Draw Near To God

Exodus 20.1-21

Turn to I Corinthians 10.1-13, as a commentary on Israelite in Exodus.

The manifestations of God's majesty and power and holiness terrified the people. This was to show then how important obeying God's law, which being given, was. The Ten Commandments dealt with life and death issues. They were etched in stone and carried along with the nation in Ark of the Covenant to show their permanence. Jesus spoke about the way to love and told us in the Sermon on the Mount that the wise man builds his house on the rock- upon the Ten Commandments - upon Christ Himself. The foolish man builds his house upon the sand.
The rock doesn't move- it has a firm foundation.
The sand (man's wisdom which is constantly changing) fell apart in the storm while the house built on the rock stood firm. So build your house on the LORD Jesus Christ.

Breaking the commandments, disobeying God's Word, results in spiritual death. Think about this matter of bearing false witness:- death of reputations, death of relationships...

The law was being given and the people were to listen. There were boundaries around Sinai but they failed to draw close. While Moses was on the mountain (and while they were being fed bread from heaven each day), God intended for the nation to listen in. They chose not to and ended up sinning against the LORD. Let's learn from their example.

1. The Law Had Been Given. vs.1-17
It was both spoken and written (as it was recorded by Moses). The Ten Commandments came from God's Throne in heaven to His people on earth.. Jesus taught us to pray to our Father in Heaven, "May Your Will be done on earth as it is in heaven." The obedience to the Commandments is an answer to prayer. When you pray it, think of this.

The law was given with extraordinary terror but Jesus came from the Father full of grace and truth.

The terror and them being written on stone tablets show their permanence- Don't tamper with this document- it has been written on stone, rack that cannot be torn up or made void. If someone tries and tears it up then only tear themselves up. Jesus said, "Heaven and earth will pass away but my words will never pass away."

2. The People Distanced Themselves From God. v.18
Not the LORD's intention, He had commanded that they not touch the mountain of try to come up on it. The limits were not to keep them far away but to allow then to come as close as possible without death.
James 4.8 Come near to God and He will come near to you.
They stayed at a distance = remote place, far, distant lands. Egypt was still in them as we will soon see in chapter 32.

3. The Nation Did Not Want To Hear God's Voice. v.19
The terrors of Sinai reveal the need of Calvary
Amos 8.11 a famine for hearing the words of the LORD
We see in their cry this desire for a mediator, which would be Jesus Christ. Yet when He came they rejected Him.
It would have been better at this point that they would have stayed and heard God's voice directly. They distances themselves so they wouldn't hear it and disaster followed.
We can still fear God and draw near... in fact...

4. Test Draw Us Close Or Drive Us Away From The LORD. vs.20-21
Through love and reverence a deep desire should come to each of us not to sin.
They were not to fear being struck by lightening but there are eternal consequences for breaking God's laws.
Hebrews 12.14-29
Psalm 145.18-19 The LORD is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth, He fulfills the desires of those who fear Him; He hears their cry and saves them.

How to draw near to God: Listen to His Word, Call upon Him in reverence and love...

Now walk with God.