Ex. 19:16-25 The Mountain that Burned

Intro: We have seen in our Study of Exodus – How :

  1. The Lord delivered His people from Egypt

    2. How Set out on a Pilgrimage – 7 stops / Lessons

  2. Now He has brought them to Mt. Sinai - camp for Approximately. 11/2 yrs
  1. Give them the Law
  2. Instructions on Building the Tab.
  1. Tonight come to Radical conclusion of this Ch./ - People are PREPARED TO HEAR from the Lord !!!!
  1. Consecrated themselves
  2. Changed their clothes
  3. Didn’t touch their wives
  1. We talked about the significance of those things in our last study
  1. Things are Ready for God to Speak – ( Read what happens v.16-25

 

Now this is a Radical Portion of Scripture : Picture this scene :

  1. 3 Million people camped in the plains before this Great Mt. – that is shaped like a Giant Pulpit
  2. They are waiting in Anticipation for God to Descend upon the Mt.
  1. Suddenly they hear the sound of a TRUMPET – very Loud – it is Frightening LOUD – told in v. 16 – heard it they trembled
  1. Amazing Sound - LOUD TRUMPET – THE TRUMPET OF GOD

    2. 1) 1st Trumpet of God - / Last Trumpet of God Rapture – 1 Thes. 4

    Rev. 4 : voice like a Trumpet

  2. So they hear what sounds like a TRUMPET – then v.18 the Entire Mt. Is completely covered in smoke – Because the Lord descended in Fire

1)Suddenly the Mt. Begins to Glow – As God Literally Consumes this Mt.

Similar Picture to Burning Bush – Bush was Burning – Glowing – but it wasn’t burned up ( There God spoke to Moses – take …..holy ground !!

  1. There God consumed that Bush – He burned w/in the Bush – now He consumes this Mt.
  2. Today – He wants to Consume us – He wants to burn in You & I

    3. Moody – Crowds I pray for God to set me on fire…. Watch me burn

  3. Then we read in v.20 how the Lord calls Moses to the top of this Mt. / guys the top was almost 8,000 feet – quite a hike
  1. What is interesting is that the Lord would call Moses up there several times in the book of Ex. While camped at Sinai
  1. Even here calls Moses up - / then tells him – go back down & get Aaron & come back again
  1. MOSES REACTION? – Oh bummer !!! – Not the indication at all – Long to here the Lord say – Moses come up
  1. Even though there was a journey involved – even though – some physical sacrifice would be a part of this / Physically Challenging climb
  1. He moved by the Chance to be w/ God

 

Do we have that same longing ? Or bummer got to have devotions – got to do my Bible study -

  1. Your time w/ God takes on a Whole new Dimension when You go from it being a Have to / to a GET TO!!!!
  2. Still Physical Discipline is Involved !!! – Moses had to climb a Mt. – we need to Climb out of Bed !!!
  1. Moses had to bread through some Rugged Terrain – we need to Break through the Distractions
  1. NO SHORT CUTS TO SPIRITUAL GROWTH : Seeking the Lord Through Prayer – through study / FASTING ( All involve – Spiritual Discipline)

So here is this Mt. – Literally consumed by Fire as God descends upon it but it doesn’t burn up – Not Scorched

  1. So the HOLINESS OF GOD IS COMSUMING THIS MT.
  2. Remember what God said to Moses before this day came /before this event occurred v.4 Remind them of How I delivered them
  1. Remind How I bore them on Eagles Wings - One of the Most touching Pictures of the Lord w/ His People
  1. God Knowing that this was about to occur – He was going to come as a Consuming fire in His Holiness & Consume this Mt.
  1. Said Moses I want you to tell my People just how much I love them
  1. WHY – God wanted them to View His Holiness – w/ His Love in Mind – God wanted His Holiness to be seen in light of His Love
  1. He Always does !!!!

 

We are told in the Scriptures that God is Holy / and we are also told that God is Love – the Two go hand in hand

  1. Problem is we have a tendency to want to view Him as one way or

    2. another – God is Holy - Watch out

  2. God is Love !!! – FAR OUT - But we need to see His Holiness in light of His Love / His love in light of His Holiness
  1. Enables us to get a full perspective of who He is
  1. When speaking about the Holiness of God some people have a tendency to equate HOLINESS w/ HEAVINESS – SOMBERNESS

    2. 1) We are into Holiness - So they walk around – all sad –everything is

    heavy – somber – Down on everything

  2. The Church is messed up here – Church is messed up there – and – We have to get back to Being Holy -
  1. False view of the Holiness of God . Turn Neh. 8

9And Nehemiah, who was the £governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, "This day is holy to the LORD your God; do not mourn nor weep." For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the Law.

10Then he said to them, "Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the LORD is your strength."

Literally – the Lord rejoicing over you is Your Strength – God is for You – Wall built in 52 days Miracle

11So the Levites quieted all the people, saying, "Be still, for the day is holy; do not be grieved." 12And all the people went their way to eat and drink, to send portions and rejoice greatly, because they understood the words that were declared to them.

Here is a Holy – Day – And a Holy God is Saying I am rejoicing over you guys so – don’t weep – But Rejoice

  1. Another Example – Jesus was the Most Holy person who has ever lived – Fulfilled the Law Perfectly
  2. Yet He didn’t have a Heavy Err about Him – People were Drawn to Him – they Marveled at the Gracious words that He spoke
  1. Children loved Jesus
  1. John summed it up Well - 14And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
  2. Full of Grace – Love & Favor of God / Truth – Righteousness Holiness
  1. Jesus said seen me seen the Father / Perfect Love intertwined w/ Perfection & Holiness - Made Him very approachable

You know Who was Heavy ? Somber ? - Pharisees

  1. Guess what – the People wanted nothing to do w/ those guys – consequently they didn’t want much to do w/ God either / His reps
  2. Because of their Perception from the Pharisees they felt that God wanted nothing to do w/ them
  1. Nothing was further from the Truth – God desired an Intimacy w/ Man
  1. PROBLEM : Man separated by Sin / Doomed by Sin – God in His Holiness would Judge sin
  1. But God in His Love – Would Provide a remedy for Man’s Problem
  1. Greatest illustration of the Holiness & Love of God is seen at Calvary
  1. Holiness of God – Sin needs to be Punished – the Wrath of God is poured out upon His Son
  1. Holiness – God in His Holiness – cannot look upon sin – Turns His back on the son – My God ……

But the Love of God : He made Provision He allowed His son to be the Passover Lamb / Took our Place

  1. There at Calvary – the Holiness of God & the Love of God are Wrapped up together in the Picture of His Son on the Cross
  2. Body beaten – Blood Shed –
  3. Veil is Rent – God says enter in !!!!! Draw near -
  4. That is How God wants us to view His Holiness – He Bore us on His Sons Shoulders - Delivered us from Egypt the world & Sin

Now there is an attractiveness to that :

  1. Just as after hearing the Lords heart in v.4 – there is an attractiveness to This scene –
  2. The Lord says to Moses in v. 21 – Warn the people not to come near
  1. If they were so freaked out by His Presence they would have even wanted to come near - Get this over w/ Quick !!!!!!
  1. Which is exactly how the people feel later on in the Story after their sin w/ the golden calf – 3,000 died - Felt CONDEMNED

1) Moses – don’t HAVE GOD TALK TO US – You just go find out what He wants & tell us !!! We will keep our Distance

D) The whole focus of the Old Cov. was one of Distance !

 

Now when Moses came down the Mt. after 40 days w/ the

Tablets the people were in heavy sin! ( Calf )

A) Three thousand died on that day because of their rebellion!

B) But notice what says Heb. 12:18 For you have not come £to the mountain that may be touched and that burned with fire, and to blackness and £darkness and tempest, & the sound of a trumpet and the voice of words,

C)There was another Mt. another time when sky black / earth shook !

Mt. Calvary

C) When the law was not being given / but the Son!

1) Pentecost / Spirit given = life 3000 saved!

 

 

You are not of that Mt. represents the Law / Distance / but

Calvary = Life closeness!

A) the law said do, do ,do, - Calvary Jesus said " Done"

  1. The law revealed that man couldn't keep it / man sinned , missed the

mark / God sent His Son!

C) The Old Cov. Spoke of work to be done ; New - that work was

Done!

1) Old of Distance / New Of closeness / With the Old came fear

And Judgment w/ the New Grace & Mercy!

 

 

Heb.3:1 Be Holy – Because you are Holy !!!!!!