Remember Mt. Sinai

Coming into God’s Church, we learn that Pentecost is the third Holy Day in God’s prophetic seven-day plan for working with mankind. Pentecost—which means “fiftieth”—is designated by counting 50 days after the weekly Sabbath that occurs during the Days of Unleavened Bread.

On the Sunday that begins the 50-day count, the high priest in ancient Israel performed the wave sheaf offering. This involved presenting the first of the firstfruits (usually the barley crop) before God (Lev. 23:14-15). Starting the count from the wave sheaf offering means Pentecost always lands on a Sunday.

The entire firstfruits harvest was taken up between the wave sheaf offering and Pentecost. It comprised of the smaller spring harvest that occurred before the greater harvest in the fall. Thus, Pentecost is also known as the Feast of Firstfruits.

Its other names in the scriptures include the Feast of Harvest and the Feast of Weeks, both connected to this most important harvest (Ex. 23:16; 34:22). Pentecost includes a commanded assembly (Lev. 23:21; Num. 28:26), and, as with the other six Holy Days, we bring an offering before God (Lev. 23:16; Deut. 16:10, 16).

Never forget that the Holy Days have deep meaning. They involve physical objects and rituals to teach spiritual lessons and point to important prophetic events. Pentecost therefore exemplifies many exciting lessons and things to come.

The wave sheaf offering, for instance, represents how Jesus Christ was resurrected as the first of the firstfruits and presented before God (I Cor. 15:20; John 20:17). The Church—as the spiritual harvest of firstfruits—will be resurrected, changed and presented to God just as Christ was (I Cor. 15:22-23; Psa. 17:15). Furthermore, we precede the bigger harvest of resurrected human beings to come (Jms. 1:18; John 5:28).

This is just one of the more exciting meanings of this Feast day. But there are also more challenging lessons that God wants to bring to our remembrance. Things necessary to hear periodically.

Think back more than 3,500 years ago to the first Pentecost, when God gave His Law at Mount Sinai. We know this occurred on Pentecost because it was in the third month of the year, it followed Passover (Ex. 19:1), and God called it a “day of assembly” (Deut. 9:10; 10:4; 18:16).

On this first Pentecost, God, who delivered Israel through plagues and miracles, was still introducing Himself to a people who spent hundreds of years in Egypt, surrounded by false gods and pagan customs. They needed to learn more about the One who freed them and what He expected from them.

A lesson at the center of this ancient encounter is one we must remember as we reflect on Pentecost.

Before the Mount

After freeing Israel from bondage in Egypt, God now had a people to call His own. They were special to Him, not because they were great in any way but because He was fulfilling a promise (Gen. 12:2; Deut. 7:6-8).

The Israelites, with Egypt behind them, eventually set up camp at Mount Sinai. God chose Moses to lead Israel and remind the people of the promise made generations before, saying, “if you will obey My voice indeed, and keep My covenant, then you shall be a peculiar treasure unto Me above all people” and “a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation” (Ex. 19:3-6).

As exciting as this future sounded for these former slaves, it was not an unconditional promise. God required obedience and subsequently gave His Law to Israel—the Church in the wilderness (Acts 7:38).

Yet this special day should not just be remembered for God giving His Law. This first Pentecost should also be remembered for how the Law was given.

The scene at Mount Sinai was dramatic and no doubt evoked intense emotions—excitement, wonder and some were stupefied. But Exodus 19 shows that one emotion stood above the others.

Verse 9: “And the Lord said unto Moses, Lo, I come unto you in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with you, and believe you forever. And Moses told the words of the people unto the Lord.”

We see God came to Moses in a “thick cloud.” Exodus 20:21 describes this cloud as “thick darkness.” So God’s very presence was wrapped in a thick, ominous, dark cloud.

Continuing in Exodus 19, verses 11-13: “And be ready against the third day: for the third day the Lord will come down in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai. And you shall set bounds unto the people round about, saying, Take heed to yourselves, that you go not up into the mount, or touch the border of it: whosoever touches the mount shall be surely put to death: there shall not a hand touch it, but he shall surely be stoned, or shot through; whether it be beast or man, it shall not live: when the trumpet sounds long, they shall come up to the mount.”

After the people sanctified themselves, Moses set boundaries and warned the people to not go up into the mountain or even come close enough to touch the base of it. Any wayward animal or person that did would experience brutal death by stoning or by being shot with an arrow.

Verses 16-18: “And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled. And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God; and they stood at the nether part of the mount. And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the Lord descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly.”

There is much detail here. We can see that the thick, dark cloud surrounding God was large enough to be “upon” (above or over) the mountain. This cloud would flash with frequent lightning followed by intense crashes of thunder. Adding to the powerful commotion was the ear-splitting noise of a trumpet.

Additionally, Mount Sinai shook and burned with fire that rose high “unto the midst of heaven” (Deut. 4:11), causing the rocky mountain to become molten (Jdg. 5:5). Exodus 24:17 says God’s glory was like a devouring fire in the sight of Israel; a frightful scene of smoke and fire.

Verse 19: “And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him by a voice.”

With the deafening trumpet getting louder, Moses called out to God, who answered using His own voice. God’s voice was so loud that it cut through the sounds of thunder, a mountain quaking, and an increasingly loud trumpet. What a truly awesome and unforgettable spectacle!

The whole scene caused the people to shudder and scatter (Ex. 20:18).

As you read the account, did you figure out the emotion the people experienced the most? What would your reaction have been?

Moses condensed the emotion into one word—fear.

Read: “And they said unto Moses, Speak you with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die. And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that His fear may be before your faces, that you sin not” (Ex. 20:19-20).

Fear was the overarching emotion the Israelites experienced. We would have likely felt the same.

Did you notice, though, that Moses told the people to not fear what they were seeing but also said that God was using what they saw to make them fear? How could this be?

The explanation is in the original text. Moses used a slightly different Hebrew word for fear in both cases. He started by telling them to not be frightened by the cloud, smoke, molten rock, thunder and lightning, loud trumpet or even God’s booming voice. These were just meant to be an unforgettable demonstration of His power.

The ultimate purpose was for them to fear—have reverence for—the Being causing these terrifying sights and to be afraid of the consequences of not keeping His Law.

The intended outcome of this entire encounter and the lesson God was teaching the people at Mount Sinai was to learn the fear of God “that you sin not.”

Fearless Era

In the Laodicean era of the Church—today’s era—the people rule, judge and decide (Rev. 3:14-22).

Look around. The entire world is engrossed in this thinking. Take the world’s view on government for instance. The nations of the West—many of Israelite origin—are divided over who is fit to lead them. Many gentile nations are not far behind as their citizens seek to topple their established governments. The people behind social media and mass protests routinely despise government and speak evil of dignities (II Pet. 2:10), revealing a world in which the people want to be in charge. This social trend alone demonstrates that individuals have absorbed a Laodicean attitude in their lives.

This “my way” approach, which runs counter to a life driven by the fear of God, is easier to fall into today than the time immediately following Israel’s deliverance from Egypt.

Think about it. Though God allowed the Israelites to plunder the Egyptians before they left (Ex. 12:35), these former slaves did not have many possessions. Wandering in the wilderness, they were forced to rely on God for everything, including food, water and shelter.

That generation had lived their entire lives in Egypt. Once they were brought out, they had no idea where they were going or even how to be free.

Soon after leaving Egypt, the people became consumed by the fear of lacking food and water (Ex. 16:3; 17:3) and not immediately knowing their destination. Fear was a natural human reaction because there was so much uncertainty. The sight of an ominous cloud, lightning, fire and smoke and the sound of thunder and a loud trumpet at Sinai only compounded this anxiety.

By the time they experienced miracles at Mount Sinai, they realized that they fully depended on who they saw was a powerful God for their continued survival. This explains why they expressed complete willingness to obey Him after hearing the terms of the covenant (19:8).

Compare this to people today, the most prosperous age in human history. Think of all the labor-saving devices that serve our needs. We do not have to do many things by hand anymore. Prepackaging and preservatives mean we do not have to grow our own food. It can be produced and shipped around the world for pennies on the dollar. Even the poorest people in certain nations seem to have trouble controlling their weight.

We no longer have to make clothing by hand. It is available everywhere—stores, malls and online. Secondhand stores are brimming with items. Some people have outfits in their closets and attics that they have not worn in years.

Though homelessness is a growing problem, the majority today have a home in which to live. Some have multiple homes—filled with multiple cars and other toys and gadgets.

Technology is cheap and accessible. Those in the poorest neighborhoods and countries today can do what the mega-wealthy of times past never dreamed of. Knowledge is at our fingertips. If we do not know how to do something, we can look it up instantly and watch a video on it.

The Atlantic magazine reported that 2015 was “the best year in history for the average human being.” It purported that the “world is better-educated, better-fed, healthier, freer, and more tolerant—and it looks set to get richer, too.” The world has only advanced in the time since.

Prosperity, abundance and easy access to information can lead to a sense of power and independence, which inevitably can make it difficult, if not impossible, to fear of God.

With so much available in this modern age, human beings can naturally start to feel they do not need anyone—including God—to accomplish what they want in life. And if there is no need for God then there is no fear of Him.

Self-reliance can blind people into thinking that God does not exist or that He only exists to satisfy whatever purpose we relegate Him to.

The illusion of self-reliance appropriately describes today’s age of rebellious and law-breaking people, said by Christ to be “rich, and increased with goods, and [having] need of nothing; [yet knowing] not that you are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked” (Rev. 3:17).

Self-reliance, combined with the fact that God is not displaying His power as He did at Mount Sinai, has caused the fear of Him to be nearly non-existent in the world (Rom. 3:18). As God’s people, we must avoid falling into this trap. We cannot allow prosperity and the absence of open miracles on the level of those at Mount Sinai to lull us to sleep and cause the fear of God in us to wane.

God Requires Obedience

Those driven by self-reliance are not apt to fear or obey God. The encounter at Mount Sinai shows that obedience and the fear of God work together.

Consider. In Exodus 19:14-16, the Israelites were given instructions. They were to sanctify themselves. They had to wash their clothes. Husbands and wives were to refrain from marital relations. The nation was told to show up near the mountain on the third day. Once there, they were to remain behind the boundaries set for them and their animals.

These were commands, not suggestions. They were punishable by death if not obeyed. The Israelites needed to learn that just as they fearfully served the Egyptians for generations as slaves, they needed to fearfully serve God.

God is a benevolent Master. He knows that His commands lead to a better life and a loving relationship with Him and our fellow man (Matt. 22:37-40). But God, as our spiritual Parent, also knows that both mercy and judgment are necessary to help people learn to fear and obey Him.

His display at Mount Sinai showed that He has the power—the “teeth”—to punish people that would not follow His commands. Without the threat of repercussions, the people could have felt that compliance was optional.

God counters human nature’s tendency toward self-reliance with an even stronger tendency—self-preservation. As much as people want to do their own thing, they have an even stronger desire to live!

The fear of God leads to obedience, which leads to happiness.

Notice: “Blessed is the man that fears the Lord, that delights greatly in His commandments” (Psa. 112:1). It also brings wisdom and understanding (Psa. 111:10; 9:10), knowledge (Prov. 1:7; 29), healing and joy (Mal. 4:2).

Sadly, because human nature is so prevalent, mankind has to be almost forced to obey God to realize these benefits.

According to the wisest man who ever lived, King Solomon, obedience to God is mankind’s responsibility and will be the criteria by which we are judged.

Ecclesiastes 12 states: “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep His commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil” (vs. 13-14).

Learn to Fear God

Because the threat of death is not before our eyes as it was for ancient Israel, we can develop the attitude described in Ecclesiastes 8:11: “Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.”

God is gracious and merciful (II Chron. 30:9). But it does not abrogate the following warning: “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap” (Gal. 6:7). God’s patience and mercy can sometimes be misunderstood and lead to slothfulness in doing what we should.

Avoid this tendency. Remember that just as He offers goodness and mercy, He also can bring punishment. “Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness: otherwise you also shall be cut off,” the apostle Paul warned (Rom. 11:22). You can avoid God’s severe side by continuing to obey Him.

But also realize that fearing God is not natural and has to be learned. How?

Start by knowing what the fear of God is. The Bible says it plainly: “The fear of the Lord is to hate evil” (Prov. 8:13). This means we can (and should) make a conscious choice to fear God. It does not just happen by itself or simply because you have God’s Spirit.

You must choose to “hate evil” by learning to “love [God’s] law” (Psa. 119:97). This was the connection made at Mount Sinai. (Psalm 119 addresses loving God’s Law in verses 113, 127, 159, 165, 167. You should take the time to study them.)

How do we learn to love God’s Law? It helps to consistently read and study it. We cannot love (and obey) what we do not know. Bible study, on our own or through listening to sermons and reviewing Church literature, helps us recognize God’s voice. The Church in the wilderness heard God’s voice. We can too through His Word.

Loving God’s Law also involves recognizing and remaining sensitive to God’s Spirit, His Word, in us. This is something that most of the Israelites did not have, which gives us an advantage and a disadvantage at the same time. The advantage is that God is always “in our ear,” helping us navigate life. The disadvantage is that His “still small voice” (I Kgs. 19:12) can be more easily ignored because there are no clouds, trumpets or volcanic activity involved.

Do not let the fact that the Holy Spirit makes gentle “nudges” to allow you to feel your decisions will not have bigger consequences.

When we fall short of God’s Law, we should repent quickly. Genuine repentance is a sign that we love Him and His Word (John 14:15). It is also a byproduct of fearing Him because it shows we do not want to experience the full consequence of our transgressions—death (Rom. 6:23).