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GOOD NEWS FROM THE REDEEMER
June 2, 2001 RADIO MESSAGE #374
Christ in Exodus #67
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Israel entered into a conditional covenant with God at Mount Sinai (Exodus 24:1-8; 19:1-8). Israel later broke this covenant, necessitating the New Covenant which abrogated and replaced it (Jeremiah 31:31-34; Hebrews 8:6-13). At the ratification of both covenants, the parties covenanting with God had this in common: "they saw the God of Israel." Old Covenant Israel saw Him on Mount Sinai in a manner which was a foretaste of that in which New Covenant Israel saw Him in His incarnation. (The incarnation of God occurred when "God sent forth His Son, born of a woman" [Galatians 4:4]. That is, "the Word became flesh" [John 1:1, 14], and "God was manifested in the flesh" in the God-man Jesus Christ [1 Timothy 3:16].)
I. The reality of seeing God at Mount Sinai. We stress this point because some will object that "No one has seen God at any time" (John 1:18) because "God is Spirit" (John 4:24). However, God even in Old Testament times manifested Himself on many occasions to many persons (e.g. Genesis 32:30; Numbers 12:8; Judges 13:21f; Isaiah 6:1; Ezekiel 1:26). God was here seen! (When Moses reminded Israel in Deuteronomy 4:12, 15 that they only heard His voice without seeing His form, he refers to the incident recorded in Exodus 19, not to the present incident.)
The manifestation of God at Mount Sinai was but a foretaste of His incarnate manifestation. We read not only that "the Word became flesh," but also that He physically "dwelt among us" (John 1:14). He was not only "seen," but also "handled" (1 John 1:3).
II. The degree to which God was seen at Mount Sinai. No description of Him is given except for the mention of His "feet" (v.10). Evidently, this was the only part of Him that was clearly visible. The rest of Him may have been in a haze.
The degree to which God was seen at Mount Sinai was but a foretaste. The incarnate God was seen clearly and entirely, not partially and hazily, and to the degree that He could say "He who has seen Me has seen the Father" (John 14:9). Furthermore, He was seen at Mount Sinai as but a party of the Old Covenant. But He was seen in His incarnation as also the New Covenant's Messenger (Malachi 3:1), Mediator (Hebrews 8:6; 9:15; 12:24), Surety (Hebrews 7:22), and Ratifier (Matthew 26:28) – and even as the very embodiment and the sum and substance of it. This we know because His Father says of Him, "I will ... give You as a covenant to the people" (Isaiah 42:6; 49:8).
III. The glory with which God was seen at Mount Sinai. "And there was under His feet as it were a paved work of sapphire stone, and it was like the very heavens in its clarity" (v.10). We can only conjecture as to the meaning of this symbol (but see Ezekiel 1:26; 10:1). But it certainly suggests the glory of God's person, character, and attributes.
The degree of God's glory seen at Mount Sinai was but a foretaste. The incarnate God came not only with and in God's glory, but as the very glory of God revealed (Isaiah 40:5; cp. Hebrews 1:3a). Those who saw Him as He truly is therefore declared "we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth" (John 1:14).
IV. The blessedness which accompanied the seeing of God. "But on the nobles of the children of Israel He did not lay His hand" (v.11a). He could have, because the blood of atonement by which they had been sprinkled (vv.5-8) was of animals which can never take away sin (Hebrews 10:4). They were still sinners!
The blessedness experienced upon seeing God at Mount Sinai was but a foretaste. The blood of the incarnate God removes sin "once for all" (Hebrews 10:5-10). He consequently will never lay His hand on His people in judgment or wrath.
V. The fellowship with God by those who saw Him. "So they saw God, and ate and drank" (v.11b). However, this fellowship was short-lived because of rebellion (see Leviticus 10:1; Numbers 14:26-35).
The fellowship which followed seeing God at Mount Sinai was but a foretaste. Those who are sprinkled with the blood of the incarnate God shall enjoy fellowship with Him for all eternity (Revelation 7:14-17).