Exo. 19:16-2516And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled. 17And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God; and they stood at the nether part of the mount. 18And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the Lord descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly. 19And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice. 20And 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. 21And the Lord said unto Moses, Go down, charge the people, lest they break through unto the Lord to gaze, and many of them perish. 22And let the priests also, which come near to the Lord, sanctify themselves, lest the Lord break forth upon them. 23And 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. 24And 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. 25So Moses went down unto the people, and spake unto them. (Exodus 19:16‑25)
“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, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled.” Well might they tremble as they stood in the presence of God in all His holiness. How terrible was His majesty! Those great thunders and lightnings spoke of His power in judgment, for He must appear in this way when coming into contact with sinners.
Moses brought the people to meet with God and they stood at the base of the mount. The Lord descended upon it in fire and the smoke ascended like that of a great furnace, and the whole mountain quaked greatly. The people trembled at the signs of God’s presence because in their folly they had undertaken to meet Him on the ground of what they were in themselves, on the ground of what they could do for Him, instead of casting themselves on His mercy and His love.
Now they were made to feel what a mistake they had made. It is a solemn thing to have to do with a holy God. Apart from the work of Christ, there is no escape for the sinner from God’s righteous judgment. Blessed be His name, Christ has answered to God for all that He is against sin, and He has “made peace through the blood of His cross.” Col. 1:2020And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. (Colossians 1:20). This is the sinner’s only refuge.
God had ordered that barriers were to be set around the mountain, and if anyone even touched the mount he would be stoned or shot through with a dart. But God called Moses up to Him to the top of the mountain because in His grace He was going to use him to be a mediator between Himself and His people. Here Moses is a type of the Lord Jesus. “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; who gave Himself a ransom for all.” 1 Tim. 2:5,65For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; 6Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. (1 Timothy 2:5‑6).
God told Moses to go down and “charge the people, lest they break through unto the LORD to gaze, and many of them perish.” v.21. Priests and people, everyone, were to be kept at a distance, except Moses and Aaron.
These solemn details show that man cannot stand before God on his own merits; furthermore, if a sinner ventures to come into contact with Him on any ground apart from the work of Christ, it can only end in his destruction. The claims of God’s holiness against sin can never be met except in the death of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Dear reader, if still unsaved, and trying to merit the favor of God by your own efforts, may the sight of devouring fire, the thunder and lightnings of Sinai cause you to flee at once to Jesus, the Saviour of sinners, and find your hiding-place in Him.
ML-01/04/1970