Living Room Study

Exodus 19

“The Lord directed Moses, ‘Go down and warn the people not to break through to see the Lord; otherwise, many of them will die.  Even the priests who come near the Lord must purify themselves, or the Lord will break out against them.’  But Moses responded to the Lord, ‘The people cannot come up Mount Sinai since you warned us: Put a boundary around the mountain and consider it holy.’”  Exodus 19:21-23

Several months after their exodus from Egypt, Moses was obviously frustrated with the children of Israel. Bellyaching had replaced appreciation as the national demeanor of God’s people. It is easy to be frustrated with complaining people. The Bible calls us “sheep”, in obvious need of a shepherd.

At this point in the exodus, though, Moses seems frustrated with God. The source of his frustration concerned God’s promise, made when He called Moses to lead Israel.

“But Moses asked God, ‘Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and that I should bring the Israelites out of Egypt?  God answered, ‘I will certainly be with you, and this will be the sign to you that I have sent you: when you bring the people out of Egypt, you will all worship God at this mountain.’” Exodus 3:11-12

Moses had done all God had told him to do. He went to Egypt, spoke to Israel, spoke to Pharaoh, obeyed the Lord, led Israel out… In Moses’ heart, he must have felt he held-up his end of the bargain. Now, at what he thought was the end, Moses was ready to see the confirmation of his calling. The people were standing at the foot of the mountain, and all Moses needs to see was for Israel to worship, and it would all have been worth it. But God withheld Israel from coming up the mountain!

Why would God withhold the fulfillment of His promise to Moses? More so, why would He deny Israel the freedom to worship in His presence?

Worship is a matter of the heart, and Israel’s heart was not ready. Nor was Moses’ heart. Much of what men would let pass for worship, the Lord literally cannot stand!

Has the Lord withheld something from you, lately? Trust that His judgment & timing are completely aligned with His perfect character. Wait on the Lord’s timing. Who knows what the world would be like today, had Israel waited and worshipped until Moses returned from the mountain, bearing the tablets of the 10 Commandments?

Blessings.

Steve Wiggins