tSoGS - Exodus 19:1-20:21

Exodus 19:1-20:21

This is a long passage to read, but I really encourage you to read it FIRST so I can focus on just a few points.

Two months removed from slavery and God offers these homeless people the opportunity to become his treasure . . .

"Now if you will obey me and keep my covenant, you will be my own special treasure from among all the peoples on earth; for all the earth belongs to me. And you will be my kingdom of priests, my holy nation.’

Slaves to become a kingdom of priests! a holy nation!

And this part of the story points to something very key to OUR IDENTITY that can be easily missed. While God makes it clear that only Moses is allowed to "see" God, everyone was to hear God speak to Moses. The passage is slightly confusing because at one point, the text says everyone can ascend the mountain at the ram horn's blast, but later God tells Moses not to let the people break the boundaries. Still, the invitation to hear God is never rescinded.

Since ALL the people are to be priests, God instructs them through Moses to purify and consecrate themselves for this momentous event.

The ram's horn blows and the people gather at the foot of the mountain. Moses goes up. God tells him to tell the people not to come up (come on God, I just got up here and now you want me to go back down? - they know better). But he goes down and brings Aaron his brother up.

Then God gave THE PEOPLE the big ten - rules for life - rules for a holy nation and a royal priesthood.  (Do you know all ten? - you should!)

Everybody heard God recite the Ten Commandments.

Then the tone changes . . .

"When the people heard the thunder and the loud blast of the ram’s horn, and when they saw the flashes of lightning and the smoke billowing from the mountain, they stood at a distance, trembling with fear.

And they said to Moses, “You speak to us, and we will listen. But don’t let God speak directly to us, or we will die!”

I don't want you to miss this. God was offering this entire group of people the opportunity to be his priests, to hear and listen to God. God was offering relationship to every former slave.

But the people said - Moses you be the intermediary. You speak for God. We don't want the job. God scares us. Moses, you be the priest.

And it's still like that. Do you want direct access to God or would you rather have God speak through a pastor or priest?

I want you to realize that God is offering you the priesthood - the relationship. And I don't have to (don't want to) be your intermediary. My call from God is to reconnect you to your priestly status. The ram's horn is blowing. Are you listening? Don't be afraid. God is your liberator, your rescuer, your deliverer.

Let's go up the mountain together. This is your story. . .

"But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.

“Once you had no identity as a people;

now you are God’s people.

Once you received no mercy;
now you have received God’s mercy.” - 1 Peter 2:9-10

Do you realize what God is offering you?  If not, let's talk about it.