Exodus 19:1a In the third month, when the children of Israel were gone forth out of the land of Egypt…

There are many things that God wants to be to you, but you must first come out of Egypt. He says, “I want to manifest Myself to My people; I want to meet them, but first they will have to come out of Egypt.” So, He begins bringing you out.

Exodus 19:1b …The same day came they into the wilderness of Sinai.

You come out of Egypt and God leads you into a wilderness. “I thought God was going to meet me!” Well, that is what the wilderness is for. It prepares you for the meeting with God.

Exodus 19:2 For they were departed from Rephidim, and were come to the desert of Sinai, and had pitched in the wilderness; and there Israel camped before the mount.

Isn’t it amazing that the mount of God is found in a desert place in the wilderness?

Exodus 19:3a And Moses went up unto God…

That is also what you will have to do. If you want a meeting with God, you will have to go up to Him. Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you. James 4:8. We always have the responsibility of taking the initiative, and here we see Moses going up to meet with God.

Exodus 19:3b …and the Lord called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt you say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel...

Have you ever wondered why God refers to the same people as “the house of Jacob” and also “the children of Israel”? Jacob and Israel was the same person. God changed Jacob’s name to Israel when Jacob wrestled with the Lord in Genesis 32:24-28. Jacob was a supplanter, a deceiver. He didn’t seem to mind doing anything necessary to get what he wanted. God changing Jacob’s name to Israel was indicative of a change of nature. Jacob was a new man so God gave him a new name. The Lord speaking to “the house of Jacob” and “the children of Israel” reveals a principle of how He speaks to us. We have not become what we are to be as of yet. So God speaks to the Jacob we are and also to the Israel that we are going to be, creating something to come forth at a later time.

Exodus 19:4 You have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto Myself.

Where is God trying to take you? He wants to bring you unto Himself. He bares you on eagles’ wings. In other words, He is going to teach you how to function in a heavenly realm.

Exodus 19:5a Now therefore, if you will obey My Voice indeed, and keep My covenant, then…

There’s that “if, then.” If you will do this, then this will happen. Do you see the responsibility He places on us? Moses had to take the initiative to go up to God. If he had not gone up to God, this meeting with the Lord would not have happened. Listen, you don’t know how many other people will be affected by your going up to God. You take the initiative to meet with God and out of that a whole nation might be blessed because of it. You could affect the whole area where you live by your coming up the mountain to God. Of course, when you go up the mountain it is going to cost you something. I would not lie to you about that. There is a death involved. In the next chapter the Israelites told Moses, “Moses, you go up and talk to God and come back and tell us what He said. We’re not going up lest we die” (Exodus 20:19). So, Moses went up and talked to God. Then he came down and told the people what God had said. Listen, are you satisfied with that? Do you want somebody else to go talk with God and then come back and tell you what He said? Every one of those Israelites should have been running up that mountain. “But there is thunder, lightning, and great darkness on that mountain. We will die if we go up there!” That’s the whole idea! for the man of you to die so He can come forth in you. That is the reason many people don’t approach God. They are afraid they will die. That’s what it is all about. Let’s get up that mountain!

Copyright © 2003 by Henry DuBose