Commentaries:
No entry exists in Forerunner Commentary for Exodus 19:9.
Exodus 19:7-9
Excerpted from: Jesus in the Feasts (Part Three): Divine KingThis is the grounds, you might say, the foundation for why He comes down on the mount and gives them the Ten Commandments and the ensuing covenant that is in the next few chapters. But He is laying it out in very large parameters here.
We talked about God setting up the situation and that He wanted to formalize the relationship with the children of Israel, which, you know, in terms of the covenant, required their obedience and then His reciprocal blessing of them.
Now for our purposes today, the vital part of this exchange that we have between or among the people, Moses, and God is in verse 9, the last one that we read here. God says, "I come to you in the thick cloud." God would come to them for the people to hear His voice themselves. And what was the reaction after they heard? They would believe.
"Faith comes by hearing." Does Paul not say that in Romans? And so God was going to put an exclamation point on His instructions by giving them Himself—directly to the people. Now we know by the end of the chapter they are saying, "No, no, no! Don't let Him speak to us! You go up, Moses."
Exodus 19:9-11
Excerpted from: Knowing God: Formality and Customs (Part 5)Genesis 35 and Exodus 19 are two examples of people dressing up in preparation for being in God's presence. In the first, Jacob voluntarily prepares, clearly following an already-established custom. In the second, God commands it. Dressing up to be in God's presence is a matter of respect, and God expects it. You can tell that especially from Exodus 19. It is a matter of respecting His holiness, and honoring the dignity of His office as Creator and Ruler.
The bathing of oneself and the changing of clothing symbolize that the internal cleansing of the heart is either already done or it is in progress. Cleansing, dressing up, in short symbolize the process of justification and sanctification. If you thought the day of symbolism and ceremony is over, you are wrong! It did not end with the Old Covenant, but it continues right on through, and we are to acknowledge it.
Exodus 19:9-13
Excerpted from: Sanctification and Holiness (Part 1)In verse 10 the word "sanctify" there should be understood in the sense of devote, or dedicate, or consecrate. It meant that Moses was to focus their attention on what they were about to enter into. The clean clothing then is symbolic of the righteousness of the saints. That is a symbol of becoming holy, clean, in order to appear before God. Consecrated. Devoted. Not merely set apart, but with their mind focused, and therefore consecrated to God.
Exodus 19:9-12
Excerpted from: His Eye is on the Sparrow (Part Four)What is He saying there, do not come near the mountain, you can come up to it but do not try to come up the mountain where I am. If you come up to the mountain you will die. We are beginning to see a little bit of the difference between holiness of God, and mankind as we are today. There is a reason why I am going through this, because God points out why we have to go through it.
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