Greeting Members and Friends
It time once again for our weekly Sunday School preview so thanks for joining me and welcome back. This month’s focus is “Called into Covenant With God”. Today’s lesson entitled “Obeying God’s Law” is the third lesson in this unit and takes place at the base of Mt. Sinai about 50 days after the children of Israel had left Egypt. What occurred in that mountain is referred to as a theophany. A theophany is a type of physical manifestation of the presence of God. In this appearance on Mt. Sinai, God’s presence was evident by lightning and thunder and smoke and loud trumpet sounds and His voice.
This was all quite terrifying for the children of Israel who fear for their lives from this great manifestation of God’s presence. They were so frightened in fact that they asked Moses to ask God not to speak to them anymore, but that Moses should go and speak to God for them and whatever God says they will do. Moses assures them that God had no intention of killing them, but He did want them to fear and reverence Him. God wanted Israel to know that He is real and powerful and not like some stone image that they and others may have been use to that can’t do or say anything. God is a God of covenant and relationship and requires obedience on our part.
Israel nor we could ever enter relationship with God as equals. He is the Creator and we are the created. God is all powerful. We have no power except what He gives us and allows us to have. God is eternal and we are mortal. We are nowhere or nothing in comparison to God. How would you like a barbarian or salvage person to live with you? They would have no respect or value the things that are important to you and your way of life. Without God’s laws, we are like barbarians and salvages living in the presence of God. But if you gave a barbarian or salvage your rules or laws and they were able and willing to abide by them, then you may be inclined to allow them to live with you in your house.
This is the same principle that applies when it comes to obeying God’s law. God would love to bring us to His house, but we must learn to behave divinely civilized to go there. So, this lesson is God introducing Himself as the one true and almighty God to Israel and presenting them with His expectation of covenant behavior. To get a greater understanding of this lesson read the daily SS readings found in your SS book and on our website and mobile app. Well, that’s all for this week’s preview. Be sure to join us in Sunday School this week for a fuller discussion of this lesson and the general topic of God’s call into covenant. So, until then
Grace and peace
Pastor Jordan
