#LENT2019 Day 18: Exodus 19
(For our lent devotional, we’ll be going through the book of Exodus with the rest of our church and be looking at the hand of God carrying the Israelites through their captivity and oppression as well as their sin and unbelief. Keep up with us as we look at how much God loves His people and never leaves us alone.)
First, read: Exodus 19. (Emphasis on verses 1-8)
For this devotional, let’s look at verses 1-8 first before anything else.
Ex. 19:1 ¶ On the third new moon after the people of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, on that day they came into the wilderness of Sinai.
Ex. 19:2 They set out from Rephidim and came into the wilderness of Sinai, and they encamped in the wilderness. There Israel encamped before the mountain,
Ex. 19:3 while Moses went up to God. The LORD called to him out of the mountain, saying, “Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the people of Israel:
Ex. 19:4 ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself.
Ex. 19:5 Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine;
Ex. 19:6 and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel.”
Ex. 19:7 ¶ So Moses came and called the elders of the people and set before them all these words that the LORD had commanded him.
Ex. 19:8 All the people answered together and said, “All that the LORD has spoken we will do.” And Moses reported the words of the people to the LORD.
This chapter is so important because this is when God sets Israel apart as his people. After this verse, God tells Moses to have every Israelite wash their garments, and that He will let his presence known to Israel by coming in a “thick cloud” over Mount Sinai after three days. God consecrates them before coming to them three days later, and when He comes, no one is to touch the mountain. And Moses lets them know.
God here sets Israel apart and comes in three days. This seems to be the moment of covenant, when God calls them a “kingdom of priests” to show that they are all set apart, there are all in service to Him, and that they all have access to Him. But here, the covenant promise of presence is conditional. God says to them,
“If you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples…” And the people reply,
“All that the LORD has spoken we will do.”
But for us, as Christians, we understand that this was only the beginning of God’s redemption story. We know that in Jesus, God completely flips the tables of the promise of His presence from being about what we do to what He did for us. We know that this is displayed on the cross, which is ultimately the greatest demonstration of His love for us, giving us himself to the point of death on a cross so that “in him, we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Cor 5:21), instead of our righteousness being dependent on how good we are and how well we obey God’s law.
Here, three days after consecration, God brings His presence to Mount Sinai— sound familiar? Three days after sacrificing Himself for us, He is raised from the dead, vindicated by God, seated at His right hand, glorified.
As we look at the beginning of the bible and the story of Israel, let’s remember what we believe in and the lengths that God took to save a people He knew would never be able to keep the covenant they made here. That’s our God— and that’s the Jesus we reflect on as Good Friday and Easter Sunday draws near.
So today, I pray that you guys would see how in Exodus, God knew all along what lengths He would go, not only for Israel, but also for you and I. I pray we would be able to rejoice in a God that knew we couldn’t save ourselves and saved us from the curse of having to work for a salvation we could never obtain. And instead of working to earn His presence, like the Israelites have to, I pray we thank God for everything and obey Him, not as though we ought to earn His favor or grace but because we’ve been given His grace as a gift.
love,
janedo
