Preparing to Meet God Exodus 19:9-25
We Need To Be Prepared To Meet God Matthew 25:44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. Revelation 19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.
What Have The Hebrews Experienced A. Deliverance by God From bondage in Egypt B. Dependence on God In the desert C. Defense by God From the Egyptians From the Amalekites D. Decision for God Exodus 19:8 And all the people answered together, and said, All that the Lord hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the Lord.
I. Our Proper Preparation Required A. Preparation involves time and effort 1. To show we mean business Exodus 19:9-11 9 And the Lord said unto Moses, Lo, I come unto thee in a thick cloud, that the people may hear 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 to day and to morrow, and let them wash their clothes, 11 And be ready against the third day: for the third day the Lord will come down in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai.
I. Our Proper Preparation Required 2. Without excuses Luke 14:16-17 16 Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many: 17 And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready. 18 And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused. 19 And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused. 20 And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.
I. Our Proper Preparation Required B. Preparation involves setting boundaries 2 Corinthians 6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you. Job 14:4 Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one. Isaiah 52:11 Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the Lord.
I. Our Proper Preparation Required B. Preparation involves setting boundaries Exodus 19:12-13 12 And thou shalt set bounds unto the people 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: 13 There shall not an hand touch it, 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.
I. Our Proper Preparation Required C. Preparation involves consecration Exodus 12:14-15 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. Ephesians 4:23 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
I Am Thine, O Lord Fanny Crosby Verse 2 Consecrate me now to Thy service, Lord, By the pow r of grace divine; Let my soul look up with a steadfast hope, And my will be lost in Thine.
II. Preparation Puts Us In The Presence Of God A. On time Exodus 19:16-17 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, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled. 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.
II. Preparation Puts Us In The Presence Of God B. In power Exodus 19:18-19 18 And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the Lord descended upon it in fire: and the smoke 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, Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice.
II. Preparation Puts Us In The Presence Of God
II. Preparation Puts Us In The Presence Of God C. In person Exodus 19:20 And the Lord came down upon mount Sinai, on the top of the mount: and the Lord called Moses up to the top of the mount; and Moses went up.
III. Our Preparation Should Be Persistent 2 Corinthians 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. Luke 9:62 And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.
III. Our Preparation Should Be Persistent Psalm 119:150 They draw nigh that follow after mischief: they are far from thy law. Proverbs 6:12-15 12 A naughty person, a wicked man, walketh with a froward mouth. 13 He winketh with his eyes, he speaketh with his feet, he teacheth with his fingers; 14 Frowardness is in his heart, he deviseth mischief continually; he soweth discord. 15 Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken without remedy.
III. Our Preparation Should Be Persistent A. In the presence of temptation Exodus 19:21-23 21 And the Lord said unto Moses, Go down, charge the people, lest they break through unto the Lord to gaze, and many of them perish. 22 And let the priests also, which come near to the Lord, sanctify themselves, lest the Lord break forth upon them. 23 And Moses said unto the Lord, The people cannot come up to mount Sinai: for thou chargedst us, saying, Set bounds about the mount, and sanctify it.
III. Our Preparation Should Be Persistent B. To prevent God from having to keep pleading for obedience Exodus 19:24-25 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 to come up unto the Lord, lest he break forth upon them. 25 So Moses went down unto the people, and spake unto them.