Continuing a chronological Bible study:
(Numbers 12:1) And Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married; for he had married an Ethiopian woman.
In the last chapter and post, we saw the Israelites grumbling and rebelling against their Lord in the wilderness of Paran. It seems the grumbling continued. Miriam and Aaron were Moses's siblings. They both had high honor and position among the Israelites. Miriam was a prophetess and Aaron was the high priest. From a later scripture in Micah 6:4 (For I brought you up from the land of Egypt...I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam), we see that God called them with Moses to deliver His people from Egypt. Yet here they are grumbling against Moses. It is stated that they spoke against him because he had married an Ethiopian woman. The original word translated as "Ethiopian" was "kushiyth", or "Cushite". There is much disagreement among Biblical scholars as to whom this refers. We know that Moses had married Zipporah, a Midianite, not a Cushite. Because Midian bordered on Ethiopia, they may have been calling Zipporah a Cushite in scorn. Perhaps this was not even Zipporah. "For he had married an Ethiopian woman" seems to be an explanation for the woman Moses had married. We already learned about the marriage to Zipporah and she was not an Ethiopian, so it seems logical that this was another wife. Either Zipporah had died, or Moses took another wife as was often done in his time. I don't believe it really matters who the wife was; the fact was that they were grumbling against Moses.
(2) And they said, “Has the LORD indeed spoken only by Moses? Has He not spoken also by us?" And the LORD heard it.
Here we see the real reason for their grumbling. It had nothing to do with Moses's wife. They were jealous. As Micah 6:4 stated, they were called by God also, yet it seemed to them that Moses had done all the talking of late. He had just chosen the seventy elders to help divide his charge. Perhaps because they weren't included in selecting the elders, or perhaps because they felt their position was diminished because of the selection of seventy others, they spoke against Moses. Bringing up his wife may have been because they felt she, too, may have had an elevated position above them because she was Moses's wife, and they were jealous, pure and simple. The Lord heard their grumblings.
(3) (Now the man Moses was very meek, more than all the men who were on the face of the earth.)
This is a parenthetical statement explaining that Moses was the meekest man on the face of the earth. If Moses was so meek, would he have written this about himself? Yes, if he was Holy Spirit inspired to write it. Perhaps it being parenthetical as it was, some later scribe and prophet added it. The word translated as "meek" was "anav", and also means "lowly, poor, afflicted". We know that Moses was definitely afflicted in spirit when he had complained so much to God about his burdens in the last chapter. In whatever manner this came to be written, the reason is basically the same; it was inserted to explain why Moses himself did not vindicate himself, and why the Lord intervened on his behalf, as we will see.
(4) And the LORD spoke suddenly to Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, “Come out, you three, to the tabernacle of the congregation." And the three came out.
It seems the Lord spoke immediately upon hearing Miriam and Aaron, and called them with Moses to the tabernacle. They all three came.
(5) And the LORD came down in the pillar of the cloud and stood in the door of the tabernacle, and called Aaron and Miriam; and they both came forth.
The Lord came down in that pillar of cloud that was always over the most holy place of the tabernacle, and which was a symbol of His continual presence. He came to the door of the tabernacle where he called forth Miriam and Aaron, and they came forward to Him.
(6) And He said, "Hear now my words: If there is a prophet among you, I, the LORD, will make Myself known to him in a vision, and will speak to him in a dream."
The Lord told Aaron and Miriam to listen to Him, and understand that if there was a prophet, one with a prophetic message from the Lord, among the two of them, then they would receive their message in a dream or vision, as were the usual means of hearing from the Lord.
(7) "My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all My house. (8) With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches, and the similitude of the LORD he shall behold; why then were you not afraid to speak against My servant Moses?”
The Lord told Aaron and Miriam that that was not the case with Moses, who was faithful in the house of Israel. He told them that He spoke face to face with Moses plainly, not in obscure riddles or proverbs. Moses would also see an image or likeness of the Lord. We have already learned that no man could have seen God directly and lived (Exodus 33:20), but Moses saw a representation of God as in the burning bush, or something of the glory of God as when He passed by Moses in the cleft of the rock. How could it be that they weren't afraid to speak against God's servant whom He held in such high personal regard?
(9) And the anger of the LORD was kindled against them, and He departed.
God's anger burned against Aaron and Miriam, and He departed from their presence without hearing what they had to say for themselves, which was a plain indication of His anger against them.
(10) And the cloud departed from above the tabernacle, and, behold, Miriam became leprous, white as snow; and Aaron looked upon Miriam, and, behold, she was leprous.
God had already departed from the door of the tabernacle; now it seems the pillar of cloud departed from the tabernacle itself, representing God's deep displeasure with Miriam and Aaron that He would not suffer the cloud to continue over the tabernacle with them there. Miriam was immediately struck with leprosy, her skin turned white as snow. Aaron looked at Miriam and saw that she was leprous. I believe this wasn't meant to be a casual statement that he saw that she was leprous, but rather as the priest, it was his business to inspect her and pronounce her leprous, according to the law of leprosy. Miriam was struck with leprosy, but Aaron was not. It was probably because Miriam was the chief instigator. Her name was mentioned first in verse 1, and Aaron probably followed her lead, just as he had been willing to follow the mob in the making of the golden calf in Exodus 32. Additionally, perhaps God would not have his priesthood so dishonored. Perhaps it was punishment enough and very humbling for Aaron to have to pronounce his sister leprous, knowing the reason why and realizing he also deserved such a punishment.
(11) And Aaron said to Moses, “Oh, my lord! Please do not lay this sin on us, in which we have done foolishly and in which we have sinned. (12) Do not let her be as one dead, whose flesh is half consumed when he comes out of his mother’s womb.”
Aaron humbled himself to Moses, calling him his lord, confessing his foolish sin, and begging him not to allow their sin to be imposed on them this way. He asked that Miriam not be as one who was dead, as she would ceremonially be, separated and shut off from her people; and not one whose flesh was half consumed like a miscarried or stillborn child who perhaps never fully developed, or one who had been dead for awhile in his mother's womb. It's not as if Moses had the power to make Miriam leprous and to take it away, but thusly Aaron humbled himself to Moses, magnifying to the highest degree Moses's position and power, and perhaps realizing at this point that only Moses's intercession could help them now.
(13) And Moses cried to the LORD, saying, "Heal her now, O God, I beseech You."
Moses cried out to the Lord in prayer, asking that He please heal Miriam. Matthew Henry, in his Commentary on the Whole Bible, wrote about what a beautiful example this was, praying for one who despitefully used him (Matthew 5:44 and Luke 6:28). Moses took no pleasure in the righteous judgment and punishment of the Lord, but in forgiveness prayed for mercy and healing for Miriam.
(14) And the LORD said to Moses, “If her father had but spit in her face, would she not be shamed seven
days? Let her be shut out of the camp seven days, and afterward she may
be received again.”
God answered Moses, saying that if Miriam's earthly father had spit in her face, showing his displeasure in her, would she not be ashamed and shut herself away for some time? How much more should she be ashamed by her sin against God! He told Moses to shut her out of the camp for seven days, and after that, she could be allowed back in again.
(15) And Miriam was shut out from the camp seven days; and the people did not journey till Miriam was brought in again.
Miriam was indeed shut out of the camp for seven days, and the people did not journey from their camps until she was brought in again. This was certainly due to the fact that the cloud did not direct them to move, but it also taught an important lesson. Those like Miriam under censure and rebuke for sin ought to be treated with forgiveness, comfort, and love (2 Corinthians 2:7-8), and not counted as an enemy (2 Thessalonians 3:15) that they would leave behind.
(16) And afterward the people removed from Hazeroth, and pitched in the wilderness of Paran.
After the seven days and when Miriam was returned to the camp, the people moved from Hazeroth to another campsite within the wilderness of Paran.
As I am doing a chronologically ordered Bible study as set forth by Skip Andrews, I now move on to Numbers 33 as that study directed:
(Numbers 33:16) And they removed from the desert of Sinai, and pitched at Kibroth Hattaavah. (17) And they departed from Kibroth Hattaavah and camped at Hazeroth. (18) And they departed from Hazeroth and pitched in Rithmah.
Actually, these three verses take a step backward and tell us where the Israelites had traveled since leaving the desert of Sinai up to this point. Kibroth Hattaavah is where the people lusted after flesh and the place was so named. From there they moved to Hazeroth where Miriam was struck with leprosy. From Hazeroth they moved to another camp in the wilderness of Paran (Numbers 12:16), and we see in Numbers 33:18 that the name of that place was Rithmah.
(19) And they departed from Rithmah, and pitched at Rimmon Perez. (20) And they departed from Rimmon Perez and pitched in Libnah. (21) And they removed from Libnah and pitched at Rissah. (22) And they journeyed from Rissah and pitched in Kehelathah. (23) And they went from Kehelathah and pitched at Mount Shepher. (24) And they removed from Mount Shepher and camped in Haradah. (25) And they removed from Haradah and pitched in Makheloth. (26) And they removed from Makheloth and camped at Tahath. (27) And they departed from Tahath and pitched at Terah. (28) And they removed from Terah and pitched in Mithcah. (29) And they went from Mithcah and pitched in Hashmonah.
The people continued to journey from place to place, and I can only assume nothing of real importance happened in these places. Dr. John Gill, in his Exposition of the Entire Bible, summarized these travels in the following manner, and I can only take his word for it:
Six miles from Rithmah, and then from Rimmon to Libnah, which was six miles also; and from thence to Rissah, which was six miles more; and from Rissah to, Kehelathah, which was the same number of miles; and from thence to Shapher, which was six miles also; and then they came to Haradah, which was four miles from thence; the next remove was to Makheloth, which was four miles and a half from the last place; then they went to Tahath, which was four miles more; and from thence to Tarah, which also was four miles; the next place they came to was Mithcah, four miles from Tarah; and then to Hashmonah, which was eight miles more.
(30) And they departed from Hashmonah and camped at Moseroth. (31) And they departed from Moseroth and pitched in Bene Jaakan.
The people left Hashmonah and continued their journey. Dr. Gill compared these two verses to the account in Deuteronomy 10:6 and explained: "Thirty two miles from Hashmonah. In Deu 10:6 it is called Mosera; and according to the account there, they came hither from the following place, Benejaakan; probably they went first thither from Hashmonah, and then from Mosera or Moserot, and so to Benejaakan again, going backwards and forwards, so Jarchi; the distance of the two places was twenty four miles."
(32) And they removed from Bene Jaakan and camped at Hor Hagidgad. (33) They went from Hor Hagidgad and pitched in Jotbathah. (34) And they removed from Jotbathah and camped at Abronah. (35) And they departed from Abronah and camped at Ezion Geber. (36) And they removed from Ezion Geber and pitched in the wilderness of Zin, which is Kadesh.
The people continued their journey, and once again I turn to Dr. Gill's summation of these verses:
And they removed from Benejaakan, and encamped at Horhagidgad. In the Targum Jonathan called Gudgod, as it is Gudgodah in Deu 10:7, where the remove to this place is said to be from Mosera; it was twenty miles from Benejaaken; from thence they went to Jotbathah, twenty four miles from Horhagidgad; and from thence to Ebronah, twenty miles more; and so to Eziongeber, of which see 1 Ki 9:26 which was twenty eight miles from Ebrorah; and their next remove was to the wilderness of Zin, which was Kadesh, forty eight miles from Eziongeber.
This is where my chronological Bible study (suggested by Skip Andrews) tells me to stop for now. Again I can only assume that nothing of importance happened in these travels. Hopefully, the people had finally learned their lessons about complaining and murmuring after seeing Miriam, the sister of Moses, a prophetess, and probably the most highly regarded woman among them, struck with leprosy for her murmuring against Moses. Before their journeying was ended, the people will have spent forty years in the wilderness for a journey that could have been completed in a few weeks, because of their unfaithfulness and transgression. Adam Clarke, in his Commentary on the Bible, compared this to our present-day acts of rebellion that keep us from immediately receiving God's best for us: "How many through their unfaithfulness have been many years in gaining that for which, in the ordinary procedure of Divine grace, a few days had been sufficient! How much ground may a man lose in the Divine life by one act of unfaithfulness or transgression!"
Showing posts with label Sinai. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sinai. Show all posts
Monday, September 3, 2018
Friday, June 15, 2018
Use of the Silver Trumpets
Continuing a chronological Bible study:
(Numbers 10:1) And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, (2) “Make you two trumpets of silver; of a whole piece you shall make them; that you may use them for the calling of the assembly, and for the journeying of the camps."
In the last chapter and post, God had given instructions to Moses about how the people were to move and camp according to the pillar of cloud above the tabernacle. When it rested on the tabernacle, they were to camp and stay camped until the cloud lifted up into the pillar, at which point they were to move. Now the Lord told Moses to make two silver trumpets that were to be used when it was time to move, or whenever he needed to call an assembly. Each trumpet was to be made from a single piece of silver, hammered into shape, rather than in pieces joined together.
(3) "And when they blow with them, all the assembly shall assemble themselves to you at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation."
When they blew both trumpets together, the whole congregation was to come together at the door of the tabernacle. "They" who blew them were the priests, as will be revealed in a later verse.
(4) "And if they blow but one trumpet, then the princes, heads of the thousands of Israel, shall gather themselves to you."
If the priests blew only one trumpet, that was a signal for just the princes of the tribes to assemble. Both trumpets were sounded for the whole congregation, one can assume because it was louder and could be heard at a greater distance; but if only one was sounded, that was a signal for just the princes to assemble.
(5) "When you blow an alarm, then the camps that lie on the east parts shall go forward."
When they blew an alarm, which apparently was a different sound from the other signals, then the camps on the east side, the camps of Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun, were to move forward.
(6) "When you blow an alarm the second time, then the camps that lie on the south side shall take their journey; they shall blow an alarm for their journeys."
When the alarm sound was blown a second time, the camps on the south side, Reuben, Simeon, and Gad, were to march forward. The alarm, which was evidently different than the signals for assembly, was to be sounded when the people were to journey. Although scripture didn't report it, the historian Josephus said that at the third sounding of the alarm, the camps on the west (Ephraim, Manasseh, and Benjamin) moved, and on the fourth, the camps of the north (Dan, Asher, and Naphtali).
(7) "But when the congregation is to be gathered together, you shall blow, but you shall not sound an alarm."
Once again, we are told the trumpet sound for the gathering of the assembly was not the same as the alarm sound for movement of the camps.
(8) "And the sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow with the trumpets; and they shall be to you for an ordinance forever throughout your generations."
The sons of Aaron, the priests, were the ones who were to blow the trumpets. I believe the meaning of the second part of the verse is that it was to be an ordinance forever, or at least as long as the Levitical priesthood lasted, that only the priests blew the trumpets.
(9) "And if you go to war in your land against the enemy that oppresses you, then you shall blow an alarm with the trumpets; and you shall be remembered before the LORD your God, and you shall be saved from your enemies."
If the people went to war in their land against an oppressive enemy, they were to blow an alarm with the trumpets, in a sense calling to the Lord to be with them and save them from their enemies, which is what the Lord promised to do in this verse. As Matthew Henry stated in his Commentary on the Whole Bible, "Not that God needed to be awaked by sound of trumpet...But where he intends mercy it is his will that we should solicit it." God wants us to depend and call upon Him and Him alone for our salvation.
(10) “Also in the day of your gladness, in your solemn days, and in the beginnings of your months, you shall blow with the trumpets over your burnt offerings and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings, that they may be to you for a memorial before your God; I am the LORD your God."
God named times when the priests should blow the trumpets: in their days of celebration, rejoicing, and thanksgiving; in their solemn days which referred to their appointed festivals like Passover and Pentecost, etc.; at the beginnings of the months; and over their burnt offerings and over the sacrifices of their peace offerings. The blowing of the trumpets purposefully brought their Lord to their minds, remembering His promises, faithfulness, and blessings.
(11) And it came to pass on the twentieth day of the second month, in the second year, that the cloud was taken up from off the tabernacle of the testimony.
On the twentieth day of the second month in the second year since their coming out of Egypt, the pillar of cloud was lifted up from the tabernacle of the Testimony, indicating it was time to move on from their camps. They had been encamped almost a year according to Exodus 19:1, which stated they came to the wilderness at Sinai in the third month of the first year of their exodus from Egypt.
(12) And the children of Israel took their journeys out of the wilderness of Sinai; and the cloud rested in the wilderness of Paran.
At the sign of the pillar of cloud the people packed up and journeyed out of the wilderness of Sinai and to the wilderness of Paran, which is where the cloud again rested on the tabernacle. I like what Matthew Henry wrote about this relating to our current times: "All our removals in this world are but from one wilderness to another. The changes which we think will be for the better do not always prove so; while we carry about with us, wherever we go, the common infirmities of human nature, we must expect, wherever we go, to meet with its common calamities; we shall never be at rest, never at home, till we come to heaven, and all will be well there."
Although this is a relatively short post, I have to separate this chapter into two different posts because Blogger limits the number of labels I can have per post, and I find them all important and don't want to omit any of them. This seems a good stopping point as it ends the Israelites' many months (and chapters) of encampment.
(Numbers 10:1) And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, (2) “Make you two trumpets of silver; of a whole piece you shall make them; that you may use them for the calling of the assembly, and for the journeying of the camps."
In the last chapter and post, God had given instructions to Moses about how the people were to move and camp according to the pillar of cloud above the tabernacle. When it rested on the tabernacle, they were to camp and stay camped until the cloud lifted up into the pillar, at which point they were to move. Now the Lord told Moses to make two silver trumpets that were to be used when it was time to move, or whenever he needed to call an assembly. Each trumpet was to be made from a single piece of silver, hammered into shape, rather than in pieces joined together.
(3) "And when they blow with them, all the assembly shall assemble themselves to you at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation."
When they blew both trumpets together, the whole congregation was to come together at the door of the tabernacle. "They" who blew them were the priests, as will be revealed in a later verse.
(4) "And if they blow but one trumpet, then the princes, heads of the thousands of Israel, shall gather themselves to you."
If the priests blew only one trumpet, that was a signal for just the princes of the tribes to assemble. Both trumpets were sounded for the whole congregation, one can assume because it was louder and could be heard at a greater distance; but if only one was sounded, that was a signal for just the princes to assemble.
(5) "When you blow an alarm, then the camps that lie on the east parts shall go forward."
When they blew an alarm, which apparently was a different sound from the other signals, then the camps on the east side, the camps of Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun, were to move forward.
(6) "When you blow an alarm the second time, then the camps that lie on the south side shall take their journey; they shall blow an alarm for their journeys."
When the alarm sound was blown a second time, the camps on the south side, Reuben, Simeon, and Gad, were to march forward. The alarm, which was evidently different than the signals for assembly, was to be sounded when the people were to journey. Although scripture didn't report it, the historian Josephus said that at the third sounding of the alarm, the camps on the west (Ephraim, Manasseh, and Benjamin) moved, and on the fourth, the camps of the north (Dan, Asher, and Naphtali).
(7) "But when the congregation is to be gathered together, you shall blow, but you shall not sound an alarm."
Once again, we are told the trumpet sound for the gathering of the assembly was not the same as the alarm sound for movement of the camps.
(8) "And the sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow with the trumpets; and they shall be to you for an ordinance forever throughout your generations."
The sons of Aaron, the priests, were the ones who were to blow the trumpets. I believe the meaning of the second part of the verse is that it was to be an ordinance forever, or at least as long as the Levitical priesthood lasted, that only the priests blew the trumpets.
(9) "And if you go to war in your land against the enemy that oppresses you, then you shall blow an alarm with the trumpets; and you shall be remembered before the LORD your God, and you shall be saved from your enemies."
If the people went to war in their land against an oppressive enemy, they were to blow an alarm with the trumpets, in a sense calling to the Lord to be with them and save them from their enemies, which is what the Lord promised to do in this verse. As Matthew Henry stated in his Commentary on the Whole Bible, "Not that God needed to be awaked by sound of trumpet...But where he intends mercy it is his will that we should solicit it." God wants us to depend and call upon Him and Him alone for our salvation.
(10) “Also in the day of your gladness, in your solemn days, and in the beginnings of your months, you shall blow with the trumpets over your burnt offerings and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings, that they may be to you for a memorial before your God; I am the LORD your God."
God named times when the priests should blow the trumpets: in their days of celebration, rejoicing, and thanksgiving; in their solemn days which referred to their appointed festivals like Passover and Pentecost, etc.; at the beginnings of the months; and over their burnt offerings and over the sacrifices of their peace offerings. The blowing of the trumpets purposefully brought their Lord to their minds, remembering His promises, faithfulness, and blessings.
(11) And it came to pass on the twentieth day of the second month, in the second year, that the cloud was taken up from off the tabernacle of the testimony.
On the twentieth day of the second month in the second year since their coming out of Egypt, the pillar of cloud was lifted up from the tabernacle of the Testimony, indicating it was time to move on from their camps. They had been encamped almost a year according to Exodus 19:1, which stated they came to the wilderness at Sinai in the third month of the first year of their exodus from Egypt.
(12) And the children of Israel took their journeys out of the wilderness of Sinai; and the cloud rested in the wilderness of Paran.
At the sign of the pillar of cloud the people packed up and journeyed out of the wilderness of Sinai and to the wilderness of Paran, which is where the cloud again rested on the tabernacle. I like what Matthew Henry wrote about this relating to our current times: "All our removals in this world are but from one wilderness to another. The changes which we think will be for the better do not always prove so; while we carry about with us, wherever we go, the common infirmities of human nature, we must expect, wherever we go, to meet with its common calamities; we shall never be at rest, never at home, till we come to heaven, and all will be well there."
Although this is a relatively short post, I have to separate this chapter into two different posts because Blogger limits the number of labels I can have per post, and I find them all important and don't want to omit any of them. This seems a good stopping point as it ends the Israelites' many months (and chapters) of encampment.
Sunday, June 3, 2018
The Passover and the Pillar of Cloud Directing the Movements of the Israelites
Continuing a chronological Bible study:
(Numbers 9:1) And the LORD spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the first month of the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying, (2) "Let the children of Israel also keep the Passover at its appointed time."
I am supposedly doing a chronological Bible study, one that was suggested by Skip Andrews found here. However, this taking place in the first month of the second year after they had come out of Egypt, was actually prior to the numbering that took place in Numbers 1 which was on the first day of the second month (Num. 1:1). Albert Barnes, in his Notes on the Bible, explained it this way: "It is...recorded here as introductory to the ordinance of Num. 9:6-14 in this chapter respecting the supplementary Passover; the observance of which was one of the last occurrences during the halt at Sinai." The Lord spoke to Moses telling him the children of Israel were to keep the Passover at its appointed time as follows:
(3) "In the fourteenth day of this month, at evening, you shall keep it at its appointed time; and according to all its ceremonies you shall keep it.”
The fourteenth day of this first month, Abib or Nissan (corresponding to our March or April), at evening, which was when the Hebrew day started, they were to keep the Passover according to all its ceremonies which had been previously described in Exodus 12.
(4) And Moses spoke to the children of Israel, that they should keep the Passover.
Moses told the children of Israel what the Lord had told him about them keeping the Passover at its appointed time.
(5) And they kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month at evening in the wilderness of Sinai; according to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so the children of Israel did.
The Israelites kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month at evening, just as the Lord had commanded Moses that they do. As far as keeping all its ceremonies (v. 3 above), some details would necessarily differ from the first Passover, like putting the blood of the Passover lamb on the doorposts, which was not only impossible since they were living in tents, but also unnecessary since they were not in Egypt and no longer had to be identified and "passed over" during the killing of all the firstborn in Egypt. However, the people had been instructed to keep that day as a memorial and keep it as a feast to the Lord throughout their generations (Exodus 12:14).
(6) And there were certain men who were defiled by the dead body of a man, that they could not keep the Passover on that day; and they came before Moses and before Aaron on that day.
There were certain men who could not keep the Passover on that day because they had been defiled by a dead body. The people had been told previously in Numbers 5:2 to separate those who had been defiled by the dead from the camp. Albert Barnes suggested that these men were probably Mishael and Elzaphan, who buried Nadab and Abihu within a week of this Passover. Moses was the one who had instructed these men to carry their brethren out of the camp (Lev. 10:4), so it was certainly through no fault of their own that they could not keep the Passover. Therefore they brought their case to Moses and Aaron.
(7) And those men said to him, “We are defiled by the dead body of a man; why are we kept back, that we may not offer an offering of the LORD in its appointed time among the children of Israel?"
The men explained to Moses that they had been defiled by a dead body, and seemed to lament the fact that they would not be able to participate in the Lord's Passover at its appointed time.
(8) And Moses said to them, “Stand still, and I will hear what the LORD will command concerning you."
Moses told the men to wait there while he consulted the Lord about what He would have these men do.
(9) And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, (10) “Speak to the children of Israel, saying, ‘If any man of you or of your posterity is unclean because of a dead body, or is on a journey afar off, yet he shall keep the Passover to the LORD.'"
The Lord told Moses to tell the children of Israel that if any of them at that time and in their future generations became unclean because of a dead body, or found themselves on a journey far away, they would still be able to keep the Passover to the Lord.
(11) "'The fourteenth day of the second month at evening they shall keep it, and eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.'"
They would be allowed to keep the Passover on the fourteenth day of the second month, that is Iyar, corresponding to our April or May. That gave them an entire month to cleanse themselves if they were defiled or to return home and prepare for the Passover, which was never to be omitted. The Passover lamb was to be eaten with unleavened bread and bitter herbs as instructed in Exodus 12:8.
(12) "‘They shall leave none of it until morning, nor break any bone of it; according to all the ordinances of the Passover they shall keep it.'"
None of the flesh of the Passover lamb was to be left until morning, but any that was left was to be burnt with fire (Ex. 12:10), nor was any bone of the lamb to be broken (Ex. 12:46). The people were to observe the same ordinances of the Passover as if they had kept it on its appointed day.
(13) "‘But the man who is clean and is not on a journey, and fails to keep the Passover, that same person shall be cut off from among his people; because he did not bring the offering of the LORD at its appointed time, that man shall bear his sin.'"
However, if a person was not defiled and was not on a journey afar off, but just neglected to keep the Passover for whatsoever petty reason, that person was to be cut off from among his people, which meant either excommunication or even death by the immediate hand of God. Because that man had broken a divine law of God and had shown negligence and ingratitude to his Lord, he would certainly bear his sin in this affront to God.
(14) "'And if a stranger shall sojourn among you and will keep the Passover to the LORD, according to the ordinance of the Passover and according to its manner, so shall he do; you shall have one ordinance, both for the stranger and for him that was born in the land.'"
If a stranger was visiting and wished to participate in the Passover, he could, as long as he had been circumcised, according to earlier instructions in Exodus 12:48: "And when a stranger shall sojourn with thee, and will keep the Passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as one that is born in the land; for no uncircumcised person shall eat of it." If the stranger was circumcised and wished to participate in the Passover, he may, but he must observe the law of the Passover just as a child of Israel must.
(15) And on the day that the tabernacle was raised up, the cloud covered the tabernacle, the tent of the testimony; and at evening there was above the tabernacle like the appearance of fire, until the morning.
On the day that the tabernacle was raised up, which was the first day of the first month in the second year after the people came out of Egypt (Exodus 40:2), the pillar of cloud in which the presence of the Lord manifested itself (Exodus 13:21), covered the tabernacle, more specifically that part that covered the Ark of the Testimony. Through the night the cloud looked like a pillar of fire.
(16) So it was always; the cloud covered it by day, and the appearance of fire by night.
So it was that the Lord was with them always; the cloud covered the tent of the testimony by day, and the appearance of fire covered it by night. The King James translators supplied the words "by day"; they were not in the original text. Even commentators agree the words were necessarily applied. However, I see the meaning clearly without those words. Those words make it sound as if the cloud took on two different forms, one as a cloud during the day and one as a pillar of fire during the night. I see the meaning as the cloud covered it always and that same cloud had the appearance of fire at night.
(17) And when the cloud was taken up from the tabernacle, then after that the children of Israel journeyed; and in the place where the cloud settled, there the children of Israel pitched their tents.
We learned in earlier scriptures that the cloud was with them always guiding them on their journey (Exodus 13:21-22), but when the tabernacle had been raised, the cloud covered the tent and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle (Exodus 40:34). When the cloud was taken up from the tabernacle, as that pillar of cloud probably visible to all the camp, then the children of Israel journeyed with the pillar of cloud guiding them. When the cloud settled back down, there the Israelites pitched their tents.
(18) At the commandment of the LORD the children of Israel journeyed, and at the commandment of the LORD they pitched; as long as the cloud abode upon the tabernacle they rested in their tents.
It's not that the Lord audibly commanded they journey, but by the motion of the cloud, He directed them to move or camp. As long as the cloud abode over the tabernacle, the people rested in their tents.
(19) And when the cloud tarried long upon the tabernacle many days, then the children of Israel kept the charge of the LORD, and did not journey.
Even if the cloud remained over the tabernacle many days, the children of Israel obeyed the Lord's command and did not journey.
(20) And so it was, when the cloud was a few days upon the tabernacle; according to the commandment of the LORD they abode in their tents, and according to the commandment of the LORD they journeyed.
That was the way it was for the people when the cloud was a few days upon the tabernacle. According to the commandment of the Lord through the motion of the cloud, they either abode in their tents or journeyed.
(21) And so it was, when the cloud abode from evening until the morning, and the cloud was taken up in the morning, then they journeyed; whether it was by day or by night that the cloud was taken up, they journeyed.
Likewise, that was the way it was for them if the cloud rested over the tabernacle only one night. Whenever the cloud was taken up, whether day or night, they journeyed.
(22) Or whether it was two days, or a month, or a year, that the cloud tarried upon the tabernacle, remaining on it, the children of Israel abode in their tents, and journeyed not; but when it was taken up, they journeyed.
Even if it was more than a few days, if it was a month or a year that the cloud remained on the tabernacle, the children of Israel resided in their tents and did not journey. At the time it was taken up, whenever that was, they journeyed.
(23) At the commandment of the LORD they rested in the tents, and at the commandment of the LORD they journeyed; they kept the charge of the LORD, at the commandment of the LORD by the hand of Moses.
Once again, the commandment was made visible to the people by the motion of the cloud, and they obeyed and rested in their tents, or they obeyed and journeyed, according to the commandment of the Lord that had been explained to Moses.
There are many lessons to be learned in this pillar of cloud. The people never knew when the cloud would move. They had to be always ready to move, but then again, they could be waiting days, weeks, or months. Is that not the way it is for us? We have no idea what the future holds and our best laid plans can be wiped away in an instant: "Whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away" (James 4:14). Also there is a time when we should rest and wait on the Lord: "Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him..." (Psalm 37:7a). As Matthew Henry stated in his Commentary on the Whole Bible, "There is no time lost while we are waiting God's time. It is as acceptable a piece of submission to the will of God to sit still contentedly when our lot requires it as to work for him when we are called to it." When we get busy and try to fix things ourselves, we can often screw it up, or at the very least, we won't have God's best for us! Think of Sarah deciding it must be up to her to "help" God when she gave Abraham her hand maiden Hagar to have a child for him. God still gave Sarah a child, but there was much strife in her life caused by Hagar and her child, all because Sarah jumped in to "do something" before God's timing.
Note how many times it was stated that the people obeyed the commandment of the Lord in the cloud. It must be very important and I believe, for our instruction, as "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness" (2 Timothy 3:16). How important it is for us to be with God at all times! We must follow the direction of His word and Spirit; "all the motions of our souls must be guided by the divine will" (Matthew Henry). "In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths" (Proverbs 3:6). How wonderful the care God has for His people! Although we don't visually see His constant presence in a cloud, He gave us His Holy Spirit to guide us: “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth..." (John 16:13a). "The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD..." (Psalm 37:23a).
(Numbers 9:1) And the LORD spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the first month of the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying, (2) "Let the children of Israel also keep the Passover at its appointed time."
I am supposedly doing a chronological Bible study, one that was suggested by Skip Andrews found here. However, this taking place in the first month of the second year after they had come out of Egypt, was actually prior to the numbering that took place in Numbers 1 which was on the first day of the second month (Num. 1:1). Albert Barnes, in his Notes on the Bible, explained it this way: "It is...recorded here as introductory to the ordinance of Num. 9:6-14 in this chapter respecting the supplementary Passover; the observance of which was one of the last occurrences during the halt at Sinai." The Lord spoke to Moses telling him the children of Israel were to keep the Passover at its appointed time as follows:
(3) "In the fourteenth day of this month, at evening, you shall keep it at its appointed time; and according to all its ceremonies you shall keep it.”
The fourteenth day of this first month, Abib or Nissan (corresponding to our March or April), at evening, which was when the Hebrew day started, they were to keep the Passover according to all its ceremonies which had been previously described in Exodus 12.
(4) And Moses spoke to the children of Israel, that they should keep the Passover.
Moses told the children of Israel what the Lord had told him about them keeping the Passover at its appointed time.
(5) And they kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month at evening in the wilderness of Sinai; according to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so the children of Israel did.
The Israelites kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month at evening, just as the Lord had commanded Moses that they do. As far as keeping all its ceremonies (v. 3 above), some details would necessarily differ from the first Passover, like putting the blood of the Passover lamb on the doorposts, which was not only impossible since they were living in tents, but also unnecessary since they were not in Egypt and no longer had to be identified and "passed over" during the killing of all the firstborn in Egypt. However, the people had been instructed to keep that day as a memorial and keep it as a feast to the Lord throughout their generations (Exodus 12:14).
(6) And there were certain men who were defiled by the dead body of a man, that they could not keep the Passover on that day; and they came before Moses and before Aaron on that day.
There were certain men who could not keep the Passover on that day because they had been defiled by a dead body. The people had been told previously in Numbers 5:2 to separate those who had been defiled by the dead from the camp. Albert Barnes suggested that these men were probably Mishael and Elzaphan, who buried Nadab and Abihu within a week of this Passover. Moses was the one who had instructed these men to carry their brethren out of the camp (Lev. 10:4), so it was certainly through no fault of their own that they could not keep the Passover. Therefore they brought their case to Moses and Aaron.
(7) And those men said to him, “We are defiled by the dead body of a man; why are we kept back, that we may not offer an offering of the LORD in its appointed time among the children of Israel?"
The men explained to Moses that they had been defiled by a dead body, and seemed to lament the fact that they would not be able to participate in the Lord's Passover at its appointed time.
(8) And Moses said to them, “Stand still, and I will hear what the LORD will command concerning you."
Moses told the men to wait there while he consulted the Lord about what He would have these men do.
(9) And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, (10) “Speak to the children of Israel, saying, ‘If any man of you or of your posterity is unclean because of a dead body, or is on a journey afar off, yet he shall keep the Passover to the LORD.'"
The Lord told Moses to tell the children of Israel that if any of them at that time and in their future generations became unclean because of a dead body, or found themselves on a journey far away, they would still be able to keep the Passover to the Lord.
(11) "'The fourteenth day of the second month at evening they shall keep it, and eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.'"
They would be allowed to keep the Passover on the fourteenth day of the second month, that is Iyar, corresponding to our April or May. That gave them an entire month to cleanse themselves if they were defiled or to return home and prepare for the Passover, which was never to be omitted. The Passover lamb was to be eaten with unleavened bread and bitter herbs as instructed in Exodus 12:8.
(12) "‘They shall leave none of it until morning, nor break any bone of it; according to all the ordinances of the Passover they shall keep it.'"
None of the flesh of the Passover lamb was to be left until morning, but any that was left was to be burnt with fire (Ex. 12:10), nor was any bone of the lamb to be broken (Ex. 12:46). The people were to observe the same ordinances of the Passover as if they had kept it on its appointed day.
(13) "‘But the man who is clean and is not on a journey, and fails to keep the Passover, that same person shall be cut off from among his people; because he did not bring the offering of the LORD at its appointed time, that man shall bear his sin.'"
However, if a person was not defiled and was not on a journey afar off, but just neglected to keep the Passover for whatsoever petty reason, that person was to be cut off from among his people, which meant either excommunication or even death by the immediate hand of God. Because that man had broken a divine law of God and had shown negligence and ingratitude to his Lord, he would certainly bear his sin in this affront to God.
(14) "'And if a stranger shall sojourn among you and will keep the Passover to the LORD, according to the ordinance of the Passover and according to its manner, so shall he do; you shall have one ordinance, both for the stranger and for him that was born in the land.'"
If a stranger was visiting and wished to participate in the Passover, he could, as long as he had been circumcised, according to earlier instructions in Exodus 12:48: "And when a stranger shall sojourn with thee, and will keep the Passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as one that is born in the land; for no uncircumcised person shall eat of it." If the stranger was circumcised and wished to participate in the Passover, he may, but he must observe the law of the Passover just as a child of Israel must.
(15) And on the day that the tabernacle was raised up, the cloud covered the tabernacle, the tent of the testimony; and at evening there was above the tabernacle like the appearance of fire, until the morning.
On the day that the tabernacle was raised up, which was the first day of the first month in the second year after the people came out of Egypt (Exodus 40:2), the pillar of cloud in which the presence of the Lord manifested itself (Exodus 13:21), covered the tabernacle, more specifically that part that covered the Ark of the Testimony. Through the night the cloud looked like a pillar of fire.
(16) So it was always; the cloud covered it by day, and the appearance of fire by night.
So it was that the Lord was with them always; the cloud covered the tent of the testimony by day, and the appearance of fire covered it by night. The King James translators supplied the words "by day"; they were not in the original text. Even commentators agree the words were necessarily applied. However, I see the meaning clearly without those words. Those words make it sound as if the cloud took on two different forms, one as a cloud during the day and one as a pillar of fire during the night. I see the meaning as the cloud covered it always and that same cloud had the appearance of fire at night.
(17) And when the cloud was taken up from the tabernacle, then after that the children of Israel journeyed; and in the place where the cloud settled, there the children of Israel pitched their tents.
We learned in earlier scriptures that the cloud was with them always guiding them on their journey (Exodus 13:21-22), but when the tabernacle had been raised, the cloud covered the tent and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle (Exodus 40:34). When the cloud was taken up from the tabernacle, as that pillar of cloud probably visible to all the camp, then the children of Israel journeyed with the pillar of cloud guiding them. When the cloud settled back down, there the Israelites pitched their tents.
(18) At the commandment of the LORD the children of Israel journeyed, and at the commandment of the LORD they pitched; as long as the cloud abode upon the tabernacle they rested in their tents.
It's not that the Lord audibly commanded they journey, but by the motion of the cloud, He directed them to move or camp. As long as the cloud abode over the tabernacle, the people rested in their tents.
(19) And when the cloud tarried long upon the tabernacle many days, then the children of Israel kept the charge of the LORD, and did not journey.
Even if the cloud remained over the tabernacle many days, the children of Israel obeyed the Lord's command and did not journey.
(20) And so it was, when the cloud was a few days upon the tabernacle; according to the commandment of the LORD they abode in their tents, and according to the commandment of the LORD they journeyed.
That was the way it was for the people when the cloud was a few days upon the tabernacle. According to the commandment of the Lord through the motion of the cloud, they either abode in their tents or journeyed.
(21) And so it was, when the cloud abode from evening until the morning, and the cloud was taken up in the morning, then they journeyed; whether it was by day or by night that the cloud was taken up, they journeyed.
Likewise, that was the way it was for them if the cloud rested over the tabernacle only one night. Whenever the cloud was taken up, whether day or night, they journeyed.
(22) Or whether it was two days, or a month, or a year, that the cloud tarried upon the tabernacle, remaining on it, the children of Israel abode in their tents, and journeyed not; but when it was taken up, they journeyed.
Even if it was more than a few days, if it was a month or a year that the cloud remained on the tabernacle, the children of Israel resided in their tents and did not journey. At the time it was taken up, whenever that was, they journeyed.
(23) At the commandment of the LORD they rested in the tents, and at the commandment of the LORD they journeyed; they kept the charge of the LORD, at the commandment of the LORD by the hand of Moses.
Once again, the commandment was made visible to the people by the motion of the cloud, and they obeyed and rested in their tents, or they obeyed and journeyed, according to the commandment of the Lord that had been explained to Moses.
There are many lessons to be learned in this pillar of cloud. The people never knew when the cloud would move. They had to be always ready to move, but then again, they could be waiting days, weeks, or months. Is that not the way it is for us? We have no idea what the future holds and our best laid plans can be wiped away in an instant: "Whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away" (James 4:14). Also there is a time when we should rest and wait on the Lord: "Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him..." (Psalm 37:7a). As Matthew Henry stated in his Commentary on the Whole Bible, "There is no time lost while we are waiting God's time. It is as acceptable a piece of submission to the will of God to sit still contentedly when our lot requires it as to work for him when we are called to it." When we get busy and try to fix things ourselves, we can often screw it up, or at the very least, we won't have God's best for us! Think of Sarah deciding it must be up to her to "help" God when she gave Abraham her hand maiden Hagar to have a child for him. God still gave Sarah a child, but there was much strife in her life caused by Hagar and her child, all because Sarah jumped in to "do something" before God's timing.
Note how many times it was stated that the people obeyed the commandment of the Lord in the cloud. It must be very important and I believe, for our instruction, as "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness" (2 Timothy 3:16). How important it is for us to be with God at all times! We must follow the direction of His word and Spirit; "all the motions of our souls must be guided by the divine will" (Matthew Henry). "In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths" (Proverbs 3:6). How wonderful the care God has for His people! Although we don't visually see His constant presence in a cloud, He gave us His Holy Spirit to guide us: “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth..." (John 16:13a). "The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD..." (Psalm 37:23a).
Sunday, December 21, 2014
Covenant Between God and Israel at Mount Sinai
Continuing a chronological Bible study:
(Exodus 19:1) In the third month after the children of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, that same day they came to the wilderness of Sinai. (2) For they had departed from Rephidim, had come to the desert of Sinai, and camped in the wilderness; and there Israel camped before the mountain.
The third month of the Jewish calendar, Sivan, contained part of our May and part of June. It was then that the children of Israel came into the wilderness of Sinai. The above passage could also be read that it was three months after they left Egypt that they came into the wilderness of Sinai. That day was one and the same, as the new calendar began on the original Passover when the Israelites began the great exodus (Exodus 12:2). The people had left Rephidim and had come to the wilderness or desert of Sinai. I have noted previously that Horeb and Sinai were two peaks of the same mountain. Horeb was on the western side, near to which lay the plain of Rephidim, and Sinai was on the eastern side, at which the wilderness or desert of that same name lay. The Israelites camped at the foot of the mountain.
In this particular chronological study, I am using an order set forth by Skip Andrews. It now takes me to Numbers 33:15:
(Numbers 33:15) And they departed from Rephidim, and pitched in the wilderness of Sinai.
This is just an abbreviated account of the same fact. We now return to Exodus 19:
(Exodus 19:3) And Moses went up to God, and the LORD called to him from the mountain, saying, “Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel: (4) ‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself.'"
Moses went up to God, which suggests that God was in the pillar of cloud now situated above the top of the mountain. The Lord called to Moses from there and told him to speak to the people, calling them both "the house of Jacob" and "the children of Israel". Perhaps this was to remind them of Jacob's former and lower state of life as the people may have likewise felt lowly, but now they were called by the name given Jacob by God as they were partakers of the promises made to Jacob or Israel. God told Moses to remind the people of what He had done to the Egyptians, and how He lifted the children of Israel up and carried them as on eagles' wings, denoting the strength, size, speed, and care, with which He brought them to Himself.
(5) "‘Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. (6) And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.”
Moses was to tell the people that God had said to them if they would obey Him and keep His covenant, they would be His special people above all people, as He had sovereignty over the whole world. They would be a holy nation of priests consecrated to God. Instead of being in their former lowly state of servitude to the Egyptians, they would become a kingdom of priests and a holy nation of God.
(7) And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before them all these words which the LORD commanded him. (8) And all the people answered together, and said, “All that the LORD has spoken we will do.” And Moses returned the words of the people to the LORD.
Moses took the words of the Lord to the elders of the people and laid before them God's proposal for a covenant between Him and the people. I assume that the elders then took the words to the people, or else they answered for the people; either way, the people answered unanimously that they would do just as the Lord had spoken. Moses then took the words of the people back to the Lord.
(9) And the LORD said to Moses, “Behold, I come to you in the thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with you, and believe you forever.” And Moses told the words of the people to the LORD.
I believe the point of what the Lord was telling Moses was that He would come to Moses in a different form that they would recognize as their Lord speaking directly to Moses, so that they would know that the Lord spoke directly with Moses, and they could forever trust him. This "thick" cloud would be different from the normal pillar of cloud the people were used to seeing. This cloud is better described in a later verse as a smoke of a fire that enveloped the whole mountain and the mountain even quaked (Exodus 9:18). The fact that Moses told the Lord the words of the people is repeated. It seems like the thoughts put forth in this verse are reversed, but at any rate, Moses relayed to the Lord the unanimous words of the people, and the Lord told Moses He would speak to him in a manner that the people would have no doubt was the Lord speaking directly to him.
(10) And the LORD said to Moses, “Go to the people and sanctify them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their clothes. (11) And be ready for the third day; for the third day the LORD will come down in the sight of all the people on mount Sinai."
The Lord told Moses to go back to the people and they were to purify themselves inside (spiritually, set aside for the Lord) and out for the next couple of days, for on the third day the Lord would come down Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people.
(12) “And you shall set bounds for the people all around, saying, ‘Take heed to yourselves that you do not go up into the mountain or touch its border; whoever touches the mountain shall surely be put to death. (13) There shall not a hand touch it, but he shall surely be stoned or shot through; whether man or beast, it shall not live.’ When the trumpet sounds long, they shall come up to the mountain.”
Moses was to set up a boundary for the people and and to tell them that they be careful not to go up on the mountain or even touch its border, under penalty of death. My first thought was that whoever touched the mountain would not necessarily be "put to death", but would instantly die, because God was a consuming fire Who could not be approached. However, the scripture seems clear that anyone touching it was to be put to death by stoning or shot with an arrow. All the early commentaries agree that the "it" in the first part of verse 13 refers to the one who dared to disobey and touch (or the animal that wandered up and touched) the mountain, rather than the mountain itself. No one was to touch or try to pull back the one that touched the mountain, as he or it would be an unclean and accursed thing and should rather be immediately stoned or shot. When the trumpet sounded long, that was the people's signal to come to the mountain, but obviously not up it.
(14) And Moses went down from the mountain to the people and sanctified the people, and they washed their clothes. (15) And he said to the people, “Be ready for the third day; do not come at your wives.”
Moses went down from the mountain that apparently he alone was allowed to climb, to go back to ready and purify the people. They washed their clothes, and Moses told them to even abstain from sexual relations with their wives in order to be purified and sanctified before the Lord.
(16) And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud on the mountain; and the sound of the trumpet was very loud, so that all the people who were in the camp trembled. (17) And Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the lowest part of the mountain.
On the third day, when the Lord had said He would come down the mountain to the people, in that morning there was thunder and lightning, and a thick cloud on the mountain. A trumpet sounded so loudly that the people in the camp trembled. We can only imagine the awesome power and terror with which the Lord began His descent to the people. There was thunder and lightning and a long sound of a trumpet so loud it must have come from a band of angels, and it terrified the people and made them tremble. Moses brought the people out of the camp to the foot of the mountain to meet with God.
(18) And Mount Sinai was completely in smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire; and its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked greatly.
Not only had there been thunder and lightning, and a tremendous sound of trumpeting, but now there was fire and smoke and the whole mountain quaked. What an awesome and terrifying sight this must have been to the people, realizing the power of so great their God so near their presence!
(19) And when the blast of the trumpet sounded long and became louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him by a voice. (20) And the LORD came down upon Mount Sinai, on the top of the mountain; and the LORD called Moses up to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up.
The blast of the trumpet sounded long and became even louder. It would seem by the scripture that Moses, knowing this was the sign of the Lord coming down the mountain to meet the people, spoke to the Lord, and the Lord answered him by an audible voice. However, this event was recorded in the New Testament in Hebrews, chapter 12, and it appears that what Moses actually spoke was, "I exceedingly fear and quake" (Hebrews 12:21), to which the Lord answered in an audible voice, probably one designed to comfort and encourage Moses, as well as to be heard and understood by the people. The Lord came down upon Mount Sinai and called Moses up to the top of the mountain, and Moses indeed went up.
(21) And the LORD said to Moses, “Go down and warn the people, lest they break through to gaze at the LORD, and many of them perish. (22) And let the priests also, who come near the LORD, sanctify themselves, lest the LORD break forth upon them.”
It appears that just as Moses went up the mountain to the Lord, he was sent back down with a message to the people. The Lord did not want their curiosity to get the better of them and cause their deaths, so He sent Moses to warn them not to break through to sneak a peek at the Lord. The Lord had a warning for the priests, as well. Perhaps because of their positions as priests, they might have felt they had no need of extra purification, but it seems the Lord was warning them to make sure and sanctify themselves lest the Lord break forth and smite them. Up until the time that the Lord instituted the Aaronic priesthood, priestly duties and sacrifices were performed by the firstborn or heads of families. Even these priests, who officiated for their respective families, and were therefore said to come near to the Lord at other times, must now keep their distance, and conduct themselves with a great deal of caution.
(23) And Moses said to the LORD, “The people cannot come up to Mount Sinai; for You warned us, saying, ‘Set bounds around the mountain and sanctify it.’”
Then Moses answered the Lord in a manner which suggested there was no need for him to do what the Lord had just told him to do, which I find interesting. He told the Lord that because He had already warned them, they had already taken precautions, set boundaries, and warned the people against crossing the set boundaries.
(24) And the LORD said to him, “Away, get down, and you shall come up, you, and Aaron with you; but do not let the priests and the people break through to come up to the LORD, lest He break forth upon them.” (25) So Moses went down to the people and spoke to them.
Moses should have realized that the Lord knew better than he did that the people needed yet another reminder and warning. Dismissing Moses's reply that he need not go back down to the people to give them further warning, the Lord sent him back down to warn the people and the priests not to attempt to break through to come up to the Lord. However, the Lord did tell Moses that Aaron might come back up with him, but no one else. So Moses went back down to speak to the people as the Lord commanded him.
(Exodus 19:1) In the third month after the children of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, that same day they came to the wilderness of Sinai. (2) For they had departed from Rephidim, had come to the desert of Sinai, and camped in the wilderness; and there Israel camped before the mountain.
The third month of the Jewish calendar, Sivan, contained part of our May and part of June. It was then that the children of Israel came into the wilderness of Sinai. The above passage could also be read that it was three months after they left Egypt that they came into the wilderness of Sinai. That day was one and the same, as the new calendar began on the original Passover when the Israelites began the great exodus (Exodus 12:2). The people had left Rephidim and had come to the wilderness or desert of Sinai. I have noted previously that Horeb and Sinai were two peaks of the same mountain. Horeb was on the western side, near to which lay the plain of Rephidim, and Sinai was on the eastern side, at which the wilderness or desert of that same name lay. The Israelites camped at the foot of the mountain.
In this particular chronological study, I am using an order set forth by Skip Andrews. It now takes me to Numbers 33:15:
(Numbers 33:15) And they departed from Rephidim, and pitched in the wilderness of Sinai.
This is just an abbreviated account of the same fact. We now return to Exodus 19:
(Exodus 19:3) And Moses went up to God, and the LORD called to him from the mountain, saying, “Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel: (4) ‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself.'"
Moses went up to God, which suggests that God was in the pillar of cloud now situated above the top of the mountain. The Lord called to Moses from there and told him to speak to the people, calling them both "the house of Jacob" and "the children of Israel". Perhaps this was to remind them of Jacob's former and lower state of life as the people may have likewise felt lowly, but now they were called by the name given Jacob by God as they were partakers of the promises made to Jacob or Israel. God told Moses to remind the people of what He had done to the Egyptians, and how He lifted the children of Israel up and carried them as on eagles' wings, denoting the strength, size, speed, and care, with which He brought them to Himself.
(5) "‘Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. (6) And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.”
Moses was to tell the people that God had said to them if they would obey Him and keep His covenant, they would be His special people above all people, as He had sovereignty over the whole world. They would be a holy nation of priests consecrated to God. Instead of being in their former lowly state of servitude to the Egyptians, they would become a kingdom of priests and a holy nation of God.
(7) And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before them all these words which the LORD commanded him. (8) And all the people answered together, and said, “All that the LORD has spoken we will do.” And Moses returned the words of the people to the LORD.
Moses took the words of the Lord to the elders of the people and laid before them God's proposal for a covenant between Him and the people. I assume that the elders then took the words to the people, or else they answered for the people; either way, the people answered unanimously that they would do just as the Lord had spoken. Moses then took the words of the people back to the Lord.
(9) And the LORD said to Moses, “Behold, I come to you in the thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with you, and believe you forever.” And Moses told the words of the people to the LORD.
I believe the point of what the Lord was telling Moses was that He would come to Moses in a different form that they would recognize as their Lord speaking directly to Moses, so that they would know that the Lord spoke directly with Moses, and they could forever trust him. This "thick" cloud would be different from the normal pillar of cloud the people were used to seeing. This cloud is better described in a later verse as a smoke of a fire that enveloped the whole mountain and the mountain even quaked (Exodus 9:18). The fact that Moses told the Lord the words of the people is repeated. It seems like the thoughts put forth in this verse are reversed, but at any rate, Moses relayed to the Lord the unanimous words of the people, and the Lord told Moses He would speak to him in a manner that the people would have no doubt was the Lord speaking directly to him.
(10) And the LORD said to Moses, “Go to the people and sanctify them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their clothes. (11) And be ready for the third day; for the third day the LORD will come down in the sight of all the people on mount Sinai."
The Lord told Moses to go back to the people and they were to purify themselves inside (spiritually, set aside for the Lord) and out for the next couple of days, for on the third day the Lord would come down Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people.
(12) “And you shall set bounds for the people all around, saying, ‘Take heed to yourselves that you do not go up into the mountain or touch its border; whoever touches the mountain shall surely be put to death. (13) There shall not a hand touch it, but he shall surely be stoned or shot through; whether man or beast, it shall not live.’ When the trumpet sounds long, they shall come up to the mountain.”
Moses was to set up a boundary for the people and and to tell them that they be careful not to go up on the mountain or even touch its border, under penalty of death. My first thought was that whoever touched the mountain would not necessarily be "put to death", but would instantly die, because God was a consuming fire Who could not be approached. However, the scripture seems clear that anyone touching it was to be put to death by stoning or shot with an arrow. All the early commentaries agree that the "it" in the first part of verse 13 refers to the one who dared to disobey and touch (or the animal that wandered up and touched) the mountain, rather than the mountain itself. No one was to touch or try to pull back the one that touched the mountain, as he or it would be an unclean and accursed thing and should rather be immediately stoned or shot. When the trumpet sounded long, that was the people's signal to come to the mountain, but obviously not up it.
(14) And Moses went down from the mountain to the people and sanctified the people, and they washed their clothes. (15) And he said to the people, “Be ready for the third day; do not come at your wives.”
Moses went down from the mountain that apparently he alone was allowed to climb, to go back to ready and purify the people. They washed their clothes, and Moses told them to even abstain from sexual relations with their wives in order to be purified and sanctified before the Lord.
(16) And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud on the mountain; and the sound of the trumpet was very loud, so that all the people who were in the camp trembled. (17) And Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the lowest part of the mountain.
On the third day, when the Lord had said He would come down the mountain to the people, in that morning there was thunder and lightning, and a thick cloud on the mountain. A trumpet sounded so loudly that the people in the camp trembled. We can only imagine the awesome power and terror with which the Lord began His descent to the people. There was thunder and lightning and a long sound of a trumpet so loud it must have come from a band of angels, and it terrified the people and made them tremble. Moses brought the people out of the camp to the foot of the mountain to meet with God.
(18) And Mount Sinai was completely in smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire; and its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked greatly.
Not only had there been thunder and lightning, and a tremendous sound of trumpeting, but now there was fire and smoke and the whole mountain quaked. What an awesome and terrifying sight this must have been to the people, realizing the power of so great their God so near their presence!
(19) And when the blast of the trumpet sounded long and became louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him by a voice. (20) And the LORD came down upon Mount Sinai, on the top of the mountain; and the LORD called Moses up to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up.
The blast of the trumpet sounded long and became even louder. It would seem by the scripture that Moses, knowing this was the sign of the Lord coming down the mountain to meet the people, spoke to the Lord, and the Lord answered him by an audible voice. However, this event was recorded in the New Testament in Hebrews, chapter 12, and it appears that what Moses actually spoke was, "I exceedingly fear and quake" (Hebrews 12:21), to which the Lord answered in an audible voice, probably one designed to comfort and encourage Moses, as well as to be heard and understood by the people. The Lord came down upon Mount Sinai and called Moses up to the top of the mountain, and Moses indeed went up.
(21) And the LORD said to Moses, “Go down and warn the people, lest they break through to gaze at the LORD, and many of them perish. (22) And let the priests also, who come near the LORD, sanctify themselves, lest the LORD break forth upon them.”
It appears that just as Moses went up the mountain to the Lord, he was sent back down with a message to the people. The Lord did not want their curiosity to get the better of them and cause their deaths, so He sent Moses to warn them not to break through to sneak a peek at the Lord. The Lord had a warning for the priests, as well. Perhaps because of their positions as priests, they might have felt they had no need of extra purification, but it seems the Lord was warning them to make sure and sanctify themselves lest the Lord break forth and smite them. Up until the time that the Lord instituted the Aaronic priesthood, priestly duties and sacrifices were performed by the firstborn or heads of families. Even these priests, who officiated for their respective families, and were therefore said to come near to the Lord at other times, must now keep their distance, and conduct themselves with a great deal of caution.
(23) And Moses said to the LORD, “The people cannot come up to Mount Sinai; for You warned us, saying, ‘Set bounds around the mountain and sanctify it.’”
Then Moses answered the Lord in a manner which suggested there was no need for him to do what the Lord had just told him to do, which I find interesting. He told the Lord that because He had already warned them, they had already taken precautions, set boundaries, and warned the people against crossing the set boundaries.
(24) And the LORD said to him, “Away, get down, and you shall come up, you, and Aaron with you; but do not let the priests and the people break through to come up to the LORD, lest He break forth upon them.” (25) So Moses went down to the people and spoke to them.
Moses should have realized that the Lord knew better than he did that the people needed yet another reminder and warning. Dismissing Moses's reply that he need not go back down to the people to give them further warning, the Lord sent him back down to warn the people and the priests not to attempt to break through to come up to the Lord. However, the Lord did tell Moses that Aaron might come back up with him, but no one else. So Moses went back down to speak to the people as the Lord commanded him.
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