January 2001
Exodus Chapter 20
There has never been a public display of God’s power with such overwhelming force and drama as God’s appearance caused at Mt. Sinai three months after the Israelites fled Egypt.
The best special effects creations of today’s Hollywood film makers could not simulate the awesome public event of the Lord’s descent upon Mt. Sinai to deliver the Ten Commandments to Moses and Aaron.
The close of the 19th Chapter of Exodus provides us a dramatic and vivid picture of how the Lord displayed His power and presence before the Israel nation.
The Lord’s arrival was preceded by thunder and lightning and a thick cloud of smoke engulfed the massive mountain. The Israel people "trembled" at the occurrence. The Lord descended upon the mountain top in "fire"; and smoke ascended up into the air like a "furnace" and cloaked in the entire mountain in a dense haze. His arrival was sounded by an extremely loud and long trumpet sound. The entire mountain quaked like an earthquake. Exodus 19:16-19.
God then spoke directly to Moses and Aaron, while the multitude stayed afar in obedience to the Lord’s warning not to approach near the mountain in any curious attempt to see the Lord.
Chapter 20 begins with the Lord detailing out the 10 Commandments: He began by reminding that He was "Lord thy God" who had delivered the Israelites from Egyptian bondage. Then He began outlining the commandments.
1. There shall be no "gods" in preference over the Lord.
2. There should be no idolatry in the use of "graven images".
3. There should not be used the Lord’s name in vain, such as cursing or trivializing the Lord.
4. Keep the Sabbath day holy.
5. Honor thy father and mother; with a reward of long life.
6. Thou shalt not kill.
7. Thou shalt not commit adultery.
8. Thou shalt not steal.
9. Thou shalt not bear false witness.
10. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor, nor thy neighbor’s family nor his property. Exodus 20:3-17
The Israel people, standing afar were in awe of the power of the Lord because of the thunder, lightning, the loud trumpet, and the fire and thick smoke which engulfed the mountain. They were afraid and told Moses to relay the Lord’s message, but were afraid to hear directly from the Lord.
Moses told them not to be afraid of the Lord, but to respect His power and use their fear to obey the commandments.
The Lord gave Moses special instructions to relay to the people for the exclusive worship of the Lord. The Lord demanded worship altars of "earth" for the making of burnt offerings, peace offerings, sheep and oxen.
If the people chose to use an altar of stone, the Lord demanded the use of natural stone, and not stone which had been hand cut, "for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it." Exodus 20:25
The Lord’s deliverance of the Ten Commandments must have been an impressive display of power to those in attendance, the likes of which they had not seen. The Lord had provided tremendous miracles (dividing the sea), but this time the drama of the entire display was overwhelming.
In addition to delivering the Ten Commandments, the Lord also instructed Moses on a number of laws regarding the treatment of servants, acts of violence toward each other, and laws of responsibility and restitution, and laws of human relations, and instruction for growing crop on the land, and for celebrating and worshiping through feasts. All these instructions deserve individual reading and study. See Exodus Chapters 21-23. The total time for all instruction to Moses would take an extended time. At one point Moses spent 40 days on the smoked mountain with the Lord. Exodus 24:18.