites, they have seen it all, but they have not experienced the very personal presence of God Himself. This would be both fantastic and frightful.
For us, who are in a dry spiritual time – could God be bringing you through water and fire so that He may set you before His Holy Mountain, where, there, knowing now that you are NOT a self made person, you may then start to experience His awesome presence and His tremendous renewal in your life?
