BLESSED BY A COVENANT WITH GOD
Exodus 19:1-6, 24:1-8
THE ROAD TO FREEDOM
V:1 In the third month after the Israelites left Egypt — on the 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.
A. With freedom comes responsibility, obligations, and dedication,
1. While the Israelites were enslaved in, Egypt, most decisions were made for them.
2. They were under complete control of the Egyptian Pharaoh.
3. Any complaints they had they kept to themselves or resolved among themselves.
4. They had been in one place for 400 years and were not used to moving around.
B. Now they were free, they were like kids let out of a cage.
1. They challenged Moses with all their complaints
2. In the desert was nothing and in Egypt was everything they were accustomed to.
3. they had witnessed the 10 plagues in Egypt and the parting of the water in the Red
sea and they had no trust in Moses or the living God.
4. At Rephidim having never been in battle before, they were successful against the
Amalekites because of the God that brought them out of Egypt.
5. They had bread and meat to eat provided by the God they had not learned to trust.
C. God brought them to Mount Sinai to establish them as His nation.
1. When Moses met God in the burning bush, he was promised as a sign that
the nation of Israel would worship at this mountain.
Exodus 3:12
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."
2. In Egypt the only government they knew was Pharaoh.
3. As free people In the desert the government was God under the leadership of Moses.
4. Like babies, they complained because they kept craving all they knew and left behind.
5. Freedom was what prayed for in Egypt. Now that they were free, they couldn’t handle
the responsibility of being free.
THE GIVING OF THE COVENANT OF LIFE
V: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 house 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."
A. Every nation needs a leader.
1. Every nation needs the rules of the government.
2. God established Himself as leader and governor.
B. Every once in a while we need to review what God has done in our lives.
1. When we start thinking about what God has done to get us where we are we
can get an attitude of thankfulness.
2. The glory of God is all around us. We need to open our minds and eyes to see
His works in our lives and recognize His goodness.
3. Even though the Israelites were in the desert, God was their protection
Even though they were in the desert God was their food.
Even though they were in the desert, God was the water.
4. God performed miracles to get the Pharoah of Egypt to release them from
slavery.
C. God gave Israel His commandments making a covenant with them.
1. He summarized His requirement in the Ten Commandments written on stone tablets.
Exodus 20:6-17, Duo 4:13
2. God brought us out of the darkness into the marvelous light to make us a treasured
possession of Him.
3. We become God’s treasure when we obey His commandments.
4. Every believer is a priest and made holy through Jesus Christ.
5. God owns everything, but He chose us to be His special treasure.
6. God chose us in our sinful rotten state to be holy and to be His
priest.
7. As priests we are examples to the world.
D. As an ambassador for God, our job is to tell the world about the goodness of Him.
1. We are to start at home and spread out preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
2. Our lives are the Church the world sees.
Exodus 24:3-9
AGREEMENT WITH GOD’S COMMANDS
V:3 When Moses went and told the people all the Lord's words and laws, they responded with one voice, "Everything the Lord has said we will do." 4 Moses then wrote down everything the Lord had said.
A. As God's priest, our job is to lead those around us in Bible Study.
1. As God leaders, our job is to lead discussions that encourage questions.
2. We gain understanding through questions and answers.
3. We should ensure that Holy Spirit is our guide and our teacher.
4. Our objective is to get each member to believe in the Word of God as a direction
for their lives.
B. We are to teach the whole Bible.
1. We can't choose what we agree with and teach that only.
2. It is not our job to judge what is good and what is not good. The whole Bible
was written for our good.
3. Every word in the Bible is inspired by God and written for obedience and successful
living.
2 Timothy 3:16-17
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
NIV
THE FIRST WORSHIP SERVICE
V:4b. He got up early the next morning and built an altar at the foot of the mountain and set up twelve stone pillars representing the twelve tribes of Israel. 5 Then he sent young Israelite men, and they offered burnt offerings and sacrificed young bulls as fellowship offerings to the Lord. 6 Moses took half of the blood and put it in bowls, and the other half he sprinkled on the altar. 7 Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it to the people. They responded, "We will do everything the Lord has said; we will obey."
A. Notice the order of worship
1. An Altar before God
2. Assemble the 12 tribes of Israel
3. A bull sacrificed
4. A burnt offerings
5. Fellowship offerings
6. The blood sprinkled on the altar ratified the covenant God made with the people.
7. The reading of the covenant, the Word of God.
B. The whole nation agreed to obey the covenant.
1. When we accept Jesus as Lord and Savior we agreed to the covenant of God.
2. The Israelites agreed to obey the law given by Moses.
3. Today the law has been replaced by grace.
The law is still our tutor.
THE BLOOD COVENANT OF REDEMPTION
V:8. Moses then took the blood, sprinkled it on the people, and said, "This is the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you following all these words."
1. The blood sprinkled on the people symbolized a legal transaction between God and the nation
of Israelites.
2. The blood set Israel apart from the rest of the world.
3. It is the blood of Jesus that sets Christians apart from every other religion.
4. It is the Blood that gives us overpowering qualities.
5. It is the blood that redeems.
6. It is the blood that atones for our sins
7. It is the blood that forgives
8. It is the blood that loves all men
Rev. M. Mitchell
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