The Messiah and the Covenants of Israel (Continued)

Mount Sinai

The Giving of the Law (Continued)

We continue detailing the order of events in the giving of the Law to Israel via Moses.

3.            Now that the people had agreed to enter into the special relationship, preparations had to be made that would formalize and itemize the agreement, so the Lord issued instructions that the people should prepare themselves by bathing, laundering and preparing their hearts to hear His Word.  In addition, as God commanded, boundaries were set around the mountain. He had to charge the people to keep their place and ensure the sanctity of those that had been fulfilling a priestly office.

 

4.                        After these preparations, on the morning of the third day (from the issuing of this divine command), the Lord came down upon the top of Mount Sinai, manifesting His glory in fire, in the midst of thunders and lightnings. The mountain burned with fire and trembled like a leaf. These natural phenomena were accompanied by a loud trumpet blast, which “sounded long and became louder and louder”. (Exod.19.19) This ‘Tekiah Gedolah’ as it would be called at the Feast of Trumpets, had two main purposes.  The first to announce the arrival of the Lord, and the second, to summon the nation to assemble before Him and listen to His words.

5.                        At this time the Lord summoned Moses into His presence to further impress on him the solemnity of the occasion, and the need to emphasize to the people that they were to keep their station, on risk of death.

6  .           After Moses had returned to the foot of the mountain, God spoke to the nation the ‘ten words’ of the Decalogue. Forty years later, the aged prophet, recalling the event, said, “The Lord talked with you face to face on the mountain from the midst of the fire”. (Deut. 5:4) The whole of the Mosaic covenant would rest on these ten commands – they would be its foundation.

7.            Experiencing the Lord so close was overpowering for the nation.  The command to draw near was still in effect. “When the trumpet sounds long, they shall come near the mountain.” (Ex 19:13)  They were expecting another long trumpet blast to call them into the near presence of God. The phenomena attending His presence overawed the people.  They cried, “You speak with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us, lest we die.” (Exod. 20:19) In such a manner was Moses finally established as the mediator between God and Israel.

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