ExodusSample

The ten commandments form the basis of the Israelites society. To this day, these laws serve as bedrock for many societies around the world, and when they are followed society flourishes.

After promising to obey God’s call to be “a priestly kingdom and a holy nation” in the previous chapter (Exodus 19:6), the people respond in fear in chapter 20. When they see the reality of what it means to be a kingdom of priests – people who go before God on behalf of the rest of the world – they refuse. They say to Moses “You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, or we will die” (v19).

This means that the Lord must alter the plan he laid out in chapter 19 for all the people to be priests, holy and set apart. Because of this, many more laws need to be given, which we will see in the days ahead.

We are also starting a new memory passage today – Psalm 91. This passage is all about the Lord’s protection, which connects to the passage we are reading in Exodus today. If we know we are protected by the Lord, we do not need to be afraid.