Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto myself.
Spoken from the mountain in the third month after leaving Egypt, God called Moses alone up to Himself to remind Israel that He had judged the Egyptians by opening the Red Sea for their escape and destroying their pursuers, had tenderly carried them Himself through wilderness danger under cloud and fire, and had brought them to Sinai into close relation under His direct care and government. That remembered rescue and bringing to Himself came before any call to obey, and stands as the foundation and charter of the covenant by which He made them His people. If they would obey His voice and keep His covenant in sincere practice and not mere profession, He would honor and keep them as His treasured possession above all peoples, a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. He did this to restore the knowledge of His law largely lost in bondage and to make them reveal His character and carry blessing to the whole world, and the One who spoke and led them was Jesus, the Maker of the law and Commander of heaven's army. Those same words were written for every person now as truly as for Israel, that God must bring each one to Himself at the mount to obey with consecrated heart and life, separating a peculiar people zealous of good works whose keeping of His commandments depends on faithfully fulfilling the covenant terms.
Words and Historical Setting
In the third month after leaving Egypt, soon after encamping before Mount Sinai, the word was spoken to Israel in preparation to hear the Ten Commandments proclaimed. They had been led by the cloudy pillar through barren plains, steep ascents, rocky defiles and a deep gravelly pass to the plain beneath the mount. There the cloudy pillar rested upon its summit while the people spread their tents and remained for nearly a year.
God called to Moses out of the mountain and out of the cloud marking His presence. Moses alone climbed the steep and rugged path to meet Him. There he was to receive a message for the house of Jacob and the children of Israel, which he was then to repeat to the elders and the people.
What had been done to the Egyptians was judgment through miracles, signs and judgments displaying power over nature and human authority despite Pharaoh's opposition. While the Egyptians pursued Israel to return them to bondage, God opened a way through the Red Sea and brought Israel safely across. The waters overwhelmed and destroyed Pharaoh and his pursuing army. This deliverance from an oppressive king and an idolatrous bondage answered Israel's humble cries, when they acknowledged His dealings, cried earnestly for freedom from the oppressive yoke, and promised to serve Him and obey His law if He would break their bondage. By it He displayed His power over Egypt and its rulers to redeem them.
Being borne on eagles' wings pictures an eagle bearing its young and means safe, tender, patient and protective care through the dangers of the wilderness. He Himself took charge of their vast army. He guided them by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night enshrouding His own presence, assuring them of divine protection. A thick cloud shielded them from the full presence of His glory while He drew near in mercy and they heard His voice. He led and guided them in the wilderness, carried them safely through the journey, and provided food, feeding them with bread from heaven. In this their escape and journey showed that He rules over nations to make Israel His special people.
Being brought unto Himself means He brought them to Sinai into a close and peculiar relation under His direct care, protection and government. It was to dwell under the protection of the Most High, under the throne of the Most High. It was to receive a new knowledge of Himself such as they had never had before, lifting them to a higher moral level from the degrading influences of servitude and long association with idolatry upon habits and character. It was a gathering of His people there to hear His will and to receive the most wonderful revelation ever made to men, when He would declare with His own voice His holy law to impress its sacredness upon them. The vast rugged heights in solitary grandeur spoke of eternal endurance and majesty, impressing the mind with solemnity and awe and making man feel his ignorance and weakness in His presence.
Covenant Founded on Deliverance
The rescue remembered in the verse — judgment on the Egyptians, safe carrying like an eagle bearing its young through the wilderness journey, and bringing to Himself — is the foundation, ground and charter of the covenant offered at Sinai by which Israel was incorporated as His people, church and nation. Deliverance came first, and only then the call to obey His voice and keep His covenant, so that rescue and care are the basis of the covenant relation. This deliverance grounds Israel's calling as His chosen, denominated people, who were to answer by obedience in practice.
That glorious deliverance and clear evidence of power were given to increase faith in Him. They gave unmistakable evidence of power and goodness, strengthening faith and revealing mercy and goodness in repeated deliverance in times of trouble. They were meant to impart a knowledge of God never had before, confirmed when He came down upon Sinai as evidence that He is God who will not bear iniquity. Their escape and journey show that the Lord rules over nations and acts to make Israel His special people.
The human side of the covenant is sincere obedience and keeping His covenant, not mere profession of worship. Obedience to the covenant is a privilege and brings a fuller understanding of duty. The pledge is proved when believers come into hard places and perplexities; standing the proving means not murmuring, complaining or fretting against the Lord but getting down in simplicity on the knees to ask the Lord God of Israel to show His great kindness still, as in giving water, which pleases Him, and God intends that belief to continue forever.
On that obedience He promised to honor, love, empower and continually care for them. The covenant is presented as a refuge and defense and remains in force today. If they would obey His voice and keep His covenant they would be His treasured people, a peculiar treasure above all people, for all the earth is His, a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. The covenant between God and the people is perpetual, to be held sacred to a thousand generations.
Moses repeated the message to the elders, and the people answered together that they would do all the Lord had spoken, thereby entering a solemn covenant. With upraised hand they so became His denominated people pledged to obey all His commandments, dedicating themselves as a nation, accepting Him as ruler and becoming in a special sense subjects of His authority. This prepared the way for God to come in a thick cloud and fire on Sinai to speak with Moses so the people would hear and believe Moses forever and to give the Ten Commandments to Israel.
Purpose for Israel and World
God drew near in mercy with patient tenderness to prepare Israel to receive His law, bearing them as a bird carries its young and bringing them close to Himself after delivering them from Egypt. A thick cloud shielded them from the full presence of His glory while they heard His voice, and that schooling was the highest education, for learning from God means obeying all His commandments. This preparation was given to a people who had largely lost knowledge of the law during bondage in Egypt.
The teachings given through Moses at Sinai, especially Exodus 19 and 20, contain instruction needed now as fully as in Moses’ day and belonging to His covenant offer of making them a peculiar treasure, a kingdom of priests and a holy nation if they would obey His voice and keep His covenant. That instruction in Exodus 19 and 20 is of great importance, to be often repeated and sacredly observed, because the Lord is the only true God and demands obedience to His Word. That obedience includes keeping the law given in Eden and proclaimed at Sinai and keeping holy the seventh-day Sabbath, the memorial of creation, in opposition to the first day of the week exalted by a power opposed to God. The covenant between God and the people is perpetual, to be held sacred to a thousand generations, with wonderful promises conditioned on observing His commandments. The Word of the Lord is to be read before congregations to prove that God set apart the seventh day, exalting a plain Thus saith the Lord instead of entering controversy over Sunday laws so the burden of responsibility rests on those who reject it, and the words are to be told in simple language that even children can understand to point men and women to the Word of God and show the reasons for observance of the seventh day.
Israel’s deliverance from Egypt, carrying on eagles’ wings, bringing near to Himself, leading and guiding in the wilderness under the Most High’s protection, and settlement in Canaan helped preserve humanity from total apostasy. Their deliverance and guidance were part of the spiritual and temporal advantages God gave Israel, with His presence and blessings accompanying them. God intended blessings to flow through them to the whole world as a people who would reveal His character to other nations and receive His law at Sinai. The same image describes how He would have led them onward to Canaan had they remained faithful in the test of appetite, but they proved unfaithful to the trust He had given them.
Israel was a highly favored people because God brought them out of Egyptian bondage to Himself and acknowledged them as His own peculiar treasure. He graciously chose them after their release from slavery though they had not sought Him, as an act of goodness and love extending His power to invite them into His care and defense. He chose a people who needed to be educated and trained at every step. The many exceeding great and precious promises given to them were the hope and confidence of the Jewish church, and they trusted in them and believed their salvation sure, since no other people professed to be governed by God’s commandments.
The One who did this was Jesus, the Commander of heaven’s army who afterward led them through the wilderness, made the law and proclaimed it at Mount Sinai, and was the foundation of the Jewish ceremonies. He Himself took charge of their vast army, guiding them and providing food in the wilderness to bring them under His special government. Israel answered this mercy by going its own way and putting human commands in place of God’s teaching. When Christ came first to His own people they did not receive Him, failing to recognize Him in His humble appearance as Healer and Restorer of God’s moral image in man despite works no other man had done, and killing Him as the Prince of life. This history stands as a lesson to the world to keep from repeating the mistakes that spoiled their record.
Present Personal Application
The reminder of what was done to the Egyptians and of being carried on eagles' wings and brought to God takes in every person now, every one without exception. It was written for present readers as truly as for Israel, and the words given to Moses to speak to Israel are appropriate to God's people now to whom great light has been given. The grandeur of the manifestation at Sinai and the giving of the law made a lasting impression on those who witnessed it, and the law given there was not for ancient Israel alone but speaks to people now as well. The truths of God's dealings with Israel in freeing them from bondage and leading them through the wilderness toward Canaan are illuminated by the gospel, and the full meaning of the laws given to Israel will be unfolded in the future life.
God must bring each person to Himself before He can work through them in the great work of preparing a people to stand in the day of the Lord. This lays on each person the individual duty to understand what God means and to do whatever He commands. Each person is to draw near to God at the mount where His commands are to be understood and then obey what He commands. Drawing nigh is individual work of making a covenant with God by sacrifice, accepting Christ and seeing the binding claims of the law, refusing a neutral position, declaring the Lord as Helper and the only true God with Jesus Christ whom He sent, and then understanding and obeying in efficient labor together with God to receive the best of everything, enjoy every blessing with His favor, and secure His grand promise, with every thought and plan in harmony with His commandments and every word from His mouth and heart, mind, and life consecrated to His service.
His mercies and blessings in rescuing Israel from Egypt, carrying them safely through their journey like an eagle bearing its young, and bringing them to Himself call for people to value and obey His instruction, which is given for their good and to honor His name. This deliverance and bringing into relationship with Himself came before the call to obey His voice and keep His covenant. That deliverance and relationship form the basis for the offer in the following verses to make them His treasured people if they obey His voice and keep His covenant.
The promise of God's care and covenant relationship applies not only to ancient Israel but also to all who obey His Word. The same deliverance that brought Israel from Egypt to keep the commandments and led them at every step into paths of truth and righteousness is repeated in bringing a people out from the quarry of the world. In these last days the Lord separates from the churches and the world a peculiar people zealous of good works to be unlike any other people with the Lord as their acknowledged ruler. To them He gives light and counsel to build institutions of learning, sanitariums, and publishing houses, attends obedience with success, and their self-denial and self-sacrifice and honoring of God by keeping His commandments gives constant light to the world.
The deliverance is the ground for the covenant pledge that follows, calling His people to obey His voice and keep His covenant with the promise that they will be His treasured people, a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation. That pledge also applies to God's people in the last days, and their acceptance with God depends on faithfully fulfilling the covenant terms. The people at Sinai accepted the condition made on obedience to the commandments by promising to do all that God had spoken, and God declared He would come to Moses in a thick cloud so the people would hear Him speak with Moses and believe Moses forever. The experience is a lesson and warning for today, for as God dealt with His ancient people at Sinai He will deal with those who despise the Word of the Lord and refuse to humble their proud hearts before His wisdom and righteousness.
Spoken from the mountain in the third month after leaving Egypt, God called Moses alone up to Himself to remind Israel that He had judged the Egyptians by opening the Red Sea for their escape and destroying their pursuers, had tenderly carried them Himself through wilderness danger under cloud and fire, and had brought them to Sinai into close relation under His direct care and government. That remembered rescue and bringing to Himself came before any call to obey, and stands as the foundation and charter of the covenant by which He made them His people. If they would obey His voice and keep His covenant in sincere practice and not mere profession, He would honor and keep them as His treasured possession above all peoples, a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. He did this to restore the knowledge of His law largely lost in bondage and to make them reveal His character and carry blessing to the whole world, and the One who spoke and led them was Jesus, the Maker of the law and Commander of heaven's army. Those same words were written for every person now as truly as for Israel, that God must bring each one to Himself at the mount to obey with consecrated heart and life, separating a peculiar people zealous of good works whose keeping of His commandments depends on faithfully fulfilling the covenant terms.
Words and Historical Setting
In the third month after leaving Egypt, soon after encamping before Mount Sinai, the word was spoken to Israel in preparation to hear the Ten Commandments proclaimed. They had been led by the cloudy pillar through barren plains, steep ascents, rocky defiles and a deep gravelly pass to the plain beneath the mount. There the cloudy pillar rested upon its summit while the people spread their tents and remained for nearly a year.
God called to Moses out of the mountain and out of the cloud marking His presence. Moses alone climbed the steep and rugged path to meet Him. There he was to receive a message for the house of Jacob and the children of Israel, which he was then to repeat to the elders and the people.
What had been done to the Egyptians was judgment through miracles, signs and judgments displaying power over nature and human authority despite Pharaoh's opposition. While the Egyptians pursued Israel to return them to bondage, God opened a way through the Red Sea and brought Israel safely across. The waters overwhelmed and destroyed Pharaoh and his pursuing army. This deliverance from an oppressive king and an idolatrous bondage answered Israel's humble cries, when they acknowledged His dealings, cried earnestly for freedom from the oppressive yoke, and promised to serve Him and obey His law if He would break their bondage. By it He displayed His power over Egypt and its rulers to redeem them.
Being borne on eagles' wings pictures an eagle bearing its young and means safe, tender, patient and protective care through the dangers of the wilderness. He Himself took charge of their vast army. He guided them by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night enshrouding His own presence, assuring them of divine protection. A thick cloud shielded them from the full presence of His glory while He drew near in mercy and they heard His voice. He led and guided them in the wilderness, carried them safely through the journey, and provided food, feeding them with bread from heaven. In this their escape and journey showed that He rules over nations to make Israel His special people.
Being brought unto Himself means He brought them to Sinai into a close and peculiar relation under His direct care, protection and government. It was to dwell under the protection of the Most High, under the throne of the Most High. It was to receive a new knowledge of Himself such as they had never had before, lifting them to a higher moral level from the degrading influences of servitude and long association with idolatry upon habits and character. It was a gathering of His people there to hear His will and to receive the most wonderful revelation ever made to men, when He would declare with His own voice His holy law to impress its sacredness upon them. The vast rugged heights in solitary grandeur spoke of eternal endurance and majesty, impressing the mind with solemnity and awe and making man feel his ignorance and weakness in His presence.
Covenant Founded on Deliverance
The rescue remembered in the verse — judgment on the Egyptians, safe carrying like an eagle bearing its young through the wilderness journey, and bringing to Himself — is the foundation, ground and charter of the covenant offered at Sinai by which Israel was incorporated as His people, church and nation. Deliverance came first, and only then the call to obey His voice and keep His covenant, so that rescue and care are the basis of the covenant relation. This deliverance grounds Israel's calling as His chosen, denominated people, who were to answer by obedience in practice.
That glorious deliverance and clear evidence of power were given to increase faith in Him. They gave unmistakable evidence of power and goodness, strengthening faith and revealing mercy and goodness in repeated deliverance in times of trouble. They were meant to impart a knowledge of God never had before, confirmed when He came down upon Sinai as evidence that He is God who will not bear iniquity. Their escape and journey show that the Lord rules over nations and acts to make Israel His special people.
The human side of the covenant is sincere obedience and keeping His covenant, not mere profession of worship. Obedience to the covenant is a privilege and brings a fuller understanding of duty. The pledge is proved when believers come into hard places and perplexities; standing the proving means not murmuring, complaining or fretting against the Lord but getting down in simplicity on the knees to ask the Lord God of Israel to show His great kindness still, as in giving water, which pleases Him, and God intends that belief to continue forever.
On that obedience He promised to honor, love, empower and continually care for them. The covenant is presented as a refuge and defense and remains in force today. If they would obey His voice and keep His covenant they would be His treasured people, a peculiar treasure above all people, for all the earth is His, a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. The covenant between God and the people is perpetual, to be held sacred to a thousand generations.
Moses repeated the message to the elders, and the people answered together that they would do all the Lord had spoken, thereby entering a solemn covenant. With upraised hand they so became His denominated people pledged to obey all His commandments, dedicating themselves as a nation, accepting Him as ruler and becoming in a special sense subjects of His authority. This prepared the way for God to come in a thick cloud and fire on Sinai to speak with Moses so the people would hear and believe Moses forever and to give the Ten Commandments to Israel.
Purpose for Israel and World
God drew near in mercy with patient tenderness to prepare Israel to receive His law, bearing them as a bird carries its young and bringing them close to Himself after delivering them from Egypt. A thick cloud shielded them from the full presence of His glory while they heard His voice, and that schooling was the highest education, for learning from God means obeying all His commandments. This preparation was given to a people who had largely lost knowledge of the law during bondage in Egypt.
The teachings given through Moses at Sinai, especially Exodus 19 and 20, contain instruction needed now as fully as in Moses’ day and belonging to His covenant offer of making them a peculiar treasure, a kingdom of priests and a holy nation if they would obey His voice and keep His covenant. That instruction in Exodus 19 and 20 is of great importance, to be often repeated and sacredly observed, because the Lord is the only true God and demands obedience to His Word. That obedience includes keeping the law given in Eden and proclaimed at Sinai and keeping holy the seventh-day Sabbath, the memorial of creation, in opposition to the first day of the week exalted by a power opposed to God. The covenant between God and the people is perpetual, to be held sacred to a thousand generations, with wonderful promises conditioned on observing His commandments. The Word of the Lord is to be read before congregations to prove that God set apart the seventh day, exalting a plain Thus saith the Lord instead of entering controversy over Sunday laws so the burden of responsibility rests on those who reject it, and the words are to be told in simple language that even children can understand to point men and women to the Word of God and show the reasons for observance of the seventh day.
Israel’s deliverance from Egypt, carrying on eagles’ wings, bringing near to Himself, leading and guiding in the wilderness under the Most High’s protection, and settlement in Canaan helped preserve humanity from total apostasy. Their deliverance and guidance were part of the spiritual and temporal advantages God gave Israel, with His presence and blessings accompanying them. God intended blessings to flow through them to the whole world as a people who would reveal His character to other nations and receive His law at Sinai. The same image describes how He would have led them onward to Canaan had they remained faithful in the test of appetite, but they proved unfaithful to the trust He had given them.
Israel was a highly favored people because God brought them out of Egyptian bondage to Himself and acknowledged them as His own peculiar treasure. He graciously chose them after their release from slavery though they had not sought Him, as an act of goodness and love extending His power to invite them into His care and defense. He chose a people who needed to be educated and trained at every step. The many exceeding great and precious promises given to them were the hope and confidence of the Jewish church, and they trusted in them and believed their salvation sure, since no other people professed to be governed by God’s commandments.
The One who did this was Jesus, the Commander of heaven’s army who afterward led them through the wilderness, made the law and proclaimed it at Mount Sinai, and was the foundation of the Jewish ceremonies. He Himself took charge of their vast army, guiding them and providing food in the wilderness to bring them under His special government. Israel answered this mercy by going its own way and putting human commands in place of God’s teaching. When Christ came first to His own people they did not receive Him, failing to recognize Him in His humble appearance as Healer and Restorer of God’s moral image in man despite works no other man had done, and killing Him as the Prince of life. This history stands as a lesson to the world to keep from repeating the mistakes that spoiled their record.
Present Personal Application
The reminder of what was done to the Egyptians and of being carried on eagles' wings and brought to God takes in every person now, every one without exception. It was written for present readers as truly as for Israel, and the words given to Moses to speak to Israel are appropriate to God's people now to whom great light has been given. The grandeur of the manifestation at Sinai and the giving of the law made a lasting impression on those who witnessed it, and the law given there was not for ancient Israel alone but speaks to people now as well. The truths of God's dealings with Israel in freeing them from bondage and leading them through the wilderness toward Canaan are illuminated by the gospel, and the full meaning of the laws given to Israel will be unfolded in the future life.
God must bring each person to Himself before He can work through them in the great work of preparing a people to stand in the day of the Lord. This lays on each person the individual duty to understand what God means and to do whatever He commands. Each person is to draw near to God at the mount where His commands are to be understood and then obey what He commands. Drawing nigh is individual work of making a covenant with God by sacrifice, accepting Christ and seeing the binding claims of the law, refusing a neutral position, declaring the Lord as Helper and the only true God with Jesus Christ whom He sent, and then understanding and obeying in efficient labor together with God to receive the best of everything, enjoy every blessing with His favor, and secure His grand promise, with every thought and plan in harmony with His commandments and every word from His mouth and heart, mind, and life consecrated to His service.
His mercies and blessings in rescuing Israel from Egypt, carrying them safely through their journey like an eagle bearing its young, and bringing them to Himself call for people to value and obey His instruction, which is given for their good and to honor His name. This deliverance and bringing into relationship with Himself came before the call to obey His voice and keep His covenant. That deliverance and relationship form the basis for the offer in the following verses to make them His treasured people if they obey His voice and keep His covenant.
The promise of God's care and covenant relationship applies not only to ancient Israel but also to all who obey His Word. The same deliverance that brought Israel from Egypt to keep the commandments and led them at every step into paths of truth and righteousness is repeated in bringing a people out from the quarry of the world. In these last days the Lord separates from the churches and the world a peculiar people zealous of good works to be unlike any other people with the Lord as their acknowledged ruler. To them He gives light and counsel to build institutions of learning, sanitariums, and publishing houses, attends obedience with success, and their self-denial and self-sacrifice and honoring of God by keeping His commandments gives constant light to the world.
The deliverance is the ground for the covenant pledge that follows, calling His people to obey His voice and keep His covenant with the promise that they will be His treasured people, a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation. That pledge also applies to God's people in the last days, and their acceptance with God depends on faithfully fulfilling the covenant terms. The people at Sinai accepted the condition made on obedience to the commandments by promising to do all that God had spoken, and God declared He would come to Moses in a thick cloud so the people would hear Him speak with Moses and believe Moses forever. The experience is a lesson and warning for today, for as God dealt with His ancient people at Sinai He will deal with those who despise the Word of the Lord and refuse to humble their proud hearts before His wisdom and righteousness.