Coming into God's Presence!
There are not many times God reveals himself directly to the people of God. This is what we call a "theophany". This means a visible manifestion of God to a human being. In this case God told Moses that he would appear in a dense cloud at the top of Mount Sinai. Moses was to prepare the people to be at the bottom of the mountain, but set limits on how close they could be. In fact, if they as much as put a step on the mountain they would die. This shows us the powerful nature of God and how awesome it would be to come into his presence. It also shows his holiness and what it would mean for something or someone unholy to come into His presence.
In this case, he wants the people to hear him speaking to Moses, so they will know God sent him to lead the people. So on the third day, just as He had told Moses, he appeared in a dense could on top of the mountain. And when God came, He came with power and visible manifestion. He came in fire and smoke, with thunder and lightning, and a trumpet sound. The people trembled with fear. God appeared and told Moses that the only one who could come up with him was Aaron the priest, after he had consecrated himself.
There are two things to comment on in this passage. One, we see what it like to approach an awesome and holy God. In this case the people had to consecrate themselves, wash their shirts, and refrain from sexual relations. The key was they needed to prepare themselves. The office of a priest was someone who was a mediator between God and man. The priests had to consecrate themselves and offer sacrifices on behalf of the people, so God would dwell among them. Then when Jesus appeared, he was a direct manifestation of God in human form. Jesus was a theophany in human flesh. And Jesus has broken down the barrier between a holy God and sinful man. He made the once and for all sacrifice for us so we can come into God's presence. And now we can approach God in confidence because of what He has done for us. Jesus has consecrated us to God and washed our clothes for us. This is why we wear white robes as pastors to lead worship and preside over Holy Communion. In Holy Communion, Jesus is truly present, and we can come into God's presence through Jesus' body and blood, as symbolized by the bread and wine through faith.
Here is what Hebrews 4 says about what Jesus has done for us (note the book of Hebrews is reconciling what Jesus has done for us with the Jewish system of sacrifice),
14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. 16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Jesus thank you for ushering us into God's presence so we can approach God's throne with confidence. God we all have things we need mercy and grace for, and we ask for those things today in Jesus' name and by the work He has done for us on the cross, reconciling us to you. Amen.
Exodus 19:7-25
7 So Moses went back and summoned the elders of the people and set before them all the words the Lord had commanded him to speak. 8 The people all responded together, “We will do everything the Lord has said.” So Moses brought their answer back to the Lord.
9 The Lord said to Moses, “I am going to come to you in a dense cloud, so that the people will hear me speaking with you and will always put their trust in you.” Then Moses told the Lord what the people had said.
10 And the Lord said to Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. Have them wash their clothes 11 and be ready by the third day, because on that day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. 12 Put limits for the people around the mountain and tell them, ‘Be careful that you do not approach the mountain or touch the foot of it. Whoever touches the mountain is to be put to death. 13 They are to be stoned or shot with arrows; not a hand is to be laid on them. No person or animal shall be permitted to live.’ Only when the ram’s horn sounds a long blast may they approach the mountain.”
14 After Moses had gone down the mountain to the people, he consecrated them, and they washed their clothes. 15 Then he said to the people, “Prepare yourselves for the third day. Abstain from sexual relations.”
16 On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, with a thick cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast. Everyone in the camp trembled. 17 Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. 18 Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, because the Lord descended on it in fire. The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace, and the whole mountain[a] trembled violently. 19 As the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and the voice of God answered him.[b]
20 The Lord descended to the top of Mount Sinai and called Moses to the top of the mountain. So Moses went up 21 and the Lord said to him, “Go down and warn the people so they do not force their way through to see the Lord and many of them perish. 22 Even the priests, who approach the Lord, must consecrate themselves, or the Lord will break out against them.”
23 Moses said to the Lord, “The people cannot come up Mount Sinai, because you yourself warned us, ‘Put limits around the mountain and set it apart as holy.’”
24 The Lord replied, “Go down and bring Aaron up with you. But the priests and the people must not force their way through to come up to the Lord, or he will break out against them.”
25 So Moses went down to the people and told them.
In this case, he wants the people to hear him speaking to Moses, so they will know God sent him to lead the people. So on the third day, just as He had told Moses, he appeared in a dense could on top of the mountain. And when God came, He came with power and visible manifestion. He came in fire and smoke, with thunder and lightning, and a trumpet sound. The people trembled with fear. God appeared and told Moses that the only one who could come up with him was Aaron the priest, after he had consecrated himself.
There are two things to comment on in this passage. One, we see what it like to approach an awesome and holy God. In this case the people had to consecrate themselves, wash their shirts, and refrain from sexual relations. The key was they needed to prepare themselves. The office of a priest was someone who was a mediator between God and man. The priests had to consecrate themselves and offer sacrifices on behalf of the people, so God would dwell among them. Then when Jesus appeared, he was a direct manifestation of God in human form. Jesus was a theophany in human flesh. And Jesus has broken down the barrier between a holy God and sinful man. He made the once and for all sacrifice for us so we can come into God's presence. And now we can approach God in confidence because of what He has done for us. Jesus has consecrated us to God and washed our clothes for us. This is why we wear white robes as pastors to lead worship and preside over Holy Communion. In Holy Communion, Jesus is truly present, and we can come into God's presence through Jesus' body and blood, as symbolized by the bread and wine through faith.
Here is what Hebrews 4 says about what Jesus has done for us (note the book of Hebrews is reconciling what Jesus has done for us with the Jewish system of sacrifice),
14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. 16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Jesus thank you for ushering us into God's presence so we can approach God's throne with confidence. God we all have things we need mercy and grace for, and we ask for those things today in Jesus' name and by the work He has done for us on the cross, reconciling us to you. Amen.
Exodus 19:7-25
7 So Moses went back and summoned the elders of the people and set before them all the words the Lord had commanded him to speak. 8 The people all responded together, “We will do everything the Lord has said.” So Moses brought their answer back to the Lord.
9 The Lord said to Moses, “I am going to come to you in a dense cloud, so that the people will hear me speaking with you and will always put their trust in you.” Then Moses told the Lord what the people had said.
10 And the Lord said to Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. Have them wash their clothes 11 and be ready by the third day, because on that day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. 12 Put limits for the people around the mountain and tell them, ‘Be careful that you do not approach the mountain or touch the foot of it. Whoever touches the mountain is to be put to death. 13 They are to be stoned or shot with arrows; not a hand is to be laid on them. No person or animal shall be permitted to live.’ Only when the ram’s horn sounds a long blast may they approach the mountain.”
14 After Moses had gone down the mountain to the people, he consecrated them, and they washed their clothes. 15 Then he said to the people, “Prepare yourselves for the third day. Abstain from sexual relations.”
16 On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, with a thick cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast. Everyone in the camp trembled. 17 Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. 18 Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, because the Lord descended on it in fire. The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace, and the whole mountain[a] trembled violently. 19 As the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and the voice of God answered him.[b]
20 The Lord descended to the top of Mount Sinai and called Moses to the top of the mountain. So Moses went up 21 and the Lord said to him, “Go down and warn the people so they do not force their way through to see the Lord and many of them perish. 22 Even the priests, who approach the Lord, must consecrate themselves, or the Lord will break out against them.”
23 Moses said to the Lord, “The people cannot come up Mount Sinai, because you yourself warned us, ‘Put limits around the mountain and set it apart as holy.’”
24 The Lord replied, “Go down and bring Aaron up with you. But the priests and the people must not force their way through to come up to the Lord, or he will break out against them.”
25 So Moses went down to the people and told them.
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