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- After God destroyed Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea, to where did God lead the Israelites?
-Into the desert.
- What is a desert?
-The desert is a land where there is only sand.
- As God was leading the Israelites through the desert, what did the Israelites do?
-The Israelites criticized Moses and Aaron.
- Why did the Israelites criticize Moses and Aaron?
-Because they did not have any food.
- Why did the Israelites not have any food?
-Because there was no food in the desert.
- Was Moses able to find food for the Israelites in the desert?
-No.
- Were the Israelites able to find food for themselves in the desert?
-No.
- Who was the only One who was able to give the Israelites food in the desert?
-God
- Why does God help people even though they do not believe in Him?
-Because God created all people.
-Because God loves all people.
-Because God wants to save all people.
-Because God wants all people to believe in Him.
- If we do not believe in God, will God save us?
-No.
- What was the meat that God gave the Israelites one evening in the desert?
-Quail.
- What did the Israelites call the bread which God sent down from heaven every morning?
-Manna.
- What did God tell Moses to do to get water?
-God commanded Moses to hit a rock with his staff.
- Who alone can save us from the power of sin, death, and Satan?
-Only God.
- Did God save the Israelites according to the way they decided?
-No.
- How did God save the Israelites?
-According to the way God decided.
- How does God save all people?
-According to the way that God decides.
-Where are Moses and the Israelites?
-They are in the desert.
-God continued to lead the Israelites in the desert.
Let’s read Exodus 19:1
1-In the third month after the Israelites left Egypt—on the very day–they came to the Desert of Sinai.
– Who decided where Israelites would go?
-God.
-Why did God decide where the Israelites would go?
-Because God alone knew the best way to go.
-Just like God knew the best way for the Israelites to go, God also knows the best way for all people to go.
-Next, to where did God lead the Israelites?
Let’s read Exodus 19:2
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.
-God led the Israelites to Mount Sinai.
-Do you remember Mount Sinai?
-Mount Sinai was the mountain where God had spoken to Moses from the burning bush.
-What did God promise when He spoke to Moses from the burning bush?
-God promised that He would bring Moses back to Mount Sinai.
-Did God keep His promise to bring Moses back to Mount Sinai?
-Yes.
-Even though Pharaoh wanted to kill Moses, God protected Moses, and brought him back to Mount Sinai.
-We can believe all of God’s promises because God always keeps all of His promises.
-When Moses and the Israelites arrived at Mount Sinai, God called Moses up to the mountain.
-Why did God call Moses up to the mountain?
-God wanted to talk to Moses.
Let’s read Exodus 19:3-5a
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, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.”
-What did God say to Moses on the top of the mountain?
-God wanted to make an agreement with the Israelites.
-What was the agreement that God wanted to make with the Israelites?
-God said that if the Israelites obeyed all of His commandments, then He would bless them.
-If the Israelites did not obey all of His commandments, then what would God do?
-God would punish them.
-Moses went down the mountain to tell the Israelites what God had said.
-What then did the Israelites say to God?
Let’s read Exodus 19:7-8
7-So Moses went back and summoned the elders of the people and set before them all the words the LORD had commanded him to speak.
8-The people all responded together, “We will do everything the LORD has said.” So Moses brought their answer back to the LORD.
-What then did the Israelites say to God?
-The Israelites told God that they would obey all of His commandments.
-Did the Israelites remember all the times that they had disobeyed God in the past?
-No.
-The Israelites were forgetting that they did not believe that God was able to save them at the Red Sea when Pharaoh and his army were pursuing them.
-The Israelites were forgetting that they did not believe that God was able to give them food and water in the desert.
-Did the Israelites think that they were able to obey all of God’s commandments?
-Yes.
-Why did the Israelites think that they were able to obey all of God’s commandments?
-Because they were proud and arrogant.
-Were the Israelites able to obey all of God’s commandments?
-No.
-Why were the Israelites not able to obey all of God’s commandments?
-Because they were born children of Adam and Eve.
-Because they were born slaves of sin.
-Because they were born slaves of Satan.
-All people are born children of Adam and Eve.
-All people are born slaves of sin.
-All people are born slaves of Satan.
-Did God know that the Israelites were not able to obey all of His commandments?
-Yes.
-If God knew that the Israelites were not able to obey all of His commandments, then why did God want to make an agreement with the Israelites?
-Would you make an agreement with someone if you knew that he was not able to keep the agreement?
-No.
-If God knew that the Israelites were not able to obey all of His commandments, then why did God want to make an agreement with the Israelites?
-God wanted to make an agreement with the Israelites because He wanted to teach the Israelites.
-What did God want to teach the Israelites?
-God wanted to teach the Israelites that they were never able to obey all of His commandments.
-Even if the Israelites tried very hard, they were never able to obey all of God’s commandments.
-God wanted to teach the Israelites that they were never able to obey all of His commandments because they were born into sin.
-God wanted to teach the Israelites that because they were never able to obey all of His commandments, only God was able to save them from eternal death.
-Because Adam and Eve sinned, all of their children were born into sin.
-Because Adam and Eve sinned, all of their children were born with sin in their hearts.
-Because Adam and Eve listened to Satan, all of their children became children of sin, death, and Satan.
-Because Adam and Eve listened to Satan, all of their children became slaves of sin, death, and Satan.
-God wanted to show the Israelites their sin.
-God wanted to show the Israelites their evil.
-God wanted to show the Israelites that they were slaves of sin.
-God wanted to show the Israelites that they were slaves of evil.
-God wanted to show the Israelites that they were slaves of Satan.
-God wanted to show the Israelites that if they did not cry out to God to save them, then their sin would destroy them.
-God wanted to show the Israelites that if they did not cry out to God to save them, then Satan would destroy them.
-Only God can save us from the power of sin.
-Only God can save us from the power of death.
-Only God can save us from the power of Satan.
-Here is the agreement that God made with the Israelites:
-If the Israelites obeyed all of His commandments, then God would bless them.
-If the Israelites did not obey all of His commandments, then God would punish them.
-After Moses told God that the Israelites said they would obey all of God’s commandments, what did God say?
Let’s read Exodus 19:9a & 10-11
9-The LORD said to Moses, “I am going to come to you in a dense cloud, so that the people will hear me speaking with you and will always put their trust in you.”
10-And the LORD said to Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. Have them wash their clothes
11-and be ready by the third day, because on that day the LORD will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people.”
-God told Moses that He would come down on Mount Sinai, and that the Israelites were to prepare themselves.
-Why was God coming down on Mount Sinai?
-God wanted to show the Israelites that He is holy.
-God wanted to show the Israelites that He hates all sin.
-God wanted to show the Israelites that He punishes all sin with death.
-God also told Moses to put a boundary around Mount Sinai.
Let’s read Exodus 19:12-13
12-The LORD said, “Put limits for the people around the mountain and tell them, ‘Be careful that you do not go up the mountain or touch the foot of it. Whoever touches the mountain shall surely be put to death.
13-He shall surely be stoned or shot with arrows; not a hand is to be laid on him. Whether man or animal, he shall not be permitted to live.’ Only when the ram’s horn sounds a long blast may they go up to the mountain.”
-Why did God want Moses to put a boundary around Mount Sinai?
-Because God did not want anyone to touch Mount Sinai.
-Why did God not want anyone to touch Mount Sinai?
-Because God was coming down on Mount Sinai.
-What would happen if the Israelites would touch Mount Sinai?
-They would die.
-Why would the Israelites die if they touched Mount Sinai?
-Because God was coming down on the mountain.
-Because God is holy.
-Because God hates all sin.
-Because God punishes all sin by death.
-On the morning of the third day, God came down on Mount Sinai.
Let’s read Exodus 19:16-18
16-On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, with a thick cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast. Everyone in the camp trembled.
17-Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain.
18-Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, because the LORD descended on it in fire. The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace, the whole mountain trembled violently.
-God came down on Mount Sinai.
-Thunder shook the sky near the mountain.
-Lightning filled the air around the mountain.
-Thick smoke completely covered the mountain.
-A very loud trumpet blast sounded.
-The whole mountain shook violently.
-And God came down on the mountain in fire.
-Were the Israelites afraid?
-They were very afraid.
-What were the thunder, lightning, smoke, and fire signs of?
-That God is holy.
-That God hates all sin.
-That God punishes all sin by death.
-During the time of Noah, God punished the sins of the people by death.
-During the time of Sodom and Gomorrah, God punished the sins of the people by death.
-During the time of Pharaoh, God punished the sins of the people by death.
-God punishes all sin by death.
-God came down on Mount Sinai, and called Moses up to the mountain.
Let’s read Exodus 19:20-25
20-The LORD descended to the top of Mount Sinai and called Moses to the top of the mountain. So Moses went up
21-and the LORD said to him, “Go down and warn the people so they do not force their way through to see the LORD and many of them perish.
22-Even the priests, who approach the LORD, must consecrate themselves, or the LORD will break out against them.”
23-Moses said to the LORD, “The people cannot come up Mount Sinai, because you yourself warned us, ‘Put limits around the mountain and set it apart as holy.’”
24-The LORD replied, “Go down and bring Aaron up with you. But the priests and the people must not force their way through to come up to the LORD, or He will break out against them.”
25-So Moses went down to the people and told them.
-God told Moses that the Israelites would die if they touched the mountain.
-Why did God allow Moses to come up the mountain?
-Was Moses not also a child of Adam and Eve?
-Yes.
-Was Moses not also born into sin?
-Yes.
-Why did God allow Moses to come up the mountain?
-Because Moses believed in God.
-Because Moses came to God in God’s way.
-Because Moses came to God the way that God showed.
-God chose Moses to be His messenger.
-God chose Moses to give His message to the Israelites.
-If the Israelites refused to listen to Moses, then they were also refusing to listen to God.
-God’s Book, the Bible, is God’s message to all people.
-If we refuse to listen to God’s message in His Bible, then we are also refusing to listen to God.
-If we refuse to listen to God, then God will punish us forever.
-In the next lesson, we will learn of the commandments that God gave to the Israelites and to all people.