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THE LAW OF GOD

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International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Apr 8, 1886

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 12, No. 14.

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THE LAW OF GOD.

The Giving of the Law.

(Lesson 1.—Sabbath, April 24.)
1. To WHAT place did the Israelites come about two months after they left Egypt?
"In the third month, when the children of Israel were gone forth out of the land of Egypt, the same day came they into the wilderness of Sinai." Ex. 19:1.
2. What did the Lord say he would do on the third day afterward?
"And be ready against the third day; for the third day the Lord will come in the sight of all the people upon Mount Sinai." Verse 11.
3. What preparations were the people required to make for this event?
"And the Lord said unto Moses, Go unto the people, and sanctify them to-day and to-morrow, and let them wash their clothes, and be ready against the third day; for the third day the Lord will come down in the sight of all the people upon Mount Sinai." Verses 10, 11.
4. What precaution was taken to keep the people from touching the mountain?
"And thou shalt set bounds unto the people round about, saying, Take heed to yourselves, that ye go not up into the mount, or touch the border of it; whosoever toucheth the mount shall be surely put to death." "And Moses said unto the Lord, The people cannot come up to Mount Sinai; for thou chargedst us, saying, Set bounds about the mount, and sanctify it." Verses 12, 23.
5. What was said to be the result if any one should touch it?
"And thou shalt set bounds unto the people round about, saying, Take heed to yourselves, that ye go not up into the mount, or touch the border of it; whosoever toucheth the mount shall be surely put to death. There shall not a hand touch it, but he shall surely be stoned, or shot through; whether it be beast or man, it shall not live; when the trumpet soundeth long, they shall come up to the mount." "And the Lord said unto Moses, Go down, charge the people, lest they break through unto the Lord to gaze, and many of them perish." Verses 12, 13, 21.
6. What dreadful things did the people hear and see on the third day?
"And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled." Verse 16.
7. What caused these things?
"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." Verse 20.
8. How was the mountain affected by the presence of the Lord?
"And Mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the Lord descended upon it in fire; and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly." Ex. 19:18.
9. Who attended the Lord on this occasion?
"The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels; the Lord is among them, as in Sinai, in the holy place." Ps. 68:17.
10. For what purpose did the Lord come down on Sinai?
"Thou camest down also upon Mount Sinai, and spakest with them from heaven, and gavest them right judgments, and true laws, good statutes and commandments." Nehemiah 9:13. "And he said, The Lord came from Sinai, and rose up from Seir unto them; he shined forth from Mount Paran, and he came with ten thousands of saints; from his right hand went a fiery law for them." Deut. 33:2.
11. Where do we find that which the Lord spoke from Sinai? Ex. 20:1-17.
12. When the Lord had spoken these words, what did the people do?
"And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off." Ex. 20:18.
13. What request did they make?
"And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us, lest we die." Ex. 20:19. "And ye said, Behold, the Lord our God hath showed us his glory and his greatness, and we have heard his voice out of the midst of the fire; we have seen this day that God doth talk with man, and he liveth. Now therefore why should we die? for this great fire will consume us; if we hear the voice of the Lord our God any more, then we shall die. For who is there of all flesh, that hath heard the voice of the living God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as we have, and lived? Go thou near, and hear all that the Lord our God shall say; and speak thou unto us all that the Lord our God shall speak unto thee; and we will hear it, and do it." Deut. 5:24-27. "And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard entreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more." Heb. 12:19.
14. Did the Lord grant their request?
"And the Lord heard the voice of your words, when ye spake unto me; and the Lord said unto me, I have heard the voice of the words of this people, which they have spoken unto thee; they have well said all that they have spoken." Deut. 5:28.
15. In what manner did he give them subsequent instruction?
"Go say to them, Get you into your tents again. But as for thee, stand thou here by me, and I will speak unto thee all the commandments, and the statutes, and the judgments, which thou shalt teach them, that they may do them in the land which I give them to possess it." Deut. 5:30, 31.