西乃山的功课
出埃及记十九章17至25节
17摩西率领百姓出营迎接神，都站在山下。
18西乃全山冒烟，因为耶和华在火中降于山上。山的烟气上腾，如烧窑一般，遍山大大的震动。
19角声渐渐的高而又高，摩西就说话，神有声音答应他。
20耶和华降临在西乃山顶上，耶和华召摩西上山顶，摩西就上去。
21耶和华对摩西说：你下去嘱咐百姓，不可闯过来到我面前观看，恐怕他们有多人死亡；
22又叫亲近我的祭司自洁，恐怕我忽然出来击杀他们。
23摩西对耶和华说：百姓不能上西乃山，因为你已经嘱咐我们说：要在山的四围定界限，叫山成圣。
24耶和华对他说：下去罢，你要和亚伦一同上来；只是祭司和百姓不可闯过来上到我面前，恐怕我忽然出来击杀他们。
25于是摩西下到百姓那里告诉他们。
信息分享
信徒在神的学校中必须学习两大功课：第一，是认识神是谁，和祂究竟是一位怎么样的神。第二，是明白我们要做些甚么才能讨神的喜悦。
以色列人在早前的经历中，已认识到神的信实、神的慈爱和神的能力。如今在西乃山下，神要他们认识祂的圣洁，并且，知道他们要做些甚么，才能讨这位圣洁的神喜悦。
在接着的58章经文（由出埃及记十九章至民数记十章），我们看见神向百姓颁示了训诲，以及百姓在西乃山下所发生的事情。他们在那里停留了超过一年。
神为了教导以色列民认识祂是圣洁的神，特别向他们颁布了两套法典。在他们快将成为一个独立的国家之前，神确实有必要教导他们认识这点。因为他们若要成为神的子民，就必须活出神的样式。
神颁示给他们的两套法典，分别是我们称的「道德法典」和「礼仪法典」。两者都是让他们认识到神是圣洁的神，并且教导他们怎样才能亲近这位圣洁的神。
「道德法典」包含了十诫；而十诫的作用就像一面镜子（参看罗三20）。当你站在镜子前面，你就会看见自己的衣服是否整洁；不过，你如果发现有任何不整洁之处，镜子也不会帮助你去整理，你要自己动手去整理。律法的作用也是如此。它让我们看清楚自己心中的罪，但它却不能帮助你去清除罪。圣经告诉我们，只有耶稣基督才能除去我们的罪。
神在西乃山上向人显示了神的圣洁和人的罪；但祂在各各他山上却向人显明了祂的慈爱，甘愿为救赎罪人而牺牲。当我们认清自己的罪，再明白到救主愿意洗清我们的罪，因而接受祂的赦罪，神的工作就开始在我们心中和生命中展开了。最后，圣经告诉我们，当我们将来到天堂的时候，我们将完全圣洁，就像主自己一样。
反思：
我将来见主的时候，便会像主自己一样。
A LESSON TO BE LEARNED AT SINAI
Exodus 19:17-25
17 And Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain.
18 Now Mount Sinai was completely in smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire.Its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked greatly.
19 And when the blast of the trumpet sounded long and became louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him by voice.
20 Then the LORD came down upon Mount Sinai, on the top of the mountain. And the LORD called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up.
21 And the LORD said to Moses, “Go down and warn the people, lest they break through to gaze at the LORD, and many of them perish.
22 Also let the priests who come near the LORD consecrate themselves, lest the LORD break out against them.”
23 But Moses said to the LORD, “The people cannot come up to Mount Sinai; for You warned us, saying, ‘Set bounds around the mountain and consecrate it.’”
24 Then the LORD said to him, “Away! Get down and then come up, you and Aaron with you.But do not let the priests and the people break through to come up to the LORD, lest He break out against them.”
25 So Moses went down to the people and spoke to them.
Message
In God's school there are always two main lessons. Firstly, we need to learn what God is and what he is like. Secondly, we need to learn what he wants us to do.
Israel had learned about God's faithfulness, God's love for them and God's power. Now, at Mt Sinai, they were to learn about God's holiness and what he wanted them to do because of his holiness.
Fifty-eight chapters tell us what God said and what happened at Mt Sinai (Exodus 19 to Numbers 10). They were there a little over twelve months.
God gave Israel two patterns or plans which would teach them about his holiness. It was absolutely necessary to teach this to these people at the beginning of their separate existence as a nation. If they were to be God's people, they must become like him.
God gave Israel first what we call the 'moral law' and then gave them a plan for service which we call the 'ceremonial law'. Both were to teach them about God's holiness, and how they could approach God.
The moral law includes the Ten Commandments and are like a mirror (Romans 3:20). If you stand in front of a mirror it shows you if your clothes are tidy or untidy, but it does not straighten them. You have to do that. The law is the same. It shows us the sinfulness of our hearts but it cannot deal with that sin. The Bible points us to Jesus Christ who alone can take away our sins.
Mt Sinai points out God's holiness and our sin. Mt Calvary shows God's love for us as sinners. When we see our sin then see our Saviour, and take him for ourselves, God is able to begin his work in our hearts and lives. Finally, when we get to heaven, we will be absolutely holy and be what he wants us to be.
A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:
When we shall see him, we shall be like him.