February 17 - Nº 48 Exodus 19 – 20
Three months after God led them out of Egypt, the Israelites arrived at Mount Sinai. Moses climbed the mountain to talk with God. There God gave him a message to share with the people: “Out of all the people on the planet, I have chosen you," He said. "If you obey me and keep my commandments, then you will be my treasured possession—my holy people among the nations. You will be my priests.” (Our English word ‘priest’ comes to us from the Latin word ‘pontifex.’ It means ‘bridge builder.’) God wanted the Israelites to be the ones through whom the rest of the world could come to Him!
When Moses told this to the people, they enthusiastically responded, “We will do everything God tells us to do!” Moses went back up the mountain and told God how eager everyone was to obey Him. Then God told Moses to have the people spend the next three days cleaning their hearts and bodies (including their clothing), so they could be ready to meet with Him.
The people followed Moses’ instructions. Suddenly, on the third day, fire descended onto the mountain. There was thunder and lightning and a thick cloud of smoke. The sound of trumpets grew louder and louder. The whole mountain began to tremble. So did the people! They were terrified!
Moses spoke, and God answered him so that all the people could hear. Then God called Moses to the top of the mountain. He was demonstrating to the people that Moses was the one He had chosen to be their leader. He was God’s spokesperson, and they were to listen to him!
At the top of the mountain, God spoke to Moses again saying, “I am the Lord your God who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.” Then He gave Moses the following ten laws that the Israelites needed to obey in order to represent Him accurately to the world:
Do not allow anyone or anything to be more important than Me.
Do not make any idols or images. Do not worship anything or anyone except Me.
Keep My name holy. Do not misuse it or treat it without respect.
Do not work on the seventh day. Instead, make it a special day to rest and worship Me.
Honor your parents. If you do, I will honor you and allow you to stay a long time in the land that I will give to you.
Do not murder.
Do not have sex with someone you are not married to.
Do not take anything that does not belong to you.
Do not tell a lie or accuse someone of something that is not true.
Do not long for things that other people have. Be satisfied with what God has given you.
God showed up on Mount Sinai in a powerful, terrifying, authoritative way.
He wanted the Israelites to comprehend the enormous significance of being His representatives to the rest of the world!
Do you realize that if you have accepted what Jesus did for you on the cross, you are God’s child and His representative? Does your life show others how they can know and enjoy Him? Our lives are often the only way others will learn about God.
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