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Expanded Comments |
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| 1 In the third month, by the coming forth of the sons of Israel out of the land of Egypt, on this day, came they into the desert of Sinai: |
To meet with God – There was no priestly intervention. A55
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| 2 then was it that they brake up out of Rephidim, and came into the desert of Sinai, and encamped in the desert,–yea Israel encamped there, before the mountain. |
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| 3 And, when, Moses, had gone up unto God, then called Yahweh unto him, out of the mountain, saying, Thus, shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, And tell the sons of Israel: |
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| 4 Ye, have seen, what, I did unto the Egyptians,–And how I bare you upon wings of eagles, And brought you in, unto myself:– |
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| 5 Now, therefore, if ye will, indeed hearken, to my voice, And keep my covenant, Then shall ye be mine, as a treasure beyond all the peoples, For, mine, is all the earth; |
If ye will – Are you (Israel) ready now to enter into a covenant of full consecration to do my will? R5285:4
Its commands had nothing to do with any nation but Israel, then or since; nor are they applicable now to spiritual Israel. R4013:3
Obey my voice – It was God's object in making the Law covenant to prove to Israel their own imperfection and inability to live in harmony with God. R282:3
Keep my covenant – The measure of a perfect man's ability. QV428:6
If Israel should keep perfectly the Ten Commandments they would thereby demonstrate that they were perfect men, worthy of everlasting life. R5286:2, R4902:3, R5292:2, R5732:5
The Law covenant was an addition to the Abrahamic covenant and was typical. R5301:5
The mediation (through Moses) of the old Law covenant brought Israel into typical relationship to God; the mediation (through Christ) of the New Law covenant will bring all mankind into actual covenant relationship. R5292:2
The time not having come for the development of the great Mediator, God made a typical arrangement with the nation of Israel. R4902:3
It is not the Law that was important, since God always had a law over his creatures; but the covenant, according to which they were to be treated as servants, not sinners, if faithful to its requirements. R1724:4
None actuated by love have any desire to violate the law of commandments. R543:2
The Christian's responsibility is transferred from the Father to our Lord Jesus. Hence he is no longer under Jehovah's Law given at Sinai, but now "under law to Christ." (1 Cor. 9:21) R542:6
A peculiar treasure – For more than 18 centuries God's dealings were with this people exclusively. "Ye only have I known of all the families of the earth." (Amos 3:2) Q792:4
Obedience would qualify them to be the seed of Abraham to bless the world. R5732:5
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| 6 But, ye, shall be mine, As a kingdom of priests, And a holy nation. These, are the words, which thou shalt speak unto the sons of Israel. |
Kingdom of priests – Type of the Royal Priesthood, the Holy Nation, the Church. B246, CR485:1
God's favor to natural Israel was because they were the seed of Abraham; not because they were holier than others. R5917:3
Israel was first invited to be the antitypical Royal Priesthood. R5532:6
Israel knew they were the favored seed of Abraham, the natural heirs of the promises. R5285:4
An holy nation – Separated from other nations for a particular purpose, and therefore to enjoy certain special favors. A71
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| 7 Then came Moses, and called for the elders of the people,–and put before them all these words, which Yahweh had commanded him. |
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| 8 And all the people responded together, and said, All that Yahweh hath spoken, will we do. And Moses took back the words of the people, unto Yahweh. |
All the people – The entire nation was a consecrated people. R1742:6
All that – Jesus explained it to mean to love God with all the heart, mind, soul and strength, and one's neighbor as one's self. PD35/46
To do justice to your neighbor as you wish your neighbor to do justice to you is the essence of the Law. (Matt. 7:12) SM352:2
We will do – We agree to keep your Law and you agree to give us life. R4696:2
The Law said, Obey! and he who fails in one point is guilty of all. R614:5
The faithful among them, who earnestly endeavored in their weakness to keep this covenant, will, in the Millennial age, be "princes in all the earth." (Psa. 45:16) B207
The Ten Commandments demand absolute perfection of thought and deed for their fulfillment. R543:2
They saw only the outward aspect and not the spirit of the Law. R4013:2
It did not seem to occur to Israel that they might not be able to obey the Law perfectly. R1724:5
God was bound to give Israel eternal life if they would keep that Law. R4902:3
Alas for poor humanity's self-confidence; that which they thought would gain life emphatically condemned all under it to death. R454:6
No fallen human being could possibly keep the letter of the Law, but God dealt with the Israelites as though they could. Their sacrifices were typical. OV428:6
It served them well as a servant to bring them to Christ. R1724:5
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| 9 Then said Yahweh unto Moses: Lo! I, am coming unto thee in the veiling of cloud, in order that the people may hear when I speak with thee, moreover also, that, in thee, they may trust to times age-abiding. Then told Moses the words of the people, unto Yahweh. |
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| 10 And Yahweh said unto Moses–Go unto the people, and thou shalt hallow them today, and tomorrow,–and they shall wash their clothes; |
Said unto Moses – Type of Christ, Head and Body. R3037:5; D630
Unto the people – All those of mankind desirous of entering covenant relationship with God. R3037:5
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| 11 and shall be ready, by the third day,–for, on the third day, will Yahweh come down in the sight of all the people, upon Mount Sinai. |
For the third day – The three days of purification represent the Gospel age. Our Lord's first advent occurred early on the fifth thousand-year day, the sixth day has passed, and we are now in the morning of the seventh or "Millennial" day. R3037:5
The New Law covenant will be made during the Millennial day-the Jewish "day" and Gospel "day" being preparatory. R4570:3*
Upon mount Sinai – Type of the Kingdom of God. R3037:6, R4037:5; D630
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| 12 So then thou shalt set bounds for the people round about, saying, Take heed to yourselves–that ye go not up into the mountain, nor touch the boundary thereof, whosoever toucheth the mountain, shall, surely die. |
Shalt set bounds – During the two thousand-year days just past, God, through Christ, has been marking out the bounds of the Kingdom class: who might and might not come into the Kingdom. R3037:6
Take heed – "God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him." (Psa. 89:7) R2002:2
Touch the border – Our God is a consuming fire to all who attempt to approach him except through Christ. R2035:6
Surely put to death – How can we escape if we disregard the voice of the great Mediator of the New covenant, and the remarkable circumstances which now accompany its establishment. R5990:4
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| 13 No hand shall touch it, but he shall be, surely stoned, or be, surely shot, whether, beast or man, he shall not live,–When the ram's horn soundeth, they themselves, shall come up within the mount. |
Whether it be beast – The Hebrew used the word "hands" for beast as well as for man. The Hebrew word for hand, yad, is rendered "paw" in (1 Sam. 17:37). R3044:5
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| 14 Then Moses went down out of the mount, unto the people,–and hallowed the people, and they washed their clothes. |
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| 15 And he said unto the people, Be ready, by the third day,–do not approach a woman. |
Be ready – Typifying still greater purifying of all who accept the New covenant. R2022:5
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| 16 And it came to pass, on the third day, when the morning had come, that there were thunderings and lightnings, and a heavy cloud upon the mount, and the sound of a horn, loud exceedingly,–and all the people who were in the camp trembled. |
Thunders – Only a typical representation of the greater glory of the New-covenant--"the glory that excelleth." (2 Cor. 3:9, 10) R1404:6
Thunder tones of judgment that "call the earth from the rising of the sun until the going down thereof." (Psa. 50:1) R5990:4, R1914:4
And lightnings – Lightning flashes of truth and righteousness. R1914:4, R5990:4
Frequent flashes of light from the storm clouds surrounding the invisible presence of our King in the daily press illuminate the principles of the Word of God. R1913:3
A thick cloud – Symbol of the time of trouble. D630; R3037:5, R5990:1, R1914:4
Voice of the trumpet – Type of the Seventh Trumpet of liberty. D630; B148
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| 17 And Moses brought forth the people, to meet God, out of the camp,–and they stationed themselves in the lower part of the mount. |
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| 18 And, Mount Sinai, smoked, all over, because Yahweh had come down thereon, in fire,–and the smoke thereof went up as the smoke of a furnace, and all the mountain trembled exceedingly. |
Smoke of a furnace – Symbol of the time of trouble. D630; C146
Quaked greatly – Typifying the fearful sights, terrifying sounds, in the end of this age. D630; R5990:1
Not only the earth (society) and the mountains (kingdoms), but the heavens also (ecclesiastical powers), so that only the unshakable principles of truth and righteousness may endure. R1914:5
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| 19 And, as oft as the sound of the horn went on and became exceeding loud, Moses, spake and, God, responded to him with a voice. |
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| 20 Thus came Yahweh down upon Mount Sinai, unto the top of the mount,–and Yahweh called Moses unto the top of the mount, and Moses, went up. |
And Moses – Type of The Christ, Head and Body. D630; A79; B255
Went up – Glorified. D630
So the entire Church must go into the mountain (Kingdom) with Christ. OV286:2
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| 21 Then said Yahweh unto Moses, Go down, adjure the people,–lest they press through unto Yahweh, to see, and so there fall from among them a multitude. |
Many of them perish – It is just as impossible for men to see the unveiled qlory of the Lord Jesus as it is for them to behold Jehovah. (Exod. 33:20; Heb. 1:3) B131
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| 22 Yea, even the priests who do approach unto Yahweh, must hallow themselves,–lest Yahweh break in upon them. |
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| 23 And Moses said unto Yahweh, The people cannot come up into Mount Sinai,–for, thou thyself, hast adjured us, saying: Set bounds to the mountain and hallow it. |
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| 24 And Yahweh said unto him–Away, down! then shalt thou come up, thou and Aaron with thee,–but, as for the priests and the people, let it not be that they press through to come up unto Yahweh, lest he break in upon them. |
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| 25 So Moses went down unto the people,–and said [these things] unto them. |
Spake unto them – The Reformers recognized the difference between Moses as a prophet and as a law-giver; maintaining that as law-giver his authority extended only over Israel. R976:2
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