Post-Resurrection Monday: A 31-day Lenten Devotional Series by Rev. Dave Brown
On the third day the LORD came down on Mt. Sinai. Here’s how the meeting was described.
“On the morning of third day there were thunders and lightnings and a thick cloud on the mountain and a very loud trumpet blast so that the people trembled.” Then Moses brought
the people out of the camp and they took their stand at the foot of the mountain. Now
Mt. Sinai was wrapped in smoke because the Lord had descended on it in fire. The smoke
of it went up like the smoke of a kiln, and the whole mountain trembled greatly. As the sound of the trumpet grew louder, Moses spoke and God answered him in thunder.” (19:16-19)
Walter Kaiser said of this moment: “The advent of God took place amid a most impressive display of cosmic disruptions.” What difference did it make? Here are a few impressions.
First, this was a time of fear and trembling. Everyone in the camp trembled. (v. 16) In a corresponding verse in Hebrews, the writer reveals: “so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, “I am trembling with fear. (Heb. 12:21). “A deep moral impression was made on the people for they were in the presence of the glorious majesty of the Holy God. who was about to reveal his person and character in his law. This magnificent event will be unexcelled until the Lord Jesus returns again in blazing fire.” (Kaiser:418)
Secondly, this was a time of intentional movement. Moses brought the people out of the camp; Moses was called up the Mountain; the Lord came down on Mount Sinai; the priests (firstborn sons) were invited to come near to the LORD; Moses was told to go down to get Aaron and to bring Aaron with him.
Thirdly, this was to be a time of intense anticipation. Of course, the immediate thing to anticipate was the revelation of God’s law by which the people of God were to live in response to a holy God. God speaks to his people with clear guidance for living according to his will.
Reflections: This moment anticipates something greater than the revelation of God’s moral law. This is spelled out in detail in Hebrews 12:18-24. “For you have not come to what may be touched (Mt Sinai); “But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.” Mt Sinai reveals our sin; Mt Zion reveals the one who took away our sin by bearing it in his body on the cross. Because of His sacrifice, we may leave all fear and trembling behind and join the festal gathering and assemble with all those enrolled in heaven as forgiven and perfected saints.