Unit 3: Guidance for Covenant Living
Lesson 8: Wonderful Offer, Serious Demand
Exodus 19
When God spoke to Moses at the burning bush, He gave him an encouraging promise: “When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain”, (3:12). The promise had now been fulfilled. The Israelites were now at Mount Sinai and would be camped there for the next eleven months. God would use this time to instruct them in how they should relate to each other. When God spoke to his people, by His grace, he called them to a very special life.
Read 19:1-4
1. What example did God use to illustrate the coming maturity of the people? (19:4 )
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2. What are the three aspects of freedom shown by the growing cycle of eagles?
Freedom _____ (Redemption)
Freedom _____ (Maturity)
Freedom ____ (Ministry)
3. Some people regard defining moments in life as terminal events instead of thresholds to be passed through or over. How would you relate the leaving of the nest by an eaglet, a terminal or a threshold? ________________________________________________________________
Read 19:5-8
4. What were the conditions attached to the future plans God had for his people? (19:5,6)
______________________________________________________________________________
5. What special designation did God have for the people? (19:6) ________________________
6. What is a “treasured possession?” ______________________________________________
7. What is the significance of being a treasured possession and a member of a “nation of priests”? _____________________________________________________________________
8. What makes the Jews better than any other nation? ________________________________
9. What merits did Israel exhibit that would have influenced God’s decision? ______________
10. What was the response of the people to God’s statements about them? ______________
_____________________________________________________________________________
Read 19:9-25
11. What was the first element of the people’s preparation to meet God? _________________
12. What are some other examples of the use of “water” and “washing” as cleansing agents we find in the Bible? _______________________________________________________________
13. Why was keeping a distance between God and His people needed then and now?
______________________________________________________________________________
14. Why was witnessing a storm part of the preparation? ______________________________
15. Why should we take time to prepare ourselves before we meet God, either in prayer, study or worship? ___________________________________________________________________
15. The people were called to be a _______________ people. What does this mean?
______________________________________________________________________________
The combination of washing themselves and changing their clothes, witnessing the storm, and keeping their distance from Mount Sinai, couldn’t help but impress the people with their own sinfulness and God’s majestic holiness. There were called to be different in all respects from the nations around them. Only if they obeyed God could they truly enjoy the privileges of being a kingdom of priests, God’s special treasure and His holy nation.
How are our lives different? We, too, must remain pure and clean from the contamination of sin. We must also weather the storms of life, and, at all times, maintain a sacred respect and awe of our own Holy Father.