Exodus 19:1-25 NKJV
19 In the third month after the children of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, on the same day, they came to the Wilderness of Sinai. 2 For they had departed from Rephidim, had come to the Wilderness of Sinai, and camped in the wilderness. So Israel camped there before the mountain.
3 And Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain, saying, “Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel: 4 ‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself. 5 Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. 6 And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.”
7 So Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before them all these words which the Lord commanded him. 8 Then all the people answered together and said, “All that the Lord has spoken we will do.” So Moses brought back the words of the people to the Lord. 9 And the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I come to you in the thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with you, and believe you forever.”
So Moses told the words of the people to the Lord.
10 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their clothes. 11 And let them be ready for the third day. For on the third day the Lord will come down upon Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. 12 You shall set bounds for the people all around, saying, ‘Take heed to yourselves that you do not go up to the mountain or touch its base. Whoever touches the mountain shall surely be put to death. 13 Not a hand shall touch him, but he shall surely be stoned or shot with an arrow; whether man or beast, he shall not live.’ When the trumpet sounds long, they shall come near the mountain.”
14 So Moses went down from the mountain to the people and sanctified the people, and they washed their clothes. 15 And he said to the people, “Be ready for the third day; do not come near your wives.”
16 Then it came to pass on the third day, in the morning, that there were thunderings and lightnings, and a thick cloud on the mountain; and the sound of the trumpet was very loud, so that all the people who were in the camp trembled. 17 And Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. 18 Now Mount Sinai was completely in smoke, because the Lord descended upon it in fire. Its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked greatly. 19 And when the blast of the trumpet sounded long and became louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him by voice. 20 Then the Lord came down upon Mount Sinai, on the top of the mountain. And the Lord called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up.
21 And the Lord said to Moses, “Go down and warn the people, lest they break through to gaze at the Lord, and many of them perish. 22 Also let the priests who come near the Lord consecrate themselves, lest the Lord break out against them.”
23 But Moses said to the Lord, “The people cannot come up to Mount Sinai; for You warned us, saying, ‘Set bounds around the mountain and consecrate it.’ ”
24 Then the Lord said to him, “Away! Get down and then come up, you and Aaron with you. But do not let the priests and the people break through to come up to the Lord, lest He break out against them.” 25 So Moses went down to the people and spoke to them.
As the people of Israel assembled at the foot of Mount Sinai, about two months after they had crossed the Red Sea, God reminded them, through Moses, that He was the One who had saved them and carried them here on eagles’ wings. Now He was prepared to make a covenant with them. His end of the bargain was making them a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. Their end of the bargain was obedience to the terms of the covenant.
The scene for the giving of the Law at Sinai was intentionally dramatic, with thunderings and lightning, thick clouds of smoke and fire, a loud ram’s horn trumpet, and earthquakes. God was teaching His newly redeemed people of Israel to fear Him. Yes, He was their Savior and their Redeemer, but He was not their buddy, and the Law He was about to give was not made up of friendly suggestions. They should be afraid to disobey Him.
But the dramatic scene at Sinai served another important purpose as well: “Warning! Only the mediator may approach!” God would only deal with Israel through Moses as the mediator of the Old Covenant. He went back and forth, up and down the mountain to represent God to the people and the people back to God, to plead with the people on God’s behalf and to plead with God on the people’s behalf, and to sanctify the people so that they would be acceptable to God. If anyone else dared to even set foot on the mountain, they were to be killed. In this way, God exalted the mediator in the eyes of the people so that they would always seek God through His appointed go-between.
Moses was a type or pattern of Christ. God will not deal with sinners except through this Mediator. This Mediator, who is true God and true man, bore the sins of mankind and presented His sacrifice to God the Father. Jesus now comes to us, inviting all men to enter into His New Covenant through Baptism and to approach God through Him. Through faith in the Mediator, we have access to God the Father, who no longer speaks to believers through thunderings and fire, but through His beloved Son, who has now brought us into the people of God and has made us a kingdom of priests and a holy nation (cf. 1 Pet. 2:9). Let us pray: O God, unapproachable in Your holiness, we dare to approach You through the Mediator You have appointed, seeking Your merciful help for His sake alone. Amen.