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PRAYER PICTORIALLY DESCRIBED (Exodus 19-20)

Text: Exodus 19:7-25
23 February 2009

PRAYER PICTORIALLY DESCRIBED (Exodus 19-20)

1. Israel meeting with God

2. God manifesting Himself to the children of Israel

3. Moses as the intermediary

THE APPEARANCE OF THE LORD TO ISRAEL AT SINAI

“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.” Exodus 19:9

1. Reasons for God’s Manifestation of Himself

a) For the sake of the people

i) That they be affirmed in their faith

ii) That they be further strengthened in their faith

b) For the sake of Moses

i) His role as appointed leader confirmed

ii) His ministry would be further enhanced

2. Form of Manifestation
a) In a “thick cloud”

Further description of “the thick cloud”
“Now Mount Sinai was completely in smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire. Its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked greatly.” Exodus 19:18

i) Thick cloud= completely in smoke

ii) Smoke like the smoke of a furnace

b) Additional description
“Then it came to pass on the third day, in the morning, that there were thunderings and lightnings, and a thick cloud on the mountain” Exodus 19:16

“And the whole mountain quaked greatly” Exodus 19:18

i) Thundering

ii) Lightning

iii) Mountain quaked greatly

CONSECRATION OF THE PEOPLE Exodus 19:10-25

1. Elements/Aspects of Consecration

a) Essentially- Consecration involves thorough preparation

b) Symbolic representation of this preparation

i) Washing of clothes Exodus 19:10
Clean clothes

ii) Setting of boundaries Exodus 19:12
No one was to touch even the base of the mountain

iii) Refraining from conjugal relationships Exodus 19:15
That the heart and mind may be fully focused on meeting the Lord

c) Readiness to meet with the Lord
“Be ready” Exodus 19:15

d) Bringing the children of Israel to meet with the Lord
“And Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain.” Exodus 19:17

SOLEMN WORDS OF WARNING

“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.” Exodus 19:21

“Also let the priests who come near the LORD consecrate themselves, lest the LORD break out against them” Exodus 19:22

1. People warned against profaning the significance of the Lord’s appearance

2. Priests warned against a lack of consecration

“Then the LORD said to him, ‘Away! Get down and then come up, you and Aaron with you. But do not let the priests and people break through to come up to the LORD, lest He break out against them.” Exodus 19:24