(Exodus) Exodus 19:1-4 — J. Vernon McGee

The Law as Condemnation in Exodus 19–24

That brings us now to the 19th chapter of the book of Exodus, and we've come now to another major division, the fourth one in the book of Exodus, and we're going to consider the Law now. The Law is condemnation, and from chapter 19 through 24.

And here in 19 we have the arrival at Mount Sinai and the agreement to accept the Law. Now, this is very important also, and we're moving slowly and cautiously and carefully through this section because it's been misunderstood and has not been understood.

This section is not studied very often. We want to pay particular attention to it. Now notice, and I begin reading now in chapter 19 of Exodus,. "...in the third month, when the children of Israel were gone forth out of the land of Egypt, the same day came they into the wilderness of Sinai.

And they were departed from Rephidim, and were come to the desert of Sinai, and had pitched in the wilderness, and there Israel camped before the mount.". Now they've arrived at the place where the Law is going to be given.

Now, God's going to deal with these people very graciously and give them the opportunity of deciding whether they want to go on as He's been bringing them out of Egypt, or do they want to accept and receive the Law.

Well, let's take a look at this because this is a very important section right here that's before us. I've said that, I think, about every chapter so far in Exodus, and I mean it of each one. I want to read now verse 3,.

"...And Moses went up unto God, and the Lord called unto him out of the mountains, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel, First, ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bear you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself.".

Now, that's traveling by grace. That's traveling by jet, the new jets. "...And then God asked them, Will they receive the words that he commands them? And they foolishly agreed to accept them, instead of saying they have enjoyed the trip on eagles' wings.".

"...Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bear you on eagles' wings.". I have a little book and I should mention it today at this juncture. This little book on eagles' wings is the book that deals with this great subject and God has wonderfully blessed it.

Now, we send out notes and outlines. No one has to send in anything. We've learned that we just can't afford to send out books. We do have to ask that you make a gift to the radio ministry in order for us to be able to send out any books, and that will be true on eagles' wings.

And I'm going to touch on it. That'll be next time, of course. And I trust that you'll be listening and that you'll probably want the book because I won't be able to go into detail at all. You see, the eagle is a bird of prey.

We read in Job 9 .26, "...as the eagle that hasteth to the prey.". And the Lord Jesus Himself said, "...and wheresoever the carcass is, there will the eagles be gathered together.". And yet the eagle is used as a symbol in Scripture of deity, of God.

And you find in Ezekiel that was the face of an eagle, deity. And the same thing in the 4th chapter of Revelation, the flying eagle. It represents deity. And it's admired for its wings, its ability to fly, to soar to the heights.

Jeremiah in the 4th chapter, verse 13, says, "...his horses are swifter than eagles.". And when David was giving a eulogy to Saul and Jonathan, he used the eagle as a panegyric of praise. In other words, the eagle is the jet plane of the bird family.

Israel's Decision at Mount Sinai

Now, the children of Israel now come up to Mount Sinai. They've left the land of Egypt. God delivered them and He has brought them now to Mount Sinai. And they're going to have to make a decision here at Mount Sinai.

God says, you've seen how I bore you on eagles' wings. As we said last time, eagles' wings are a symbol of deity. And they set forth here the salvation by the grace of God. And we are going to see that they also set forth discipline by the grace of God.

That's when we get over to Deuteronomy. But here we see it's salvation. Now, will you notice, God says, I've brought you on eagles' wings. Well, how did He do it? Well, first of all, He found them helpless and hopeless in the slavery of Egypt.

And He delivered them. He redeemed them by blood. And that night when the death angel passed over, and that was the death of the firstborn in the houses where there was not the blood, why, that ended the plagues.

Deliverance Through the Red Sea

And that night the children of Israel marched out. And then they came to the Red Sea. And even then they were not out of the land of Egypt. And Pharaoh could have well have slaughtered them, just like animals.

And that's what he would have done had not God intervened again. And God brought them across the Red Sea by power, mighty power. Only the power of God could do that. And you see here, He's bearing them on eagles' wings.

He's carrying them that way. And then they've come out now of slavery to freedom. They've come out of the brickyards to go to the Promised Land, from Egypt now to Sinai, from death to life, from Egyptian darkness to heaven's light, from the helplessness under the slave master to the very heart of God, all the way from defeat to victory.

And now He's brought them to Mount Sinai. And on the way over, we've seen seven experiences that they've had. Now, those seven experiences are very meaningful as we've seen for us today. We've seen how He met their need.

God's Provision in the Wilderness

These are experiences you and I'll have. And how God meets our need today. How He provides for us. God gave them manna. God gave them water from the rock. God sweetened the bitter waters at Marah and that long three days' wilderness march without any water.

And then God delivered them from Amalek. The victory was won through prayer. You can't overcome the flesh, friends, by effort. I'm sure you've learned that. This is something you turn over to the Holy Spirit and learn to walk by the Spirit.

Victory Through Prayer and Faith

The victory is on the hilltop, never down by fighting. And I'm sure many of us have learned that. And then we do not today serve God through worldly wisdom. We hear so much about the Lord's will, the Lord's will.

I noticed recently in a church where they were having a series of meetings and every service had to do how you can find the Lord's will, how you can find the Lord's will. And I came to the conclusion from some of the subjects that a great deal of worldly wisdom was being used to find out God's will for your life.

I don't think you find it out that way, my friend. This idea today that we are to do the expedient and we're to use certain methods and that type of thing, that just doesn't happen to be God's way of doing it.

Oh, God bore them on eagle's wings and that's the way He bears us today. That's by His marvelous grace. And we walk by faith. That's the thing that God is saying to them here. He wants now to have them make a decision, though.

He says, you've seen what I've done already.