EXODUS
CHAPTER 19
The Lord covenants to make Israel a peculiar treasure, a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation—People sanctify themselves—The Lord appears on Sinai amid fire and smoke and earthquakes.
1 IN the third month, [ That the time period was precisely three months to the day may be connected with Moses original request that they be allowed to travel three days into the wilderness to the worship the Lord, cf. 3:18. ] when the children of Israel were gone forth out of the land of Egypt, the same day came they into the wilderness of Sinai. [ Now we begin to see the reason why God through Moses led the children of Israel out of Egypt. It was to bring them to the mountain if the lord, his mountain, his temple. It was the "mount of the bush - or Sinai", it was where Moses had received his endowment, it was where Moses knew that God was. SO Moses has led them here that they might receive the endowment as he had years before. Why was it so important that the Moses take the children of Israel to Mt. Sinai? Sinai was the Holy mount it was the place designed for the children of Israel to meet their God, and enter into covenant with him. In essence Sinai was Israels first temple. So in a sense Moses when he was assigned to gather Israel was to lead them back to true temple worship. Which is a type for the gathering of Israel in the last days. The tabernacle in the wilderness, solomans temple, Herods temple were all constructed after the same pattern. This pattern for the temple was in essence a physical representation of Mt. Sinai. ]
2 For they were departed from Rephidim, and were come to the desert of Sinai, [ The wilderness of Sinai. ] Mount Sinai is called by the Arabs Jibel Mousa or the Mount of Moses, or, by way of eminence, El Tor, The Mount. It is one hill, with two peaks or summits; one is called Horeb, the other Sinai. Horeb was probably its most ancient name, and might designate the whole mountain; but as the Lord had appeared to Moses on this mountain in a bush hns seneh, chap. iii. 2, from this circumstance it might have received the name of Sinai or ynys rh har Sinai, the mount of the bush or the mount of bushes; for it is possible that it was not in a single bush, but in a thicket of bushes, that the Angel of God made his appearance. The word bush is often used for woods or forests. ] and had pitched in the wilderness; and there Israel camped before the mount.
3 And Moses went up unto God, [ Three months after the Exodus, when they arrived at Sinai, at the request of the Lord, Moses ascended the hill again. ] and the LORD called unto him out of the mountain, [ Remember this is not Moses's first time on mount Sinai. He has been there before, it is where it all started for him. Back in Exodus 3 at the burning bush he told Moses that he would do these things with him: 1) vs 12 Certainly I will be with thee (done); 2) vs 12 When thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt (done); 3)b ye shall serve God upon this mountain (done). It is God saying to Moses, welcome back, can you look back and see my hand, all that we have accomplished together, just as I said it would happen. ] saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel;
4 Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings, [ "I" did it for you, it was personal. I did it because I love you, I did it because I care about you. The Hebrew word “nesher” which is interrupted here does not mean the bird we term eagle; but was a "griffon-vulture" to the Arabs and is a huge raptor with its awesome nine foot wing span. This bird has very distinctive kind and merciful devoted nurturing habits, which is noted in it's care of it's young, even to the carrying it's young on its back. A mating pair breeds one offspring per year, which they both devotedly incubate, feed, brood, protect, and shade. They continue nurturing the fledglings until six to seven months beyond birth. It appears that the heathens confounded the figure made use of by the sacred penman, I bare you on eagles' wings, with the manifestation of God in thunder and lightning on Mount Sinai. And it might be in reference to all this that the Romans took the eagle for their ensign. ] and brought you unto myself. [ Notice who is trying to perform the work here. God is! In this and the two following verses, we see the design of God in selecting a people for himself. God briefly recounted the saving acts He performed for Israel to "̀bring you to Me,"̂ He described the positive relationship that would ensue between Him and the nation and projected the glorious future awaiting it, all contingent upon loyalty to keeping the covenant. vs 5 ]
5 Now therefore, [ The word "therefore" establishes a relationship that allow them to fully grasp doctrine. On the mountain Moses was instructed to prepare Israel to receive their endowment three days later. And in this case, we're dealing with a covenant that the Lord wants to give them. It sets up the concept of faith. In the sense that it says, you know what I've done, you have witnessed it with your own eyes; therefore, you can trust me when I tell you what I'm going to do. You know it, you've experienced it. You have this understanding. And therefore, when I tell you I'm going to do this, you can trust that I will. ] if ye will obey my voice [ So the first thing that God wants to do with the children of Israel is to get them to be obedient, and how does he purpose to do that? By putting them under covenant. A covenant to be obedient to what he asks, and if they will he will treat them differently. So the first thing that Moses was chosen to do was to turn the children of Israel to Christ? Yes, just the same as every prophet that has ever lived has done - testified of Christ. Pauls, Stephen and Book Of Mormon prophets all express the fact that Moses was a great witness of Christ.the first part of Moses mission was to turn the children of Israel to Christ - he is their master. This is often referred to as the covenant at Mount Horb or Mount Sinai. This is were he initially wanted to make the temple covenants with Israel. ] indeed, and keep my covenant, [ What are the covenants here? It is the covenants that he wants to make with them on the mountain, the covenants that will allow them to see his face, to be in his presence. ] then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: [ "Then" or if you will keep these covenants at that point you will become. So Moses comes down off the mountain, asks Israel and says, okay, so this is what God has said. If you're willing to keep His covenant, He'll make you a peculiar treasure, a kingdom of priests, a holy nation. What do you think? And the people all answer in verse eight. "Well, the Lord has spoken. Well, yeah, we'll do it." Hebrew "peculiar" here means posesive, or "God will claim you as his own". Hebrew "segula" is translated as treasure, And it does mean treasure. And he defines it further as a treasure above all people. It's going to be identifying, this unique identifying marker that will mark Israel and demonstrate their uniqueness. Or what God has planned for Israel in terms of uniqueness, that is further outlined in verse six. Now in reference to the treasure that they can be it does not imply that they are better than others, just that they have a different relationship with God, which is important to keep in mind. So are we to say that the reason for gathering the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt is to make them a peculiar treasure unto the Lord? Yes - it is the very reason that the Lord had Moses return the children of Israel to Mt Sinai. Remember that Moses has seen God face to face, he has had his endowment made known to him, this is what God wants to do with the children of Israel, to take them into Gods presence, that they might see God face to face D&C 93:1. So here we see the connection between God's temple and the making of an oath or covenant with God. God is asking Moses to tell the people that if they will covenant to obey God's voice and keep his commandments, that God will make them a peculiar treasure, a people that's different than all of the other people on the earth. How or what is God proposing to do to make them different from the rest of the people on the earth? The next verse will tell us - he wants to make them a nation of priests. ] for all the earth is mine:
6 And ye shall be unto me a kingdom [ "A kingdom" sticks out here because who governs a kingdom? A king. Next God will mention that they will be priests. So here we have kings and priests. God will make those who keep his covenant sacral kings. So here we see the same pattern as was established with Adam in the garden, a mountain temple, the making of a covenant and kingship. ] of priests, [ What is the responsibility of a priest? To act as an intermediary or an intervener between God and others. That's the function of a priest, to bless others and bring them closer in their relationship with God. That is the function of a priest. Now can yo image the good that can come from a whole nation doing that for each other. Is this connecting us to the same covenant given to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob? Where they were called the same way, "I'm going to set you apart to bless the earth." ] and an holy nation. [ The translation of the word "holy" here is from the Hebrew word "qadōš" Pronunciation: KA-dosh. It is different from the word "qōdeš"(KO-desh) which was used in Ex. 3:5 which described the mountain as holy(sacred) because God himself had been there it was changed. Here God is telling Moses what he plans to do with the children of Israel and why they will need to sanctify themselves so that he can give every one of them the priesthood, that they can be set apart from the other nations in a covenantal relationship, "to be holy". Again what did God plan for them? To be a nation of holy priests and see the face of God - this was not meant to be symbolic - it was literally what he planned to do - God planned to be in their presence.
The word used here "qadōš"(KA-dosh) means consecrated, dedicated, "to be set apart" or "to be holy.". Anciently it represented covenantal relationship which included the priesthood, as well as the sacrifices and rituals that were established to maintain the sanctity required in order to approach God.
So then we might say the Hebrew word for holy this kodesh, means at some level to separate. That there's a level of separation. And that seems to be the case here. God is essentially saying there will be nations and then there will be "a holy nation". And that holy nation has a different function and a different purpose.
If it says "qōdeš"(KO-desh), then He's simply saying, I want you to be holy, separate, sacred, even as I am. But if He's using "qadōš"(KA-dosh), then He's got a bit of a different nuance to this. I want you to not only be holy, but I want you to make things holy, even as I am holy. And that dynamic element ties in, I think to all of this. When He actually commands Israel to be holy, he uses "qadōš"(KA-dosh). He expects Israel to make things whole, make things complete, make things finished. Tie it all together that's what ordinances often do. Ordinances help us become whole and complete and finished. They should be a nation, one people; firmly united among themselves, living under their own laws; and acting under the direction and blessing of God. Thus they should be both a kingdom, having God for their governor. He's not talking about Aaronic priesthood priests, he's talking about the kind of priests and kings that we go to the temple in our day to understand and to receive ordinances that help us become that kind of a priest and king. These are Melchizedek Priests, kings and queens, priests and priestesses. That's what God wants to do at the base of Mount Sinai but they won't allow that. ] These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.
7 ¶ And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, [ The head of each tribe (hum the Patriarch), and the chief of each family, by whose ministry this gracious purpose of God was speedily communicated to the whole camp. ] and laid before their faces all these words which the LORD commanded him. [ I like that Moses asks the people, there's an agency there. "Do you want to do this?" "Yes we do." "Okay. Let's..." Now how are they going to ratify it? ]
8 And all the people answered together, [ They all stood up together and said "yes". This is called the acclamation of obedience. The same thing happened in Mosiah 5:5,7 ] and said, All that the LORD hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the LORD . [ When they arrived at Mount Sinai, God made it clear that it was His desire to make of them “a peculiar treasure unto [Him] above all people . . . a kingdom of priests, an holy nation.” (Exodus 19:5,6).
The Lord was prepared to have the Children of Israel qualify to receive the necessary ordinances that would allow them to pass through the veil and enter His presence or His rest. But they withdrew, or rejected that opportunity, and thus, the Higher Law was removed, and the Holy Priesthood authority was no longer had in Israel until John the Baptist and Christ in the Meridian of time. Christ fulfilled the Law of Moses. There was no more animal sacrifices after Christ Himself completed the atonement.
so the Lord said to Moses, "I want to make of them a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. I want to make them kings and queens, priests and priestesses." Moses tells that to the Israelites, and what do they say? "Oh yeah, yeah, yeah. This sounds great. We will do all of this that you command us." And then when God starts requiring something of them, namely what we refer to as the 10 commandments, what do they do? They retreat. Like many of us, they say, "Yeah, well, we didn't really realize that we're going to have to do something to receive these great blessings."
The people seemed willing enough. “All that the Lord hath spoken we will do,” they promised. (Exodus 19:8,) But they didn’t. The straight-line distance from Mount Sinai to Kadesh-barnea, from where the twelve spies entered the Promised Land, is slightly more than one hundred sixty miles. It was from this Kadesh location that Israel should have begun its conquest of Canaan. The Israelites, however, traveled forty more years before the conquest actually began. Of course they rested on the Sabbath, but even so, their average progress toward their destination turns out to have been less than 70 feet per day.
God did not demand that they spend this unproductive and difficult time wandering in the wilderness until after they demonstrated that they were not willing to solve their problems in the way He had intended. When spies reported on the size and strength of the inhabitants of the land the Teacher had promised them, the Israelites cried, “Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness! . . . And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt” (Numbers 14:2,4).
Dissatisfied with the version of the test offered them by God, they sought for and obtained a different version, one that they soon learned was much more complex than the one presented to them at Mount Sinai. As the camp of Israel came to Mount Sinai, the Lord desired that all the people come up into His presence. Moses commanded the people to cleanse and sanctify themselves to prepare to enter the Lord’s presence. Sadly, the Israelites were afraid and hardened their hearts, and therefore they missed the great blessings that awaited them. Instead they sent Moses to represent them, and while he was gone they fell into apostasy and idol worship. They were denied the higher law because of their wickedness and idolatry, and instead they received a lesser law designed to prepare them once again to receive the blessings of the fulness of the gospel (see Exodus 19:5–11; 20:19; D&C 84:23–24). This lesser law was the law of Moses. Specifically recorded in the books of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy, it contained the “divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them [Israel] until the time of reformation” (Hebrews 9:10). It was a complex system that affected each part of Israel’s life.[1]
The law of Moses was not only a temporal law. Governed by the Aaronic (Levitical) Priesthood, the law of Moses was also “the law of carnal commandments” (D&C 84:27) given to Israel to teach them both to remember the Lord and to understand who they were. Paul called the law a “schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ” (Galatians 3:24). This “preparatory gospel” (D&C 84:26) included faith, repentance, and baptism, as well as performances and ordinances that were, as Elder Jeffrey R. Holland explained, “directly linked with the future atonement of Christ and were meant to be in every way ‘a similitude of him.’”[2] It was a spiritual law given to redirect and edify the disobedient Israelites.
Latter-day Saints should not view the law of Moses as a tedious, base law full of rules and restrictions. Joseph Fielding McConkie put the law in its correct context: “If Jesus of Nazareth was not the Christ, then the provisions of the law of Moses would still be in effect and all faithful souls would render obedience to it.”[3] The law of Moses was ordained of God and authorized by His priesthood.
Salvation can come only through Christ and His Atonement, and the types and figures in law of Moses pointed to that great event. Every action and law was to remind Israel who they were and whom they worshipped. “This is the whole meaning of the law, every whit pointing to that great and last sacrifice; and that great and last sacrifice will be the son of God, yea, infinite and eternal” (Alma 34:14). Nephi also taught that the law of Moses had been given to prove to his people the coming of Christ (see 2 Nephi 11:4). Salvation was not to be found in keeping the law of Moses. The purpose of the law was to typify the great sacrifice Christ would make to save the world from sin. ]
9 And the LORD said unto Moses, [ So Moses goes back up the mountain. This is the second time up the mountain now. And he says, "The people agree to this," to which the Lord says, "Awesome. Let's seal the deal." ] Lo, I come unto thee in a thick cloud, that the people may hear [ Why does God want the people to hear? The Jews consider this as the fullest evidence their fathers had of the Divine mission of Moses; themselves were permitted to see this awfully glorious sight, and to hear God himself speak out of the thick darkness: for before this, as Rabbi Maymon remarks, they might have thought that Moses wrought his miracles by sorcery or enchantment; but now, hearing the voice of God himself, they could no longer disbelieve nor even doubt. ] when I speak with thee, and believe thee for ever. And Moses told the words of the people unto the LORD.
10 ¶ And the LORD said unto Moses, Go unto the people, and sanctify them [ The basic meaning of "sanctified" and "consecrated" -hagios, kadosh, sanctus, holy, etc.,-is "fenced off from the world." This is the permanent condition of the temple: "that thy holy presence may be continually in this house." Fenced off as in "berith" or to covenant to protect with new ownership. So Moses goes back up and says, the people have agreed. We've had our oath. You said what you would do. We said what we would do. So the ratification begins and the Lord tells Moses how the ratification is to proceed. Joseph Fielding McConkie, said in “The God of Joseph Smith,” the following: "Moses did not take the children of Israel to Sinai to tell them that he spoke with God as one man speakth with another, but rather to santify them and bring them all into devine presence. With the restoration of the Melchezidek priesthood came the restoration the key of the knowledge of God.Let's lay the matter plain. That priesthood restored to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdry by Peter James and John. That same priesthood given to every worthy male adult in the church has as its purpose to prepare all who comply with its saving ordinances to stand in the presence of the Father and the son. This was the very doctrine that Moses taught the children of God in the wilderness. when he sought to santify his people that they might behold the face of God. But they hardened their hearts and could not endure his presence. Therefore the Lord in his wrath, for his anger was kindled against them swore that they should not enter into his rest while in the wilderness. Which rest is the fullness of his glory. " See also D&C 93:1 Why do they need to be santified? Because it is the intent of the Lord to restore their temple blessings and covenants, and to do so they must be clean. This is done preparatory to God visiting them. The word sanctify means to seperate or set apart. We can see that it involved an ordinance of washing that the children of Israel made be made clean. That they might be able to stand in the presence of God. From modern revelation we learn that it means that they were going to be consecrated and that the Lord was going to endow them with power from on high. Before they commenced their journey to their land of promise. Again we see the type - in Joseph Smiths day those liberated from boundage - the bondage of false religion. Were to gather with the saints at Nauvho - where they built their Sanai or temple, were they were endowded before their journey to their land of promise which was the great basin, were they would build a temple. Again a type for those today that gather to the temples to be sanctified and endowed with power from on high to prepare them for their journey thru life... What does Moses do to sanctify them? ] to day and to morrow, and let them wash their clothes, [ This was in essence a jewish "mikvah" or the same kind of washing that a new bride would perform before her marriage to the bridegroom. It consisted of a ritual immersion in "living water" which symbolized preparation for holiness, separation from the old life to a new life, as well as a change in status in the community as she would go from being under the authority of her father to the authority of her husband - which as a married woman would increase her status in the community. This washing of both our bodies and clothing is thought to make us fit covenant companions. Moses directed the administration of their preparatory cleansings. When we think of a covenant, sometimes we only focus in on the oath or the speaking portion of the covenant. However; in the Old Testament, more oft than not a covenant carried with it an act, a ritual act, a formal act of some kind that represents the ratification of this relationship that's been established. Whether it's a meal, whether it is a changing of clothing, whatever it is, there's an act that goes with the oath. And those two things, the oath that's made between the two parties and the formal act that ratifies that relationship, those two things got to go hand in hand in terms of the covenant making process. ]
11 And be ready against the third day: [ The Lord instructed Moses that 3 days later he would give the people their endowment from him. ] for the third day the LORD will come down in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai. [ So the Lord instructs Moses that I'm coming down in three days. If I'm going to make you a kingdom of priests, then we probably ought to meet. And so I'm going to come down in three days and I'm going to do it in the sight of all the people. All the people should be able to see me. And that's what we're going to do. So you have three days to get ready for the event. So here if the sanctify themselves properly they will see him. They have already heard him vs9 and now they are given the opportunity to see him. “If they had accepted all of the privileges offered them and followed the instructions which would have qualified them to receive the fulfillment of all God’s promises, they could have been accorded the grandest of all revelations: He offered to come down in the sight of all the people and let them hear when He spoke to Moses that they might know for themselves about His will and His law, and believe in Moses’ future revelations from God, and revere the Lord evermore (cf. Deuteronomy 4:10). Note the need of cleanliness and spiritual dedication in their preparation for this great spiritual experience. “At the prearranged signal, the sounding of the trumpet ‘exceeding long,’ the people trembled in anticipation and awe, but apparently they were not fully ready to come up ‘in the sight’ of the Lord on the mount where Moses was, for the Lord told him to go down and warn them not to come up. Hints as to why this was so are found in the next chapter, 20:18–19, and in D&C 84:21–25. But even though their hearts were not fully prepared to endure His presence, they did hear the voice and the words of God as the Ten Commandments were given, as will be seen later when we study Moses’ review of these great events in his valedictory, in Deuteronomy 4:10, 12, 33, 36; 5:22–26. “(The presentation of the Ten Commandments on the stone tablets is recounted a little later in the narrative, in Exodus 31:18; 32:15, 19; and a second set of tablets, prepared after the first set were broken, and are spoken of in Exodus 34:1 ff.)” (Rasmussen, Introduction to the Old Testament, 1:83.) ]
12 And thou shalt set bounds unto the people [ They need a temple recommend in order to proceed. ] round about, saying, Take heed to yourselves, that ye go not up into the mount, or touch the border of it: whosoever toucheth the mount shall be surely put to death: [ Why is God so harsh? I think that what God is saying at least to me is that I don't want people sneaking onto the mountain to have a look, to see the ordinances without proper preparation and without being willing to make a covenant with him. This shows the seriousness of these covenants with the Lord. Any man or beast that went onto Mt Sinai including it's borders was to be killed. Again we get back to santification and the fact that the temple or in this case the mountain eas sacred, sanctified, ie: fenced off such that only the clean would enter. Fenced off from the world." That is the permanent condition of the temple: "that thy holy presence may be continually in this house." Many holy places are open to secular use through- out the year except during the formal set times of assembly and celebration. Not so with the temple; there everything that happens is removed from the everyday world. ]
13 There shall not an hand touch it, [ Same advice given to Adam and Eve, don't even touch the fruit. How can you eat it if you do not touch it. Exactly. ] but he shall surely be stoned, or shot through; whether it be beast or man, it shall not live: when the trumpet soundeth long, they shall come up to the mount.
[ So you only have to do this until the trumpet sounds. Is the trumpet the acknowledgement that they are ready, that they are sanctified? ]
14 ¶ And Moses went down from the mount unto the people, and sanctified the people; and they washed their clothes.
15 And he said unto the people, Be ready against the third day: come not at your wives. [ The Lord did not want anyone else in Israel conceived before he came down with his presence on the holy mount to reveal his covenant. Meaning? While it is not wrong it is about seeking self disipline. Will you follow instructions, will you do what I want. If you cannot do the little things then you are not ready for the covenants which I want to give you. ]
16 ¶ 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, [ So we might say that it was a scary site, one which you would choose to normally not enter into. It was one which made the people fearful. ] and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; [ So now the trumpet has sounded meaning that they can come up to the mountain vs 13. ] So that all the people that was in the camp trembled. [ The people trembled, they held back. Their hearts were full of fear. They are like if we go up on that mountain we might not come back down. So in essence this is the point where the children of Israel outsourced their communication with God to Moses. They could have had direct, individual communication with God but they chose a different path. Is there any consideration for us in our day here? The prophet meanwhile is trying to push them forward, you can do this, you have sanctified yourselves. Do we have a prophet pushing us in the same direction today? Has the trumpet sounded for us? Are we trembling, not going forward? See D&C 84:22 Becoming sanctified as Moses taught) you cannot receive Higher Priesthood. Without the higher priesthood you cannot receive the saving ordinances of the gospel that he requires and therefore obtain His favor. D&C 84:24 "they hardened their hearts and could not endure his presence" ]
17 And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God; and they stood at the nether part of the mount. [ It is worthy of remark that the people were informed three days before, ver. 9-11, that such an appearance was to take place; and this answered two excellent purposes: 1. They had time to sanctify and prepare themselves for this solemn transaction; and, 2. Those who might be skeptical had sufficient opportunity to make use of every precaution to prevent and detect an imposture; so this previous warning strongly serves the cause of Divine revelation. ]
18 And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire: [ Purify's it. ] and the smoke [ Hides it from our eyes. ] thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly.
19 And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, [ The call from the Lord for the people to come up to the mount is greater and greater, more than before in verse 16. ] Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice.
20 And the LORD came down upon mount Sinai, on the top of the mount: [ The glory of the Lord would occupy the top of the mountain - the Holy Of Holies. ] and the LORD called Moses up to the top of the mount; and Moses went up. [ Moses goes up to the top of the mountain again, third time I think. Moses and Moses alone - Israels High Priest was allowed to enter the top and part the veil and speak with the Lord. ]
21 And the LORD said unto Moses, Go down, [ Moses has to like "What are you serious, I just got here." ] , charge the people, lest they break through unto the LORD to gaze, and many of them perish. [ Why? I thought this was the purpose of the day. To have them meet the Lord. So why does the Lord say they gave to wait. I think that the answer is right here. They are not quite ready yet, if they were ready they would not perish but here the Lord says if they do right now they will perish. When we get to Exodus 20, it's not the Lord that is holding people back from seeing Him, it's what? It's the people themselves. They saw this and they removed and stood a far off. "We don't want to go up there lest we die." In Deuteronomy 5:5 we are informed tha the people would not go because they were fearful. Interesting us of the words here "to gaze" which suggests that they want to know what is going on without committing, or making covenants. To satisfy their own curiosity. Like the young man in the parable found in Matthew 22? ]
22 And let the priests also, which come near to the LORD, [ The priests were allowed onto the mountain but only part way. ] sanctify themselves, lest the LORD break forth upon them.
23 And Moses said unto the LORD, The people cannot come up to mount Sinai: [ Or "ynys rh har Sinai", the mount of the bush or the mount of bushes; for it is possible that it was not in a single bush, but in a thicket of bushes, that the Angel of God made his appearance. The word bush is often used for woods or forests. I think section 84 helps in that regard, "They hardened their hearts and could not enter into His presence." I'm always struck by that. The could not means that they have no ability to enter into the presence of God, but it is fronted by it. And they harden their hearts, it's a choice, they chose not to. And choices have consequences. ] for thou chargedst us, saying, Set bounds about the mount, and sanctify it. [ Sanctify or - build a fence so to speak around it. If you do not have a recommend or the proper credentials you cannot enter - keeping it sacred. These are the same bounds that were set for the tabernacle in the wilderness, and the temples which would be built in Jersualem. They are 1) The outer court - the place were the people could enter 2) The Holy place to which the priests could enter 3) The Holy Of Hollies to which the High priest could enter. Doctrine and Covenants 84 beginning, yeah, 19 through 24. It's going to set this up. He's talking about the priesthood and about the keys of the mysteries of the kingdom, even the key of the knowledge of God. And points out again, that in the ordinances, both the laws and in the ritual that we associate the priesthood. And without the ordinances thereof and the authority of the priesthood, the power of godliness is not manifest unto men in the flesh. For without this, no man can see the face of God, even the father and live. So Joseph is explaining, or at least the Lord is explaining to Joseph ways in which the priesthood is necessary for this incredible experience to see the face of God. Now, verse 23, this Moses plainly taught to the children of Israel in the wilderness and sought diligently to sanctify his people that they might behold the face of God. Moses did everything he could to sanctify his people to behold the face of God, but they hardened their hearts and could not endure His presence. this is an experience that should be happening. This is if you are Israel, this is what's going to make you separate and distinct, you have the opportunity to enter into the presence of the Lord. ]
24 And the LORD said unto him, Away, get thee down, and thou shalt come up, thou, and Aaron with thee: but let not the priests and the people break through [ At this point the PATRIARCHAL ORDER TAKEN FROM ANCIENT ISRAEL.(Doctrines Of Salvation Vol 3 Chapter 9) God knew that they were heedless, criminally curious, and stupidly obstinate; acting as children - hence they are the children of Israel, and therefore his mercy saw it right to give them line upon line, that they might not transgress to their own destruction. As President Brigham Young once put it, had they followed the teachings of Moses, it would not have been one year after the Exodus before they would have received their full endowment. "If they had been sanctified and holy, the children of Israel would not have travelled one year with Moses before they would have received their endowments and the Melchisedec Priesthood. But they could not receive them, and never did. Moses left them and they did not receive the fulness of that Priesthood .... The Lord told Moses that he would show himself to the people; but they begged Moses to plead with the Lord not to do so" (Brigham Young, JD, 6:100-101). As revealed in the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible, they rejected the higher law (see JST Exodus 34:1-2; D&C 84:19-25). Therefore, the holy order, and the ordinances thereof, were taken from among them. A beautiful, yet lesser order, the Levitical order of the priest- hood, was introduced. Dutiful offerings of sacrifice would characterize this order, a service first in the tabernacle and later in the temple. To set themselves apart not only from the world, but from any other tribe of Israel not permitted to bear the priesthood, the Lord revealed special clothing they would wear only in the precincts of sacred space. As recorded in Exodus 28-30, the Lord gave to Moses in the mount the divine pattern of the sacred garments of the holy priesthood. In particular, Aaron and his successor sons had the privilege of wearing the beautiful garments of the priesthood that only the High Priest of ancient Israel could wear. ] to come up unto the LORD, lest he break forth upon them.