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Patriarchs and Prophets
upon Mount Sinai.” During these intervening days all were to occupy
the time in solemn preparation to appear before God. Their person and
their clothing must be freed from impurity. And as Moses should point
out their sins, they were to devote themselves to humiliation, fasting,
and prayer, that their hearts might be cleansed from iniquity.
The preparations were made, according to the command; and in
obedience to a further injunction, Moses directed that a barrier be
placed about the mount, that neither man nor beast might intrude upon
the sacred precinct. If any ventured so much as to touch it, the penalty
was instant death.
On the morning of the third day, as the eyes of all the people were
turned toward the mount, its summit was covered with a thick cloud,
which grew more black and dense, sweeping downward until the entire
mountain was wrapped in darkness and awful mystery. Then a sound
as of a trumpet was heard, summoning the people to meet with God;
and Moses led them forth to the base of the mountain. From the thick
darkness flashed vivid lightnings, while peals of thunder echoed and
re-echoed among the surrounding heights. “And Mount Sinai was
altogether on a smoke, because the Lord descended upon it in fire: and
the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole
mount quaked greatly.” “The glory of the Lord was like devouring fire
on the top of the mount” in the sight of the assembled multitude. And
“the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder.”
So terrible were the tokens of Jehovah’s presence that the hosts of
Israel shook with fear, and fell upon their faces before the Lord. Even
Moses exclaimed, “I exceedingly fear and quake.”
Hebrews 12:21
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And now the thunders ceased; the trumpet was no longer heard;
the earth was still. There was a period of solemn silence, and then
the voice of God was heard. Speaking out of the thick darkness that
enshrouded Him, as He stood upon the mount, surrounded by a retinue
of angels, the Lord made known His law. Moses, describing the scene,
says: “The Lord came from Sinai, and rose up from Seir unto them;
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He shined forth from Mount Paran, and He came with ten thousands
of saints: from His right hand went a fiery law for them. Yea, He loved
the people; all His saints are in Thy hand: and they sat down at Thy
feet; every one shall receive of Thy words.”
Deuteronomy 33:2, 3
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Jehovah revealed Himself, not alone in the awful majesty of the
judge and lawgiver, but as the compassionate guardian of His people: