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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadPaul Kretzmann Commentary - Exodus 19:16 - 19:25
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The Terrifying Events of the Third Day
v. 16. And it came to pass on the third day in the morning that there were thunders and lightnings and a thick cloud upon the mount. There were all the signs of an unusual, supernatural thunder-shower. The darkness indicated that the holy God is unapproachable, yeiling Himself from mortals even when He discloses Himself, for it is impossible for sinners to look upon His open glory. And the voice of the trumpet (was) exceeding loud, so that all the people that was in the camp trembled. The blasts of the horn, terrifying in themselves, became doubly so since their source was the divine presence on the mountain, where the Lord had now come down with His holy angels to make known His holy will, Deu_33:2; Act_7:53; Gal_3:19. No wonder the people heard the sound only with great fear and trembling.
v. 17. And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God, all of them were to be assembled before Him as His holy congregation; and they stood at the nether part of the mount, at its foot.
v. 18. And Mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, the entire mountain being enveloped in smoke, because the Lord descended upon it in fire; and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, of a great smelter, and the whole mount quaked greatly. The nearer the people came to the mountain, the more impressively was the scene enrolled before their eyes, and the greater their terror became.
v. 19. And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, gained in intensity or strength, Moses spake from the foot of the mountain, asking God for His commands, and God answered him by a voice, an articulate sound which could be understood.
v. 20. And the Lord came down upon Mount Sinai, on the top of the mount; and the Lord called Moses up to the top of the mount. And Moses went up, in order to speak to Him alone.
v. 21. And the Lord said unto Moses, Go down, charge the people, testify before or upon them, lest they break through unto the Lord to gaze, and many of them perish. To go beyond the fence and encroach upon the territory set aside for the Lord's revelation was courting death.
v. 22. And let the priests also which come near to the Lord, those who had till then had charge of the priestly functions among the people, sanctify themselves, lest the Lord break forth upon them, strike them down and utterly destroy them.
v. 23. And Moses said unto the Lord, The people cannot come up to Mount Sinai; for Thou chargedst us, saying, Set bounds about the mount, and sanctify it. The fence had proved its value as a barrier in preventing the people from ascending the mount.
v. 24. And the Lord said unto him, Away, get thee down, and thou shalt come up, thou and Aaron with thee; but let not the priests and the people break through to come up unto the Lord, lest He break forth upon them, strike them down in His anger.
v. 25. And Moses went down to the people and spake unto them. The entire story reminds us of the fact that we believers of the New Testament are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire,. . but unto Mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God,. . and to Jesus, the Mediator of the New Covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel, Heb_12:18-24.