On the morning of the third day there were thunders and lightnings and a thick cloud on the mountain and a very loud trumpet blast, so that all the people in the camp trembled. Then Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they took their stand at the foot of the mountain. Now Mount Sinai was wrapped in smoke because the LORD had descended on it in fire. The smoke of it went up like the smoke of a kiln, and the whole mountain trembled greatly. And as the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him in thunder. The LORD came down on Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain. And the LORD called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up. | Exodus 19:16–20
We have learned that God made all people. All people belong to God. I belong to God. You belong to God. And because we belong to God, we must live for Him. We must live to please Him. We must live the way He wants us to live. God has told us how we must live. God gave His law. His law tells us what we must do, and what we must not do. His law tells us what kind of people His children should be.
Long ago, when the Israelites were God’s special people, God gave the Ten Commandments. The Israelites were living in tents. There were rows and rows of tents around Mount Sinai. Moses was the leader of God’s people. He had led them out of Egypt. One day God said to Moses, “Tell the people to get ready. They must wash themselves and they must wash their clothes. In three days I will come down to them. I will come to the top of Mount Sinai. I will talk to them.”
God had never come down to talk to any other people. This was to be a very special visit of God. The Israelites looked out of their tent doors. They looked at Mount Sinai. They saw a big black cloud on the top of the mountain. They heard roaring thunder up there. And they saw bright lightning flash through the dark cloud. Moses called to the people, “Come, gather near the mountain!” When they were all near the mountain, God came down. He came down in fire and smoke. The mountain shook when He came down on it. The people were afraid. Now they could see and hear that God was very great. They heard God’s voice. God said:
1. You shalt have no other God’s before me.
2. You shall not make idols or worship them..
3. You shall not take the name of the Lord in vain.
4. Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy.
5. Honor your father and thy mother.
6. You shall not kill.
7. You shall not commit adultery.
8. You shall not lie.
9. You shall not steal.
10. You shall not covet anything that is your neighbor’s.
These are the Ten Commandments. God Himself spoke these commandments from the top of the mountain. And His voice was like thunder.All the people backed away from the mountain. They were afraid. Moses said, “Do not be afraid. God is showing you how great He is, so that you will surely obey Him!” And they promised to obey. They said, “We will do all that the Lord says.”
Something to Talk About:
- From what mountain did God give His law?
- What did the Israelites see on the mountain?
- What did they hear?
- Why must people do what God says?
Memory Verse:
The Lord your God is in your midst, a great and awesome God. | Deuteronomy 7:21