MOSES WENT UP UNTO GOD

“MOSES WENT UP UNTO GOD’

“The Ten Commandments”

(Exodus 19-20)

Taught by:  Carolyn Sissom

www.eastgateministries.com

April 6, 2008

Ex. 19:1-2: “In the third month, when the children of Israel were gone forth out of the land of Egypt, the same day came they unto the wilderness of Sinai.  For they were departed from Rephidim, and were come to the desert of Sinai, and had pitched in the wilderness; and there Israel camped before the mount.

Sinai means “cliff, deep ravine, precipitous, sharp, and jagged.”

‘AND MOSES WENT UP UNTO GOD.’  (19:3) there were seven such ascents from Exodus 19 – 34:

Israel received the LAW in the Third month.  The Feast of Pentecost was in the Third month.  A true Pentecost is the writing of the Law of God upon the heart of the believer.  It is on this basis that God bore Israel on Eagles’ Wings, and fulfilled His Word.  (Ex. 3:12:  “And he said, ‘certainly I will be with you; and this shall be a token unto you, that I have sent you:  When you have brought forth the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God upon this mountain.”  He brought Moses and the nation to Himself.  From the beginning Jehovah desired a Holy Nation, a Peculiar Treasure, and a Kingdom of Priests.  (4-5) “You have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto myself.  Now therefore, if you will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then you shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:  and you shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation. And Moses came and called for the elders of the people and laid before their faces all these words which the Lord commanded him.  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 unto the Lord.”

Israel was under LAW before it reached Sinai (Ex. 15: 25-26; 16:4, 23, 27).  The deliverance from Egypt had been on the basis of the Abrahamic Covenant (Ex. 2:24).  The Sinaitic Covenant was on different terms (Ex. 34: 27-28) and Deut. 4:13) namely the Ten Commandments.

The Lord manifested His Majesty and His Glory in 19: 7-25:

1. Verse 9 – God appeared to Moses in a thick cloud.
2.  Verse 10 – The people were to wash their clothes (sanctification).
3.  Verse 11 – God appeared on the Third Day (Resurrection;  11 Peter 3:8)
4. Verse 12 – God set Bounds (limitations) in the Old Covenant.  “And you shall set bounds unto the people round about, saying, Take heed to yourselves, that you go not up into the mount, or touch the border of it:  whosoever touches the mount shall be surely put to death. (Heb. 12:18-22) “For you are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest, and the sound of a trumpet and the voice of words; which voice that they heard entreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more:  for they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast couch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart:  And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake;)  But you are come unto Mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,”
5. Verse 13 – Come to the mount when you hear the trumpet.  “When the trumpet sounds long, they shall come up to the mount.”
6. Verse 15 – “Do not go near a woman.”  (amplified (realm of soul)
7. Verse 16 – The same as Rev. 4:5:  “And out of the throne proceeded lightnings, and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven spirits of God.”
8. Verse 18 – Compare with Rev. 15:8:  “And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, until the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled.
9. Verse 19 – “And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him by a voice.
10.  The Lord calls Moses to the top of the Mount.
11. Verse 20 – “And the Lord came down upon Mount Sinai, on the top of the mount: and the Lord called Moses up to the top of the mount; and Moses went up.
12. Verse 21 – Spectators perish – “And the Lord said unto Moses,  charge the people lest, they break through unto the Lord to gaze and many of them perish.”
13. Verse 22 – The priests were the firstborn, the heads of families. “And the Priests also which come near to the Lord, sanctify themselves, lest the Lord break forth upon them.”
14. Verse 25 – Moses is a mediator. “So Moses went down unto the people and spoke unto them.”(1 Tim 2:5) “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS

The LAW OF God reveals the Love (nature) of God. (Rom 7:22)  “For I delight in the law of God after the inward man.”  The Law of Moses was for the Old Testament nation only, but the LAW OF GOD is for all men…the Ten Commandments are still binding on all men, especially Christians:

1. It is right that the Creator’s authority should be proclaimed by Him and acknowledged by His creatures.
2. The Ten Commandments have never been repealed.
3. Humanity still is in need of this Moral Law.
4. The Lord Jesus respected them. (Matt. 22:36; “Master what is the greatest commandment in the Law?  Jesus said unto him, you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.  This is the first and great commandment, and the second is like unto it, you shall love your neighbor as yourself.  On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” ( Gal. 4:4)
5. The Lord Jesus taught them.  (Matt. 5: 17-19):  “think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill.  For verily I say unto you, ‘Till heaven and earth pass, not one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.  Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven, but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”
6.  The New Testament Epistles record and enforce them.  (Rom 3:31; 13:10; 1 Cor. 9:21)  ‘Do we then make void the law through faith?  God forbid:  yes, we establish the law.”
7. We will be chastised if we disregard them.  (Psa. 89: 27-29)

In Exodus 20, we have the Moral Law; 21-23 – the Civil Law; 24- Ratification of the covenant; 25-40 the ceremonial Law (the tabernacle and the Priesthood).

The first four commandments are duties to God.

1. No other Gods before me.
2. Make no graven images.
3. Do not take the name of the Lord in Vain.
4. Remember the Sabbath Day to Keep it Holy

The last Six are duties to man:

5. Honor your Father and Mother
6. You shall not kill.
7. You shall not commit adultery.
8. You shall not steal.
9. You shall not bear false witness.
10.  You shall not covet.

Key Kingdom of God truths with each commandment:

1. 20:3- Other Gods = anything that has your mind. (Phil 2:5) “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
2. 20: 4-6 - We must worship in spirit and in truth. (John 4: 19-24)
3. 20:7 - Don’t take His name in Vain in Water Baptism. “then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized everyone of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost.”
4. 20: 8-11 – “Cease from your own labors. (Heb. 3-4)
5. 20:12 – Respect authority in the home and local church. (Eph. 5-6)
6. 20:13 – Don’t kill with your tongue; minister life with your words. (Jn. 6:63)
7. 20:14 – Don’t fornicate with the religious systems. (Prov. 7)
8. 20:15 – Don’t steal God’s time, talent or treasure (Jn. 10:10)
9. 20:16 – Don’t lie by believing or speaking tradition (Mk. 7:13)
10. 20:17 – Don’t be greedy. (Eph. 5: 3-5)

ALTARS; (Ex. 20: 24-26) These last three verses on the altar speaks of Worship.  It is time to measure the altar.  (Rev. 11: 1-2)

1. Worship that is in vain (Matt. 15:9)
2. Worship that is ignorant (Acts 17: 23)
3. Worship that is will Worship (Col. 2:23)
4. Worship that is in Sprit and in truth.  (Jn. 4: 23-24)

All the worship of the Old Testament can be condensed into two sacrifices:

1. Sacrifice at the Brazen Altar – Jesus the Savior and mediator.
2. Sacrifice at the Golden Altar – Prayer, praise, purity and worship.

The Altar sanctifies the gift. (Matt. 23:19)  Our time, talent, and treasure is affected by the altar.  The altar is the basis and the foundation of worship.  The important question is:  What kind of altar?

The altar of earth speaks of our first offerings of service to humanity – natural offerings. (Ex. 4:24) it must be done with the right motive as unto the Lord. (Matt. 25:40, Jas. 1:27) This is basic worship.

The altar of Stone  is seen in Exodus 4: 25-26 and Deut. 27: 5-6.  The altar of whole stones are those situations that God has solidified and arranged to perfect us.  Don’t complain or rearrange the stones to your own fancy, and don’t change the form by shaping the stones to your own liking and design with the iron tool of your own will.  The carnal mind loves to chisel and to hew the stones.  Hewn stones are the self-efforts of the natural mind to have its own way.  Note the man-made altar of bricks in Isa. 65: 1-3.  “I am sought of them that asked not for me; I am found of them that sought me not:  I said, Behold me, behold me unto a nation that was not called by my name.  I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people, which walks in a way that was not good, after their own thoughts; A people that provokes me to anger continually to my face; that sacrifices in gardens, and burns incense upon altars of brick.”

(Verse 25-26:  “And if you make me an altar of stone, you shall not build it of hewn stone; for if you lift up your tool upon it, you have polluted it.  Neither shall you go up by steps unto my altar, that your nakedness be not discovered thereon.”

The very efforts of men to climb up to God only expose their own shame.

Next Week, The Perfect Servant (Exodus 21)  I believe I will be able to finish the Book of Exodus in three weeks.

I am praying about which Book to start either the Epistles, Acts of the Apostles  or Psalms.

Carolyn Sissom, Pastor

Eastgate Ministries, Inc.

www.eastgateministries.com

Scripture from King James Bible and text from Principles of Present Truth by:  Kelly Varner.