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Expanded Comments |
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| 1 In the third month after the departure of the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt, the same day came they into the wilderness of Sinai: |
To meet with God – There was no priestly intervention. A55
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| 2 they departed from Rephidim, and came into the wilderness of Sinai, and encamped in the wilderness; and Israel encamped there before the mountain. |
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| 3 And Moses went up to God, and Jehovah called to him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel: |
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| 4 Ye have seen what I have done to the Egyptians, and how I have borne you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself. |
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| 5 And now, if ye will hearken to my voice indeed and keep my covenant, then shall ye be my own possession out of all the peoples--for all the earth is mine-- |
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 and ye shall be to me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak to the children 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 And Moses came and called the elders of the people, and laid before the mall these words which Jehovah had commanded him. |
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| 8 And all the people answered together, and said, All that Jehovah has spoken will we do! And Moses brought the words of the people back to Jehovah. |
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 And Jehovah said to Moses, Lo, I will come to thee in the cloud's thick darkness, that the people may hear when I speak with thee, and believe thee also for ever. And Moses told the words of the people to Jehovah. |
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| 10 And Jehovah said to Moses, Go to the people, and hallow them to-day and to-morrow, and let them 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 let them be ready for the third day; for on the third day Jehovah will come down before the eyes of all the people on 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 And set bounds round about the people, saying, Take heed to yourselves, not to go up unto the mountain nor touch the border of it: whatever toucheth the mountain shall certainly be put to death: |
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 not a hand shall touch it, but it shall certainly be stoned, or shot through; whether it be a beast or a man, it shall not live. When the long drawn note of the trumpet soundeth, they shall come up to the mountain. |
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 And Moses came down from the mountain to the people, and hallowed the people; and they washed their clothes. |
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| 15 And he said to the people, Be ready for the third day; do not come near your wives. |
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 it was morning, that there were thunders and lightnings and a heavy cloud on the mountain, and the sound of the trumpet exceeding loud; and the whole people that was 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 the people out of the camp to meet with God; and they stood at the foot of the mountain. |
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| 18 And the whole of mount Sinai smoked, because Jehovah descended on it in fire; and its smoke ascended as the smoke of a furnace; and the whole mountain shook greatly. |
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 the sound of the trumpet increased and became exceeding loud; Moses spoke, and God answered him by a voice. |
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| 20 And Jehovah came down on mount Sinai, on the top of the mountain; and Jehovah called Moses to the top of the mountain, 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 And Jehovah said to Moses, Go down, testify to the people that they break not through to Jehovah to gaze, and many of them perish. |
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 And the priests also, who come near to Jehovah, shall hallow themselves, lest Jehovah break forth on them. |
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| 23 And Moses said to Jehovah, The people cannot come up to mount Sinai; for thou hast testified to us, saying, Set bounds about the mountain, and hallow it. |
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| 24 And Jehovah said to him, Go, descend, and thou shalt come up, thou, and Aaron with thee; but the priests and the people shall not break through to go up to Jehovah, lest he break forth on them. |
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| 25 So Moses went down to the people, and told 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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