Sermon Central
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The Mountain Of Freedom Series
Contributed by Jeff Strite on Nov 28, 2017 (message contributor)
Summary: The Law was the basis of Israel's freedom from slavery as well as the foundation of the blessings they'd received by God. But why God introduce these Laws in such an intimidating and frightening way?
When the trumpet sounds a long blast, they shall come up to the mountain.”Exodus 19:10-15
Boundaries.
Anyone who touched the mountain was to die!
Hmmm.
Israel had come to the Mountain where their freedom would be based on God’s Laws. And freedom should be celebrated by fireworks.
Isn’t that what we do? Of course it is.
And so God sets off His own kind of Fireworks… and we’re told:
“.. when all the people saw the thunder and the flashes of lightning and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking, the people were afraid and trembled, and they stood far off and said to Moses, “You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, lest we die.” Exodus 20:18-19
God sets off fireworks… but these are so scary the people tremble and fear for their lives.
This is a place of the foundation of Israel’s Freedom?
Where’s the celebration?
Where’s the excitement?
Where’s the festivities?
Where’s the BBQ and Brats?
Why on earth would God create such an ominous and scary atmosphere for the giving of His Law? A Law intended to give freedom and blessing to Israel?
Well, I can think of at least two reasons why God would do it this way?\
1st God knew their hearts.
At one point while Israel was still in the desert, Moses told them
“… never forget how you provoked the LORD your God to anger in the desert. From the day you left Egypt until you arrived here, you have been rebellious against the LORD.” Deuteronomy 9:7
God knew their hearts.
He knew they’d be hard hearted and rebellious. He knew that they’d provoke Him by their behavior.
And so, when He brought them to the base of the Mt. to receive commandments, He puts on a really scary light and sound show.
He was basically telling them:
“I’m God. You’re not… get used to it”
He was telling them that these commandments He was about to give them were commandments – not suggestions. They didn’t get to vote on them and they wouldn’t get to pick and choose what they wanted and leave the rest go.
These were God’s commandments
It was all or nothing.
If they wanted God’s Freedom… they had to take God’s Laws.
ALL of them.
But why say that to them in this way?
Well, because people tend to bend the rules for their own advantage.
ILLUS: A couple months ago Reader’s Digest had an article about cheating.The article discussed what prompted people to cheat… and how they’d justify it. According to the Josephson Institute:
• Those with power, or better office space felt they had a right to steal and cheat.
• Those who hung around with others who cheated or stole… were more likely to do so.
• Those who felt that another person had cheated often felt that it was only fair that they “level the field” by cheating or stealing from the “wrong doer”.
• And those who had gotten used to minor infractions grew into larger ones. Rule breaking worsens over time. “Kids who cheat on high school exams are 3 times as likely in adulthood to lie a customer or inflate an insurance claim compared with non-cheaters.
