A Filthy Car and a Filthy Heart

O.T. #192  "A Filthy Car and a Filthy Heart"
Dec. 19, 2013
Exodus 19-Part 6
And the LORD said unto Moses, God unto the people, and sanctify them to day and to morrow, and let them wash their clothes. Exodus 19:10 KJV

LET IT GLOW

After the 8-10 inches of snow melted this week, my country dirt road is a muddy mess. My car is a brown, muddy, filthy mess from driving on it.  It needs to go through a car wash and get cleaned up. Yet, my car  reminds me of myself. My thoughts, words, and actions have been a muddy mess, too. (And it's Christmas time!) I need a cleaning up, too. That's when I head to my little computer room. It is also my sanctuary at home. There I meet with Jesus and get my heart cleansed from all that filthy sin. He is so faithful to forgive me. Then I proceed to worship God. The Israelites were told to do so. Let's check it out.

In this chapter, God spoke to Moses on Mt. Sinai. He presented a conditional covenant, to which the Israelites agreed. All that the LORD spoke, they would do. In verses 9-13, we see Moses going again upon the mountain to talk with Almighty God.
God gave instructions for the sanctification, setting apart, of the people before the giving of the covenant, the Ten Commandments.
What did the LORD tell Moses?

• God would come to Moses in a dense cloud.
• This was  so the people would hear Him speaking to Moses.
• They would always put their trust in Moses.

Do we hear God speak to us by the Holy Spirit? Do we trust His messengers to relay God's message to us? Are we listening to what God tells us. Are we willing to obey it?

LET IT GROW

The LORD told Moses what the people were to do:

• Sanctify the people today and tomorrow.
• Have them wash their clothes.
• Tell them to be ready by the third day, for the LORD would come down on Mt. Sinai in the sight of the people.
• Set boundaries, put limits for the people around the mountain.
• The people are not to go up to the mountain, touch the foot or border of it.
• Whoever touches the mountain will be put to death, by stoning or shot with arrows.
• Do not lay a hand on that person or animal-they shall not live.
• Only when the ram's horn sounds a long blast may they go up to the mountain.

Sanctify, in Hebrew is the word qadash (kaw-dash'), means to be clean, to make, pronounce, or observe clean (ceremonially or morally); consecrate, hallow, be/keep holy, prepare, purify one self.
(Strong's Concordance)

Moses gave the people the requirements. He added to the list that they were to abstain from sexual relations. (verse 15b) All of this was so the people would not be able to accuse Moses of compiling the law and that he had not met on the mountain with the Lord. This was a serious two day special preparation.

The inward preparation for meeting with God was mirrored in the outward actions of maintaining bodily cleanliness. The proper approach to a holy God could not have been better emphasized than by imposing a death penalty upon those who violated the arbitrary boundaries which God had set around the mountain. (MacArthur)

Preparing to meet God, we should have:

• a willingness to obey (verses 5-8)
• a sensitivity to hear (verse 9)
• a consecration of heart (verse 10-11)
• a respect for God (verse 12).  (Swindoll)

What is our attitude toward going to the house of God to worship? Do we prepare ourselves before hand? What does our outward appearance say about our inward attitude and heart?
Do we worship God in the quietness of our home? Do we take time to study His Word? Are we listening to His instructions for our day? Don't neglect our public worship on Sundays, though.
After all, Almighty God is worthy of our worship, praise, and love.

LET IT GO

Prepare for worship. Let go of those bad attitudes, judgments, selfish thoughts.

Worship God daily and on Sundays with my church.

Praise God for who He is and thank Him for all He has done and provided.

Thank You Jesus for coming to earth as a baby destined to die for me.

Such love! I love You Jesus!