1 1. 2 sinai: meeting with god sin mediation leadership ©2014barry liesch biola university la...

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Sinai:

Meeting with God

Sin

Mediation

Leadership

Sinai:

Meeting with God

Sin

Mediation

Leadership©2014Barry Liesch Biola University La Mirada, California©2014Barry Liesch Biola University La Mirada, California

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Humble yourselves before Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt the Lord, and he will exalt you.you.

James 4:10James 4:10

Quiet meditationQuiet meditation

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Holiness/Reverence Holiness/Reverence on Mount Sinaion Mount Sinai

How Moses met crisis that demanded How Moses met crisis that demanded LEADERSHIP!LEADERSHIP!

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You have not come to something that You have not come to something that can be touched, a blazing can be touched, a blazing firefire, and , and darknessdarkness… and the sound of a … and the sound of a trumpettrumpet, and a , and a voicevoice whose words whose words made the hearers beg that not another made the hearers beg that not another word be spoken to them.word be spoken to them.

Heb 12:18,19 Heb 12:18,19

Quiet meditationQuiet meditation

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Just before Mount SinaiJust before Mount Sinai

God: I bore you on eagleGod: I bore you on eagle’’s wingss wingsDelivered you from EgyptDelivered you from Egypt

Consecrate/wash yourselvesConsecrate/wash yourselves

People: we agree to obey all requirements People: we agree to obey all requirements of covenantof covenant

God: You shall be my possessionGod: You shall be my possession

Does God really have us?Does God really have us?

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At Mount SinaiAt Mount Sinai

Consecration by Consecration by bloodblood Blood sprinkled/thrown (!) over peopleBlood sprinkled/thrown (!) over people Ratifies agreement/covenantRatifies agreement/covenant

Common thread between OT/NT: Common thread between OT/NT: bloodbloodJesus inaugurates New CovenantJesus inaugurates New Covenant This is my This is my bloodblood of the new covenant of the new covenantBloodBlood symbol foundational to worship symbol foundational to worship

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Warning to People!Warning to People! Do not touch Sinai -- even border of itDo not touch Sinai -- even border of it

Whoever touches mountain shall surely die!Whoever touches mountain shall surely die!

Holiness: attractive, dangerous!Holiness: attractive, dangerous!

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Sinai Pattern of Worship Sinai Pattern of Worship

Call to Worship, to Come UpCall to Worship, to Come Up to Moses, Aaronto Moses, Aaron to 70 eldersto 70 elders

RequirementsRequirements Remove shoes Remove shoes (Why? Significance?)(Why? Significance?)

Abstain from sexual relationsAbstain from sexual relations

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Sinai Pattern of Worship Sinai Pattern of Worship

70 Elders70 Elders Must stay at base of mountainMust stay at base of mountain Worship at distance, not come too close!Worship at distance, not come too close! They see a glimpse of GodThey see a glimpse of God

70 Elders 70 Elders offer Peace Offering offer Peace Offering Eat & drink Eat & drink signals signals ““Peace with GodPeace with God””

Only Moses & Aaron go up mountainOnly Moses & Aaron go up mountain

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At Top of MountainAt Top of Mountain

Transcendent Power of GodTranscendent Power of God Thunder, lightening Thunder, lightening Thick cloud, darkness, smokeThick cloud, darkness, smoke Mountain trembles!Mountain trembles! Trumpet blast gets louder and louderTrumpet blast gets louder and louder Voice of God speaks out from fire!Voice of God speaks out from fire! Sense of majesty-but no visible formSense of majesty-but no visible form[Now the narrative][Now the narrative]

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Sinai Pattern of worship Sinai Pattern of worship

And Moses…and the 70…went up, And Moses…and the 70…went up, and they saw a and they saw a vision of God. vision of God. Under his feetUnder his feet was something was something like a pavement of sapphire like a pavement of sapphire stone, like the very heavens for stone, like the very heavens for clearness…they beheld God, and clearness…they beheld God, and they ate and drank. they ate and drank. Ex 24:9-11Ex 24:9-11

Why is “under his feet” singled out/reported?Why is “under his feet” singled out/reported?

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The 70 The 70 ““saw the God of Israelsaw the God of Israel”” Sapphire stone pavement Sapphire stone pavement (deep blue)(deep blue)

Clear as crystal (like glass?) Clear as crystal (like glass?) Ezek 1:26; Rev 4:6Ezek 1:26; Rev 4:6 Foundation of heavenly throne (maybe?)Foundation of heavenly throne (maybe?)

Dared not lift eyes higher? Dared not lift eyes higher? Why?Why?

You cannot see my face … and live You cannot see my face … and live Ex 33:20Ex 33:20

Moses receives 10 commandments, the Moses receives 10 commandments, the Law, Tabernacle details/structureLaw, Tabernacle details/structure

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Moses is delayed (40 days on mount?)Moses is delayed (40 days on mount?)People to Aaron: People to Aaron: make us a Godmake us a GodGolden Calf Worship Golden Calf Worship IDOLATRY! IDOLATRY!Dancing, Drinking, Wild Dancing, Drinking, Wild Moses angryMoses angry: shatters commandments, : shatters commandments,

grinds it into powder, makes them drink grinds it into powder, makes them drink it!it!

3000 resist Moses & are slain! 3000 resist Moses & are slain! Ex 32:15-28Ex 32:15-28

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40 days prostrate before the Lord

Uncommon Leadership40 days prostrate before the Lord

Uncommon LeadershipMoses recognizes calamitous situationMoses recognizes calamitous situationMoses to People: Moses to People: Perhaps I can make atonement for Perhaps I can make atonement for

your sin your sin Ex 32:30Ex 32:30

Moses to God: Moses to God: This people has committed a great This people has committed a great

sin… sin… Ex 32:30Ex 32:30 If you cannot forgive them, blot out If you cannot forgive them, blot out

my name from your book! my name from your book! Ex 32:32Ex 32:32

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God’s AngerGod’s Anger

God God threatensthreatens to wipe out Israel: to wipe out Israel: Leave me alone so that Leave me alone so that my angermy anger

may burn against them and that I may burn against them and that I may destroy them may destroy them Ex 32:10Ex 32:10

Moses lays prostrate 40 days/intercedesMoses lays prostrate 40 days/intercedesGod: God: II ’’ll send an angel…[but] I will ll send an angel…[but] I will notnot

go up with you, because you are an go up with you, because you are an obstinate people obstinate people Ex 33:2-5Ex 33:2-5

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Moses IntercedesMoses Intercedes

MosesMoses: : If your If your presencepresence does not go up with does not go up with us, do not send us up from here! For how us, do not send us up from here! For how will anyone know that you are pleased will anyone know that you are pleased with me…with me…What else will distinguish me What else will distinguish me and your people and your people from all the other people from all the other people on the face of the earth on the face of the earth Ex 33: 15-Ex 33: 15-1616

Moses: Moses: If I have favor, If I have favor, show me Thy gloryshow me Thy gloryGod: God: I myself will make all My goodness pass I myself will make all My goodness pass

before you before you Ex 33:17-22; 34:1, 4 - 10Ex 33:17-22; 34:1, 4 - 10

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God’s Response: the most quoted, detailed,self disclosure of God in all of Scripture!


Then the Lord passed in front of him [Moses] and proclaimed,Then the Lord passed in front of him [Moses] and proclaimed,

Yahweh, the compassionate and gracious God, Yahweh, the compassionate and gracious God,

slow to anger, slow to anger,

abounding in loyal love and faithfulness abounding in loyal love and faithfulness [truth], [truth],

maintaining love to thousands, maintaining love to thousands,

and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin;and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin;

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God’s Response: the most quoted, detailed,self disclosure of God in all of Scripture! yetyet by no means will he leave the guilty by no means will he leave the guilty unpunished, unpunished,

visiting the sins of the fathers upon the children visiting the sins of the fathers upon the children

and upon the childrenand upon the children’’s children s children

to the third and fourth generation. to the third and fourth generation. (Moses bows low) (Moses bows low) Ex 34:5-8Ex 34:5-8

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God’s Response: the most quoted, detailed,self disclosure of God in all of Scripture! Then the Lord passed in front of him [Moses] and Then the Lord passed in front of him [Moses] and

proclaimed,proclaimed,Yahweh, the compassionate and gracious Yahweh, the compassionate and gracious

God, slow to anger, abounding in loyal love God, slow to anger, abounding in loyal love and faithfulness [truth], maintaining love to and faithfulness [truth], maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin; rebellion and sin; yetyet by no means will he by no means will he leave the guilty unpunished, visiting the leave the guilty unpunished, visiting the sins of the fathers upon the children and sins of the fathers upon the children and upon the childrenupon the children’’s children to the third and s children to the third and fourth generation. fourth generation. (Moses bows low) (Moses bows low) Ex 34:5-8Ex 34:5-8

Also see: Num 14:18; Neh 9:17; Ps 86:15, 103:8, 145:8; Joel Also see: Num 14:18; Neh 9:17; Ps 86:15, 103:8, 145:8; Joel 2:13; Jonah 4:2; Nah 1:3 2:13; Jonah 4:2; Nah 1:3

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ApplicationsApplications

Importance of God’s presence today?Importance of God’s presence today? Isn’t this what we worship leaders live for?Isn’t this what we worship leaders live for?

Could God/HS Could God/HS withdraw presence withdraw presence today?today?

Must leaders be Must leaders be slow to angerslow to anger??Is Leadership/Mediation Is Leadership/Mediation required today?required today? Do worship leaders face crisis situations?Do worship leaders face crisis situations?

Does sin result in consequences?Does sin result in consequences?

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Results of SinaiResults of Sinai

God angry, threatens to distance himselfGod angry, threatens to distance himself God God can’tcan’t countenance sin, rebellion countenance sin, rebellion Voltaire (way too glib): God will forgive. That is his business.

Sin makes presence of God impossibleSin makes presence of God impossible

Desperate need for Desperate need for MediatorMediator Eventually priests to mediate Eventually priests to mediate Eventually a place of intercessionEventually a place of intercessionJesus is our high priest, mediator Jesus is our high priest, mediator Heb 9:11Heb 9:11

1 1. 2 sinai: meeting with god sin mediation leadership ©2014barry liesch biola university la...

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