Israel's Calling
Exodus, Part 2 • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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· 3 viewsThe calling of the people of God.
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Speak O Lord, As We Come to You
Speak O Lord, As We Come to You
For the director of music. According to gittith. Of Asaph. 1 Sing for joy to God our strength; shout aloud to the God of Jacob! 2 Begin the music, strike the timbrel, play the melodious harp and lyre. 3 Sound the ram’s horn at the New Moon, and when the moon is full, on the day of our festival; 4 this is a decree for Israel, an ordinance of the God of Jacob. 5 When God went out against Egypt, he established it as a statute for Joseph. I heard an unknown voice say: 6 “I removed the burden from their shoulders; their hands were set free from the basket. 7 In your distress you called and I rescued you, I answered you out of a thundercloud; I tested you at the waters of Meribah. 8 Hear me, my people, and I will warn you— if you would only listen to me, Israel! 9 You shall have no foreign god among you; you shall not worship any god other than me. 10 I am the Lord your God, who brought you up out of Egypt. Open wide your mouth and I will fill it. 11 “But my people would not listen to me; Israel would not submit to me. 12 So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts to follow their own devices. 13 “If my people would only listen to me, if Israel would only follow my ways, 14 how quickly I would subdue their enemies and turn my hand against their foes! 15 Those who hate the Lord would cringe before him, and their punishment would last forever. 16 But you would be fed with the finest of wheat; with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”
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Israel’s Calling
Israel’s Calling
What is your reason for following God? Is it because you want to know you will not die and go to hell? Or perhaps, because you think it is the right thing to do? Or is it because you understand that God does not want slaves but He desires children He can have a relationship with and lavish good things upon? Do you have a love relationship with God or just a respect of Him?
Why do your children love you? Is it because you give them what they want or because they know you love them and want what is best for them? They understand that you will sometimes say “no” because you have their best interest at heart.
Unless we have been damaged through some terrible experience, we typically cannot help but love someone who loves us. Even if we do not love them back in the same way, we still feel a bit tender toward them due to their love for us.
I am convinced that we do not truly learn to love God until we come to understand to some degree, the depth of love He has for us. Once we begin to understand that concept, we begin to grow in our love for Him. As our love grows, so does our desire to do what will please Him.
However, people are not in a good place to discover this on their own. God has to reveal it to us. He had to start somewhere, so He chose a people to demonstrate through. There was never anything special about the Jews. They were just an instrument which God could show the world what He wished to do for all.
John Phillips said it this way, “The Jews were given light from God which the Gentiles never had. But they were never given love from God which the Gentiles did not have.” The only reason the Jews were given the light was so that they could share it with others.
Last summer, we began working our way through the book of Exodus where God began to really rev up His plan and purpose for this people group. Over the span of years when they were in Egypt, they grew in numbers fulfilling what God had shared with Abraham regarding the multitude of his descendents. Egypt had been a safe place for them to grow, but it was no longer safe. Their very existence was being threatened by a new Pharaoh who did not know Joseph or the good he had brought to Egypt. So, God planted an Israelite son in Pharaoh's household. This child would literally become like a son to Pharaoh. He would be instructed in how to lead people by the very person who wanted to destroy the children of Israel. However, when this son Moses, proves disloyal to Egypt, he flees for his life to the desert where he meets God at a burning bush.
God gave Moses a promise on that day.
12 And God said, “I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain.”
This summer, we will take up where we left off from last summer. It is the fulfillment of this promise. God has delivered the Israelites. They have traveled through the desert for three months and have now come to camp before the mountain. Today, this is where we will begin.
1 On the first day of the third month after the Israelites left Egypt—on that very day—they came to the Desert of Sinai. 2 After they set out from Rephidim, they entered the Desert of Sinai, and Israel camped there in the desert in front of the mountain. 3 Then Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain and said, “This is what you are to say to the descendants of Jacob and what you are to tell the people of Israel: 4 ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. 5 Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, 6 you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.” 7 So Moses went back and summoned the elders of the people and set before them all the words the Lord had commanded him to speak. 8 The people all responded together, “We will do everything the Lord has said.” So Moses brought their answer back to the Lord. 9 The Lord said to Moses, “I am going to come to you in a dense cloud, so that the people will hear me speaking with you and will always put their trust in you.” Then Moses told the Lord what the people had said.
The Word of God for the people of God. Thanks be to God!
I. Israel’s Calling
I. Israel’s Calling
I suspect many people consider a calling as something certain people receive from God. The truth is, we all have a calling. It is just a matter of whether or not we discover what it is.
However, nations can have a calling as well. The Pilgrim’s felt their call was to find a place to live where people could practice their faith in God in the way they chose or deemed God directed, instead of being forced by government mandates.
Peter describes our calling in 1 Peter 2:9-10
9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
Israel has not understood this either. But now they will be instructed in this same idea. God has been grooming them by displaying His mighty works on their behalf. God begins with...
A. The “IF” and “THEN” Conditions (vv 3-6)
A. The “IF” and “THEN” Conditions (vv 3-6)
Perhaps you have had this kind of discussion with your children. They ask you for something and you say, “IF you will clean your room, then I will take you for some ice cream.” Well, this is not quite like that, but I think you get the idea.
Of course, your kids ask you for ice cream because they know you can provide them with some. After all you have done so in the past. Well, the Children of Israel needed to know that God could do what He was promising to do. So, God had provided the means for them to experience what He was capable of doing. Now He reminds them to...
1. Remember What You Witnessed (v 4)
1. Remember What You Witnessed (v 4)
4 ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself.
The image of an eagle working with its wings to help its children mature is used by God. Slavery had left them like infants. Now God needed them to mature and take responsibility for their behavior.
One of my favorite commentaries was written by Warren Wiersbe. In his commentary he states, “If freedom doesn’t lead to maturity, then we end up imprisoned in a bondage worse than what we had before, a bondage from within and not from without.”
This inner freedom is the kind of freedom that God chooses to give us. It is bad enough when we are imprisoned by someone from the outside, but it is far worse when we are enslaved internally. Many may rescue us from a captor, but only God can save us from ourselves.
Just like the adult eagle, God exerts forces to push us out of our comfortable nest of sin into real freedom. When we panic and fall, He swoops in under us to carry us on His wings until we begin to understand how to float on the air of freedom. He then directs us to our ministry/purpose, which is where we really fly.
The Children of Israel would have let fear keep them in Egypt. God however, knew there was something far better for them. One writer said that God’s view of Egypt was that it was a furnace of affliction. Yet, to the Israelites they considered it food, shelter, and security, even though they were in bondage. George Morrison said, “It took one night to move Israel out of Egypt, but forty years to take Egypt out of Israel.”
God used the three months of travel to demonstrate that He was capable of sustaining them in their freedom. Not to mention all His actions to free them from Egypt to begin with.
However, they have a part they must play to keep this freedom. Freedom is not something that just happens. We have a responsibility to sustain it through wise actions. God then shares with them...
2. Their Responsibility (v 5)
2. Their Responsibility (v 5)
Their freedom and their reward are based on this “if” statement.
“…if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant...” Exodus 19:5
“…if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant...” Exodus 19:5
Captivity is not something that just happens to us. It is something we put ourselves into. If you have ever read stories of people that are in captivity, some have found a level of freedom even in their captivity. I have read stories of saints of God that are beaten mercilessly for no other reasons than to torment, yet they still sing praises to God and drive their captors nuts. The torment is to imprison their bodies and minds, yet they retain their mental freedom despite the physical anguish.
Last week, I sang about Paul and Silas. They were in chains yet they sang praises to God and God freed them. Yet, even in that moment in chains as they sang, I would say they were free. They were free because they trusted God and knew no harm could come to them that God did not allow and ultimately, they would win in the end.
We make choices everyday. Some choices free us and some enslave us. We live in a world that would have us believe that we are free to do whatever we like with no worry of consequences. Have you ever heard a young girl say she thought it would be okay to prostitute herself for cash one time, only to find it led to more and more times? I have.
Our choices matter!
Each choice we make sets up a chain reaction of other circumstances either good or bad.
God says, “if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant” because this is what will keep them free. But not only will they be free, but God will make them into something special.
3. God’s Promise (v 5-6)
3. God’s Promise (v 5-6)
Exodus 19:5–6 (NIV)
5 ...then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, 6 you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’...
God’s promise is dependent on their actions.
“If you…”
“Then I will...”
This is covenant language. It is an agreement between two parties. Notice that Israel has not done anything to deserve this. God has chosen them to make this special offer to because of His friendship with Abraham. It is a gift to an undeserving people. And the reward is special. God is now proposing an additional covenant to the Abrahamic covenant. The Abrahamic covenant was unconditional. However, this covenant, the Mosaic covenant is conditional upon their obedience. If they obey, God says then...
a. “I will make you My treasured possession.”
a. “I will make you My treasured possession.”
Do you have any treasured possessions? How do you treat them? I have a ring my grandfather gave me when I was in third grade. It is 14k gold, with a small diamond, and a gem stone. It did not fit me when he gave it to me as it was a woman’s size 6. I put it in a special locked box for a lot of years until I could wear it without losing it. I have worn it close to every day since I grew into it. When I do not wear it, I put it in a safe place. My grandmother told me that it made my grandfather very happy that I took such good care of it and wore it most of the time. It made him feel loved.
God tells these Israelites that if they obey Him and keep the contract, they will be a loved and treasured possession who He will take very good care of. No harm will be able to befall them due to His love for them.
God told them that...
b. “He will make them a kingdom of priests”
b. “He will make them a kingdom of priests”
What is a kingdom? It is a group of people governed by a king. In this case, God is the king.
Have you ever known an entire nation of priests before? Priests are pretty special. They get to have a special relationship with God. It is personal, one-on-one. They have the privilege of seeing to God’s needs and are able to take care of God’s special places. They usually have a front row seat for any special work/miracles that God performs.
However, most important is that priests represent God to the people. The Jews where a nation of priests that were to represent God to all the other nations.
But, God is not done. God will do one more thing.
c. “He will set them apart as a holy nation.”
c. “He will set them apart as a holy nation.”
God and the things of God are holy. Holy things are set apart and distinguished as belonging to God. Now, God says that they will be a holy nation. This makes them special above all other nations and all other people. They will be God’s right hand people.
They are not holy because they are perfect, but because they have been set apart for God.
What God is proposing is a very special contract. It was a covenant proposal. We know it as the Mosaic covenant. Of course, like any contract, you do not have one until both parties agree. So, let us look at the...
B. Covenant Presentation (vv 7-8)
B. Covenant Presentation (vv 7-8)
We often think of all this happening in one trip up the mountain, but the truth is that Moses was up and down that mountain some seven times before he even received the commandments. It is a good thing he was in good shape as an 80 year old man. Of course, he was probably in even better shape by the time they leave the mountain vicinity. :-)
God shared the above with Moses, but now it is Moses’ turn to take it to the people.
7 So Moses went back and summoned the elders of the people and set before them all the words the Lord had commanded him to speak. 8 The people all responded together, “We will do everything the Lord has said.” So Moses brought their answer back to the Lord.
Try to picture this. There is a camp full of people. Millions of people! The tribal elders come to the front. Moses speaks loud enough for all to hear, but the elders are the ones with the authority to accept the details. They give accent and the people respond with an affirmative reply of agreement. Moses then returns up the mountain and shares their response with God.
This is step one. Step two we will look at next week. However, a covenant isn’t to be taken lightly. It is a very serious thing!
We know the rest of the story. In fact, Jeremiah tells us the sad details.
31 “The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah. 32 It will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them,” declares the Lord. 33 “This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time,” declares the Lord. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. 34 No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,” declares the Lord. “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”
Conclusion:
Today we live under this new covenant which was purchased with Jesus’ blood. This covenant was needed because the Mosaic covenant by law could only go so far. It reveals what true righteousness is. However, it cannot produce righteousness in us. All it does is reveal our sin and lack of righteousness, stripping away any self-righteous attitudes we carry. Our righteousness can only be purchased through Christ’s shed blood. Then we carry His righteousness. We will always fail and fall short, but we are judged based on His righteousness as long as we earnestly seek to do our best. It is not an automatic just because we prayed asking Jesus to forgive us. That is a starting point, but we must still continue to obey to the best of our ability and Jesus blood covers the rest.
These next few weeks, we will continue to examine this Mosaic covenant of laws as they are foundational to our understanding.
As we consider the price that Jesus paid for our sins, lets remember the price He paid through communion.
Communion
23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
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