Purpose: To explore the making of the Mosaic covenant to help us understand our responsibility in God’s covenant with us.
Scripture: Exodus 19:1-6, 24:3-8
Think of some examples of limitations that certain institutions have on our lives.
There are many:
We have traffic laws that limit how fast we drive, which lanes we can drive in, where we can enter onto or exit from the road, etc. These laws place certain limitations on how we behave while driving.
We have local, state, and federal agencies that are charged with financing our governmental programs. These agencies collect taxes from our income, on our property, and on items that we buy and sell. These agencies place certain limitations on our finances.
Our jobs place limitations on our time and energies.
What effect does these limitations have on us?
The limitations set boundaries.
What are the potential problems when we ignore the boundaries?
What are some boundaries that God places on our lives? And, why?
Exo 19:1-6 ESV
(1) On the third new moon after the people of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, on that day they came into the wilderness of Sinai.
(2) They set out from Rephidim and came into the wilderness of Sinai, and they encamped in the wilderness. There Israel encamped before the mountain,
(3) while Moses went up to God. The LORD called to him out of the mountain, saying, "Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the people of Israel:
(4) You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself.
(5) Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine;
(6) and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel."
On the third new moon (50 days) after the Passover, the people of Israel came to Mount Sinai. At Mt. Sinai the people received further revelation of the covenant that God had made with Abraham and promised to his descendants. The Feast of Pentecost was and is celebrated 50 days after Passover in remembrance of this great day at Mt. Sinai.
What was promised to the people of Israel by God?
What boundaries did God place on this promised covenant?
God made several promises to the Israelites at Mt. Sinai. He promised them that they would be His "treasured possession among all peoples".
Did God tell the Israelites that they alone were the people of God?
God told the Israelites that they would become "a kingdom of priests and a holy nation".
Were the promises made unconditionally?
The key word in the passage is in verse 5. That key word is "if".
IF "you obey my voice and keep my covenant". If and only if. They Israelites would not become a holy nation if they did not obey God and keep His covenant. The Israelites would not remain a holy nation if they did not continue to obey God and keep His covenant.
Scripture is filled with the conditional word "if". The major function of prophets is to warn us about the "ifs". In what ways do people sometimes bypass the "ifs" of God’s word? Why?
What are the results of ignoring the "ifs"?
The Book of Exodus relates the dramatic way in which God delivered the Israelite people from bondage. Were the people of Israel freed from Egypt so that they could go and do as they pleased?
The purpose of the deliverance from Egypt was not simply so that the people of Israel could be freed from a dire situation. The people of Israel were freed for a purpose. God did not simply say to Pharoah, "Let my people go." God said, "Let my people go so that they may worship me..." Once safely out of Egypt, the Hebrew people were never free to do as they pleased. Both the purpose and the goal of their freedom was so that they may worship God.
What does it mean to be God’s chosen people?
This lesson and the lesson from last Sunday are clear in their statements that God chose the Hebrews out of all the people of the earth. God’s choice of the Hebrew people was a foundational part of their self-understanding as a people. For the Hebrews it was important to understand what they had been chosen for, not why they as a people had been chosen. They knew that they had not been selected because of any particular piety. The law was not given to them until after they were chosen. They were no better than any other people. There is no indication that God did not love other peoples also. Just because the Israelites were considered a "treasured possession" does not make other peoples any less a possession of God. Verse 5 could be restated: "Because all the earth is mine, you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation."
Were they called to the priesthood only to minister to the other priests(i.e. the nation of Israel)?
The world was the congregation of the Hebrew people. The Hebrews were called to show God to all the world.
God does not love only the priest who serves a congregation. God loves the entire congregation and demonstrates that love by providing a priest for them. God did not and does not love only his kingdom of priests but through them is showing faithful love to all of creation.
All the earth and all its peoples belong to God. God elected a nation of people to serve as His instrument in the world. Israel was not chosen for its own benefit and blessing, but in order to bring the benefit and blessing of salvation to all people. Through Israel God reached out to all humankind. Israel would be the bridge between God and all other peoples.
What was the Hebrews responsibility to the covenant?
To obey and keep the covenant, to remain holy.
What parallel to this covenant relates to us as Christians?
1Pe 2:9 ESV
(9) But you (all Christians) are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
We as Christians are also freed for the same purposes that the Hebrews were. We are the next royal priesthood. It is now our responsibility to reach out to all humankind. We are now the bridge.
In what ways do you exercise your role as priest?
This lesson from the story of the Hebrews tells of a covenant that is filled with grace. We tend to think of the Old Testament covenants as legalistic and the New Testament covenants as examples of grace. In my opinion, this is a misconception. We tend to believe that if people in Old Testament times wanted to be acceptable before God, they had to obey the Law.
Is this the belief of the modern church, that people in the Old Testament were saved by observing the Law but that we are saved by grace?
In "Adult Bible Studies" the author makes a statement: "We (Christians) do not live holy lives in order to be saved. Rather, having already been saved by God’s grace through faith, it finally becomes possible for us to live holy lives." What does this statement say about Christian’s relationship with God through our covenant?
What does it say about the Hebrews relationship with God?
Did God save the Israelites because they obeyed the law?
We can never be good enough to earn our salvation. We do, however cooperate with God in our salvation. Salvation is entirely (and always has been) a matter of grace, but we still must receive God’s grace. We must respond to God’s grace. Thus, we say we are saved by grace through faith. Sanctification (being a holy person of God) follows justification. It does not precede it and never has. Holiness is not something that we can accomplish. Holiness is a work of God.
What do you think it means that the Israelites were called to be a "priestly kingdom and a holy nation?
What do you think it means that Peter calls all Christians to be a "royal priesthood, a holy nation"?
The passage from 1 Peter is the basis for the theological principal known as the "Priesthood of all believers."
When you hear the phrase "Priesthood of all believers" what do you think?
Do you think that it applies to you?
This "Priesthood of All Believers" asserts that God calls every Christian into ministry. Our ministry is the same as that of the people of Moses. We are to make God visible in the world to folks that would otherwise never see Him.
The covenant given at Mt. Sinai spells out laws of behavior that Israel must keep in order to be God’s cherished people, the kingdom of priests. We as Christians are also called to behave in ways that often set us apart and make us seem strange or different. The New Covenant requires that we die to our old way of life and live in a way that honors Christ.
Do you think that there are many people who want the benefits of the covenant, but do not desire to fulfill their covenantal obligations?
Exo 24:3-8 ESV
(3) Moses came and told the people all the words of the LORD and all the rules. And all the people answered with one voice and said, "All the words that the LORD has spoken we will do."
(4) And Moses wrote down all the words of the LORD. He rose early in the morning and built an altar at the foot of the mountain, and twelve pillars, according to the twelve tribes of Israel.
(5) And he sent young men of the people of Israel, who offered burnt offerings and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen to the LORD.
(6) And Moses took half of the blood and put it in basins, and half of the blood he threw against the altar.
(7) Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it in the hearing of the people. And they said, "All that the LORD has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient."
(8) And Moses took the blood and threw it on the people and said, "Behold the blood of the covenant that the LORD has made with you in accordance with all these words."
What was the people's response to the covenant offered them by God?
"All the words that the Lord has spoken we will do."
What do you think would be the result if the people had not obeyed and kept the covenant?
What are the similarities between the covenant God made with the Hebrew people at Mt. Sinai and the baptismal vows we take in the United Methodist Church?
"Will you be loyal to the United Methodist Church and uphold it by your prayers, your presence, your gifts, and your service?"
Just as Moses told the people what God expected of them and the people responded with pledges of obedience, so our baptismal and membership vows clarify expectations and the entire faith community is expected to respond with pledges of obedience.
What will be the result if we do not obey our vows and keep the covenant?
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