Chapter 27—The Law Given to Israel
This chapter is based on
Exodus 19
to
24
.
Soon after the encampment at Sinai, Moses was called up into the
mountain to meet with God. Alone he climbed the steep and rugged
path, and drew near to the cloud that marked the place of Jehovah’s
presence. Israel was now to be taken into a close and peculiar relation
to the Most High—to be incorporated as a church and a nation under
the government of God. The message to Moses for the people was:
“Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you
on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto Myself. Now therefore, if ye
will obey My voice indeed, and keep My covenant, then ye shall be a
peculiar treasure unto Me above all people: for all the earth is Mine:
and ye shall be unto Me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation.”
Moses returned to the camp, and having summoned the elders of
Israel, he repeated to them the divine message. Their answer was, “All
that the Lord hath spoken we will do.” Thus they entered into a solemn
covenant with God, pledging themselves to accept Him as their ruler,
by which they became, in a special sense, the subjects of His authority.
Again their leader ascended the mountain, and the Lord said unto
him, “Lo, I come unto thee in a thick cloud, that the people may hear
when I speak with thee, and believe thee forever.” When they met with
difficulties in the way, they were disposed to murmur against Moses
and Aaron, and accuse them of leading the hosts of Israel from Egypt
to destroy them. The Lord would honor Moses before them, that they
might be led to confide in his instructions.
God purposed to make the occasion of speaking His law a scene
of awful grandeur, in keeping with its exalted character. The people
were to be impressed that everything connected with the service of
God must be regarded with the greatest reverence. The Lord said to
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Moses, “Go unto the people, and sanctify them today and tomorrow,
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
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