Exodus 19:1
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. 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.
In the third month after leaving Egypt, on the very day of their arrival, Israel entered the wilderness of Sinai, having left Rephidim by the cloud-guided route to camp on the plain before the mountain where they would remain nearly a year. God chose that mountain rising above the barren desert as His natural temple, with the cloud marking His presence, to reveal His glory in awful grandeur and speak in an audible voice, opening the setting for His instruction and covenant and for Moses to go up alone to meet Him. Their coming began their close and peculiar relation to God as a church and nation under His government, for He reminded them that He had borne them from Pharaoh's opposition as on eagles' wings to bring them to Himself, and promised that if they would truly obey His voice and keep His covenant He would make them His treasured people above all others, a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. The people solemnly answered that they would do all He had spoken, and God prepared them and then proclaimed the Ten Commandments to all with great authority, restoring the knowledge of the Eden law largely lost in bondage and idolatry to reveal His holiness and raise them morally and to show the law's sacredness for all ages. That word spoken at Sinai is spoken to every person now as truly as to ancient Israel, calling each one to understand and do whatever God commands, to obey the instruction given through Moses and keep holy the memorial of creation, and to be brought to God so He can work through them in preparing a people to stand in the day of the Lord.
Arrival in Wilderness
In the third month after going out of the land of Egypt, on the very same day, the children of Israel came into the wilderness of Sinai. The verse fixes their arrival to that third month and to that same day of coming there.
They had left Rephidim and followed the cloud-guided route to Sinai, and camped before the mountain on the plain below it. There in the wilderness before the mount they encamped in preparation to hear God's law. They would remain there nearly a year.
God chose that mountain, a natural temple rising above the barren desert, to reveal His glory and speak His law in an audible voice. The cloud marked His presence above it. He manifested Himself there in awful grandeur and overwhelming majesty and authority, and the impression of that scene was never forgotten by those who beheld it.
The arrival opens the setting for God's instruction and covenant at Sinai. Soon after the encampment Moses alone climbed the steep and rugged path to meet with God. It sets the scene for the Lord's coming to the mount to give Israel His law and for the instruction given through Moses which is to be obeyed.
Covenant and Law Given
Coming to Sinai began Israel's close and peculiar relation to God, incorporating them as a church and a nation under His government by a great charter that received them as His chosen and denominated people. Soon after the encampment Moses alone climbed to meet with God, received the message of deliverance and the offer to be a peculiar treasure, a kingdom of priests and a holy nation if obedient, returned and repeated it to the elders of Israel. Their answer entered them into solemn covenant, pledging themselves to accept Him as their ruler and making them in a special sense the subjects of His authority.
God reminded them that He had delivered them from Egypt despite Pharaoh's opposition and had carried them as on eagles' wings to bring them to Himself. His people must be brought to Him before He can work through them. The words belong to believers now as truly as to Israel, and it is each person's individual duty to understand what God means and to do whatever He commands.
He set out the terms of the covenant He desired to make with them, conditional upon their really obeying His voice indeed and keeping His covenant, not merely professing to worship God. If they would so obey, He would greatly bless them, honor them, constantly care for them, and manifest His love and power upon them. He would make them His treasured people above all people, a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.
The people answered, All that the Lord hath spoken we will do, entering the solemn covenant accepting Him as ruler. God declared to Moses that He would come in a thick cloud so the people would hear Him speak with Moses and believe Moses forever, and He expected the pledge to lead to believing Him forever. Yet they soon turned aside from the way God had commanded and failed in their short time of test. In perplexity the right course under such a pledge is to stand the proving when brought into a hard place instead of murmuring, complaining and fretting, but to kneel in simplicity and ask the Lord God of Israel for help as He gave water to show His great kindness, which would please Him.
At Sinai, during their wilderness journey, God prepared the people to hear His law and then proclaimed the Ten Commandments to all the people amid scenes of great grandeur and with great authority. The Lord manifested Himself in awful grandeur in giving His law, and the impression of that scene was never forgotten by those who beheld it. The law thus spoken restored knowledge of the Eden law largely lost in long bondage and idolatry, revealed His holiness, majesty and power, raised them morally after slavery, preserved humanity from total apostasy, and showed the law's sacredness and importance for all ages, spoken by Christ the Redeemer. The instruction given in Exodus and Deuteronomy in connection with that proclamation requires obedience to all the commandments of God, presented as the highest education for humanity and as learning from God.
Call to Obey Today
The word given when Israel came into the wilderness of Sinai in the third month after going out of Egypt takes in every person now, with every one included and none left out. It was spoken to ancient Israel as they camped before the mount where God would speak through Moses, and it belongs to believers now as truly as to them, to the Israel of God for as long as people live on earth. There God called them to remember their deliverance and set before them His covenant offer, that if they would obey His voice and keep His covenant they would be His treasured people above all, a kingdom of priests and a holy nation, and that covenant is for every soul. It means His bearing His people as on eagles' wings and bringing them to Himself, for He must bring each person to Himself before He can work through them in preparing a people to stand in the day of the Lord.
The mercies and blessings given at the mountain call for valuing and observing His instruction for human good and for the honor of His name, obeying what was given through Moses and all the commandments in Exodus and Deuteronomy. The law there spoken with great authority is the highest education for humanity, and obedience to all its commandments is learning from God. That revelation on the mountain, a natural temple rising above the barren desert where He revealed His glory and spoke His law in an audible voice with awful grandeur never forgotten by those who saw it, shows the law's sacredness and importance for all ages and the continuing duty to keep His commandments. The instruction opened there, with Exodus 20, is of great importance and should be often repeated and sacredly observed, declaring the Lord the only true God who requires obedience to His Word. All who would stand on the Lord's side are therefore to keep holy the memorial of creation made when God wrought His work in six days and appointed the seventh day as rest, blessing and sanctifying it, at a time when every device is used to draw people from truth and righteousness.
It is each person's individual duty to understand what God means and to do whatever He commands. That pledge to obey means standing the proving when brought into a hard place instead of murmuring, complaining and fretting against the Lord, but kneeling in simplicity in perplexity to ask the God of Israel for help as He gave water to show His great kindness, which pleases Him and leads to believing Him forever. At Sinai the people answered that they would do all the Lord had spoken, entering His promise on condition of obedience, with God declaring He would come in a thick cloud so they would hear Him speak with Moses and believe Moses forever. As He dealt with His ancient people who failed in their short time of test, so He will deal with those today, and the Sinai experience is a lesson for the churches not to despise the Word of the Lord and refuse to humble proud hearts before the wisdom and righteousness of God.