All Scriptures are from The Message Version
The
Book of Exodus is a mixture of very early oral material which has come from
different Jewish traditions and joined together. Just as we have four gospels
telling us in somewhat different ways about Jesus Christ so the Jews have
different memories of the root of their faith. Christians recorded them in four
different gospels, but in the first five books of the Old Testament the
traditions are all mixed together which can result in varying repetitions of
the same event. This is true for the
transmission of the 10 commandments by God to the people of Israel. The first is recorded beginning in Exodus 19
and the second Exodus 31-34 which tells of the construction of the golden calf
and smashing of the stone tablets. We
will look at the first telling today:
Exodus 19:10-13
God said to Moses, “Go to the people. For the next two days get these people
ready to meet the Holy God. Have them scrub their clothes so that on the third
day they'll be fully prepared, because on the third day God will come down on
Mount Sinai and make his presence known to all the people. Post boundaries for
the people all around, telling them, 'Warning! Don't climb the mountain. Don't
even touch its edge. Whoever touches the mountain dies—a certain death. And no
one is to touch that person, he's to be stoned. That's right—stoned. Or shot
with arrows, shot to death. Animal or man, whichever—put to death.' "A long
blast from the horn will signal that it's safe to climb the mountain."
14-15
Moses went down the mountain to the people and prepared them for the holy
meeting. They gave their clothes a good scrubbing. Then he addressed the
people: "Be ready in three days. Don't sleep with a woman."
· God orders Moses
to get the people ready to meet God – what are the specific preparations they
are to make for this event? How were they
to behave and what were they to do? What
do these preparations tell us about the Israelites picture or understanding of
who and what God was?
· What would the
people know in three days, what did God promise God would do? Is knowing God is present something that is
an eternal and universal desire? In what
ways has God made God’s presence known to you – was it something you
experienced, saw, or some other way?
· What does God
caution Moses to be sure to do to protect the people from God’s presence? What is he to do to enforce these
boundaries? What does this tell us about
the Israelites understanding of God, is God not to be approached, is God’s
power enough to kill one who approaches too closely or something else? Is God a constant presence or does God come
and go while keeping an eye on them?
· How do you
picture God; is it like the Israelites or in some other way? What would your behavior be in the actual
presence, the physical proximity of God?
Do you see God as being remote or in a more personal way? John 14:23-24 records one of the last of
Jesus’ teachings which speaks of God’s presence:
Because
a loveless world," said Jesus, "is a sightless world. If anyone loves
me, he will carefully keep my word and my Father will love him—we'll move right
into the neighborhood! Not loving me means not keeping my words. The message you
are hearing isn't mine. It's the message of the Father who sent me.
Read
it and compare it to the picture of God in Exodus scripture. Are there any similarities/differences and
what preparation might be made for God based on the scripture from John? What are the ramifications of having God in
your neighborhood?
· Are there any
parallels in the practices of individuals and congregations at worship today which
reflect a conscious or unconscious preparation for the presence of God?
Exodus
19 continues:
16
On the third day at daybreak, there were loud claps of thunder, flashes of
lightning, a thick cloud covering the mountain, and an ear-piercing trumpet
blast. Everyone in the camp shuddered in fear.
17
Moses led the people out of the camp to meet God. They stood at attention at
the base of the mountain.
18-20
Mount Sinai was all smoke because God had come down on it as fire. Smoke poured
from it like smoke from a furnace. The whole mountain shuddered in huge spasms.
The trumpet blasts grew louder and louder. Moses spoke and God answered in
thunder. God descended to the peak of Mount Sinai. God called Moses up to the
peak and Moses climbed up.
21-22
God said to Moses, "Go down. Warn the people not to break through the
barricades to get a look at God lest many of them die. And the priests also,
warn them to prepare themselves for the holy meeting, lest God break out
against them."
·
What
would be the understanding of God for those who were present at Mount Sinai
that day? What would be the basis for
their relationship with God, i.e., fear, love, discomfort, concern,
welcoming?
·
What
is the basis for your relationship with God, where does it come from? If you were asked to describe God what would
you say? Should any healthy relationship
with God include an sense of either fear or awe? What should we fear? Where should the awe come from?
Exodus
20:18-20 records the Israelites reaction to this experience:
All the people, experiencing the thunder
and lightning, the trumpet blast and the smoking mountain, were afraid—they
pulled back and stood at a distance. They said to Moses, "You speak to us
and we'll listen, but don't have God speak to us or we'll die." Moses spoke to the people: "Don't be
afraid. God has come to test you and instill a deep and reverent awe within you
so that you won't sin."
·
Is
the Israelites reaction surprising, what would yours have been. What reasons does Moses give for God choosing
to appear in this way? Do you think that
a dose of fear as a reason to not sin is a good thing?
·
What
is the best way to prepare ourselves for the presence of God and when should we
expect God to be present with us?
Closing Litany - Reflections on God’s
presence from Psalm 19
The revelation of God is whole and
pulls our lives together.
The signposts of God are clear and point out the
right road.
The life-maps of God are right, showing the way to joy.
The directions of God are plain and easy on the
eyes.
God's reputation is twenty-four-carat gold, with a lifetime guarantee.
Amen
Next
Week’s Lectionary Scriptures: Matthew 22:1-14, Philippians
4:1-9, Psalm 106:1-6,
19-23,
Exodus 32:1-14
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