Life#59
59. The statements made in 55 above about the proclamation, holiness, and power of the law may be found in the following passages in the Word: Jehovah came down in fire upon Mount Sinai and the mountain smoked and shook; and there was thunder, lightning, thick clouds, and the sound of a trumpet (Exodus 19:16, 18; Deuteronomy 4:11; 5:22-23). Before Jehovah came down, the people spent three days preparing and sanctifying themselves (Exodus 19:10-11, 15). The mountain was fenced off so that no one would approach and come near its base and die; not even priests were allowed near; Moses alone was allowed (Exodus 19:12-13, 20-23; 24:1-2). The law was proclaimed from Mount Sinai (Exodus 20:2-17; Deuteronomy 5:6-21). The law was written on two stone tablets by the finger of God (Exodus 31:18; 32:15-16; Deuteronomy 9:10). When Moses brought the tablets down from the mountain the second time, his face shone (Exodus 34:29-35). The tablets were placed in an ark (Exodus 25:16; 40:20; Deuteronomy 10:5; 1 Kings 8:9). On top of the ark there was a mercy seat, and on the mercy seat were placed angel guardians made of gold (Exodus 25:17-21). The ark, with the mercy seat and the angel guardians, formed the very heart of the tabernacle, while the golden lampstand, the golden altar of incense, and the gilded table for the showbread were placed just outside [the veil], and all these objects were surrounded in turn by the ten curtains of fine linen and purple and scarlet [thread] (Exodus 25:1 to the end; 26:1 to the end; Exodus40:17-28). The area set aside for the ark was called "the most holy place" (Exodus 26:33). The whole Israelite population camped around the dwelling, in a set arrangement tribe by tribe, and traveled behind it in a set sequence (Numbers 2:1 to the end). There was a cloud above the tabernacle in the daytime then, and fire above it at night (Exodus 40:38; Numbers 9:15-16 to the end; 14:14; Deuteronomy 1:33). The Lord spoke with Moses from above the ark, between the angel guardians (Exodus 25:22; Numbers 7:89). Because it contained the law, the ark was called "Jehovah" there: when the ark would set out, Moses would say, "Rise up, Jehovah, " and when it would come to rest he would say, "Return, Jehovah" (Numbers 10:35-36; see also 2 Samuel 6:2 and Psalms 132:7-8). Because of the holiness of the law, Aaron was not allowed to go behind the veil without sacrifices and incense (Leviticus 16:2-14 and following). David brought the ark into Zion with sacrifices and rejoicing (2 Samuel 6:1-19). At that time Uzzah died because he touched the ark (2 Samuel 6:6-7). [Solomon] placed the ark at the center of the Jerusalem temple, where he had made an inner sanctuary for it (1 Kings 6:19 and following; 8:3-9). Because of the Lord's presence and power in the law that was in the ark, the waters of the Jordan were cut off; and as long as the ark rested in its midst, the people crossed over on dry ground (Joshua 3:1-17; 4:5-20). The walls of Jericho fell because the ark was carried around them (Joshua 6:1-20). Dagon, the god of the Philistines, fell to the earth before the ark and later lay on the threshold of the shrine with its head broken off (1 Samuel 5:1-4). Tens of thousands of the people of Beth-shemesh were struck down because of the ark (1 Samuel 6:19).
Exodus第34章
1
Yahweh said to Moses, "Chisel two stone tablets like the first: and I will write on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke.
2
Be ready by the morning, and come up in the morning to Mount Sinai, and present yourself there to me on the top of the mountain.
3
No one shall come up with you; neither let anyone be seen throughout all the mountain; neither let the flocks nor herds feed before that mountain."
4
He chiseled two tablets of stone like the first; and Moses rose up early in the morning, and went up to Mount Sinai, as Yahweh had commanded him, and took in his hand two stone tablets.
5
Yahweh descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of Yahweh.
6
Yahweh passed by before him, and proclaimed, "Yahweh! Yahweh, a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness and truth,
7
keeping loving kindness for thousands, forgiving iniquity and disobedience and sin; and that will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, and on the children's children, on the third and on the fourth generation."
8
Moses hurried and bowed his head toward the earth, and worshiped.
9
He said, "If now I have found favor in your sight, Lord, please let the Lord go in the midst of us; although this is a stiff-necked people; pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for your inheritance."
10
He said, "Behold, I make a covenant: before all your people I will do marvels, such as have not been worked in all the earth, nor in any nation; and all the people among which you are shall see the work of Yahweh; for it is an awesome thing that I do with you.
11
Observe that which I command you this day. Behold, I drive out before you the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite.
12
Be careful, lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land where you are going, lest it be for a snare in the midst of you:
13
but you shall break down their altars, and dash in pieces their pillars, and you shall cut down their Asherim;
14
for you shall worship no other god: for Yahweh, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.
15
"Don't make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, lest they play the prostitute after their gods, and sacrifice to their gods, and one call you and you eat of his sacrifice;
16
and you take of their daughters to your sons, and their daughters play the prostitute after their gods, and make your sons play the prostitute after their gods.
17
"You shall make no cast idols for yourselves.
18
"You shall keep the feast of unleavened bread. Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, as I commanded you, at the time appointed in the month Abib; for in the month Abib you came out from Egypt.
19
"All that opens the womb is mine; and all your livestock that is male, the firstborn of cow and sheep.
20
The firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb: and if you will not redeem it, then you shall break its neck. All the firstborn of your sons you shall redeem. No one shall appear before me empty.
21
"Six days you shall work, but on the seventh day you shall rest: in plowing time and in harvest you shall rest.
22
"You shall observe the feast of weeks with the first fruits of wheat harvest, and the feast of harvest at the year's end.
23
Three times in the year all your males shall appear before the Lord Yahweh, the God of Israel.
24
For I will drive out nations before you and enlarge your borders; neither shall any man desire your land when you go up to appear before Yahweh, your God, three times in the year.
25
"You shall not offer the blood of my sacrifice with leavened bread; neither shall the sacrifice of the feast of the Passover be left to the morning.
26
"You shall bring the first of the first fruits of your ground to the house of Yahweh your God. "You shall not boil a young goat in its mother's milk."
27
Yahweh said to Moses, "Write you these words: for in accordance with these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel."
28
He was there with Yahweh forty days and forty nights; he neither ate bread, nor drank water. He wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the ten commandments.
29
It happened, when Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the testimony in Moses' hand, when he came down from the mountain, that Moses didn't know that the skin of his face shone by reason of his speaking with him.
30
When Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone; and they were afraid to come near him.
31
Moses called to them, and Aaron and all the rulers of the congregation returned to him; and Moses spoke to them.
32
Afterward all the children of Israel came near, and he gave them all of the commandments that Yahweh had spoken with him on Mount Sinai.
33
When Moses was done speaking with them, he put a veil on his face.
34
But when Moses went in before Yahweh to speak with him, he took the veil off, until he came out; and he came out, and spoke to the children of Israel that which he was commanded.
35
The children of Israel saw Moses' face, that the skin of Moses' face shone: and Moses put the veil on his face again, until he went in to speak with him.
