WEEKLY
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
An
international Sunday school lesson commentary
For
Sunday October 8, 2017
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GOD’S
COVENANT WITH ISRAEL
(Meeting
GOD on HIS terms, not ours)
(Exodus
19)
In Exodus 19, exactly two months
after the Israelites left slavery in Egypt, they arrived at the foot of Mount
Sinai where GOD had previously instructed Moses to bring them (Exodus 3:12). It
is there that GOD would make HIS offer of a “Covenant” known to Moses and all
of the people of Israel. This Covenant was filled with many benefits that were
based on the “conditional promises” of GOD. They were benefits, or, “blessings”,
that could only be realized if they lived in total obedience and loyalty to GOD,
and, if they exhibited “fair” and “just” treatment (show love) to their fellowman.
The Israelites quickly agreed to hear the
LORD’s Covenant offer, and preparations were made (v.14), as instructed by the
LORD to Moses, for a very special appearance by GOD HIMSELF, to the entire
nation of Israel, from the apex of Mount Sinai.
And so the stage was now set for an
electrifying manifestation of GOD’s OWN glorious presence, which would occur in
only three days time. At that time, GOD would write down a list of religious
and moral laws with HIS OWN finger, that would, over time, shape the spirits of
mankind, into a, more closer representation of HIS OWN unreachable superior character.
These life-changing instructions, that would be received by Moses that day on
Mount Sinai, have now become known, the world over, as “The Ten Commandments”
of GOD.
On the morning of the third day, there came
a powerful storm with much thunder and lightning. A very dense cloud then
covered the top of Mount Sinai. This spectacular scene was accompanied by a
loud and frightening trumpet-like blast from a ram’s horn that could be heard
for miles around, and all the people trembled at the coming of the LORD.
Moses then led all of the people from their
camp to the foot of Mount Sinai, and as the LORD had so sternly advised him, he
had previously set up barriers, and warned the Israelites not to breach them. For
if any of them were to cross the demarcation lines that were set, they would
surely die by stoning or, by arrow. Moses also instructed the people that no one
who crossed those barriers, could ever be touched again, physically, by another
person, unless they too, lose their own life (Vs.12-13).
Then GOD the FATHER summoned Moses to come,
and Moses climbed to the top of Mount Sinai, where HE, for the first time,
personally appeared to him in “the form of fire” (v.18). Remember, Moses’ first
encounter, the fire of the “Burning Bush” (Exodus 3) was actually a theophany
of CHRIST JESUS, WHO is “The ANGEL of the LORD”.
However, no sooner than Moses had reached
the top of the mountain, GOD instructed him to go back down and warn the people
again “not to cross the barriers that he had set”. Apparently Moses had not
included the priests, who regularly come before GOD, with the same restriction
instructions as all the others, “not to cross the set boundaries”. Also, GOD
wanted Moses to go back and bring “only Aaron”, the chief priest, back to the
top of the mountain, with him.
Here in Exodus 19, the LORD is preparing
the people to receive the “Mosaic Covenant”, and as all biblical covenants do,
it makes a statement concerning what GOD intends to do, or is committed to do,
for HIS people. However, this Mosaic Covenant, differs in that it tells what
GOD will do for each generation going forward, as history unfolds. And while
the “Abrahamic Covenant” and the “Davidic Covenant” are “permanent” ones, this
Mosaic Covenant is seen by most Christian scholars as a “temporary” covenant
that was in force only until the “first advent” of JESUS the CHRIST, the
promised REDEEMER of mankind (Galatians 3:15-25).
Here in the “Church Age”, GOD’s Old
Testament Law serves more to reveal HIS “Holy Nature” and “moral standards” to
a world that has become, more and more, adverse to HIS plan and pattern for HIS
greatest creation, mankind. We are made in GOD’s “spiritual image” and we are
the only part of HIS creation that shares HIS “Holy Nature”.
However, to GOD’s dismay, we continue to
sorely disappoint HIM with our disobedient behavior, and so, as an added
measure, GOD enables us to be embodied by HIS HOLY SPIRIT to “help” us to abide
in “love”, and more perfectly display HIS Holy Character to “an unbelieving
world”.
JESUS CHRIST came to show us how to live as
“human beings” perfectly under GOD. However, sadly, most of us have already
allowed satan to convince us that it is impossible to obey GOD. As a result, we
continue to refuse to meet GOD on HIS terms, and we desire instead, to seek a
god that is made in “our own image”, as opposed to conforming to the GOD WHO
made us in HIS.
A Sunday school lesson
by,
Larry D. Alexander
LARRY D. ALEXANDER- Official
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