Scripture Reference:
Exodus 19:5
Now, therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine
* note: the content of the following teaching is not my own, it is taken from excellent teaching by Gavin Porter from a series called God's Vision God's Mission. You can access the full teaching on YouTube by following this link: Dust and Stars
Reading Guide for Mom and Dad:
Philippians 2:14
Do all things without complaining and disputing.
When the nation of Israel comes out of Egypt they are complaining about everything. They are not walking by faith but by sight (by their senses, that which they see and experience). They are not listening to God's Voice. Faith comes by hearing the Word of God, listening to His Voice. In this relationship with Him, we can walk in God's way towards His Vision. But when we walk by sight - by our senses - then we have gone out of God's way. Complaining and walking by their senses, Israel has gone out of God's way. God wants to bring them back into His way.
The way God brings Israel back into His way is by proposing marriage to them. Let's look at how He does this:
Ezekiel 16 is a picture of the History of Israel as a Nation. From when God chose them through Abraham out of the Nations. I suggest reading the full chapter to get the bigger picture.
Ezekiel 16:8
When I passed by you again and looked upon you, indeed your time was the time of love; so I spread My wing over you and covered your nakedness. Yes, I swore an oath to you and entered into a covenant with you, and you became Mine," says the Lord God.
This verse in Ezekiel is talking about the time that God proposed marriage to the Israelites at Mount Sinai in the Wilderness.
Exodus 19:1-6
In the third month after the children of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, on the same day, they came to the Wilderness of Sinai. For they had departed from Rephidim, had come to the Wilderness of Sinai, and camped in the wilderness. So Israel camped there before the mountain. And Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain saying, "Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel: "You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles wings and brought you to Myself. Now, therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a peculiar/special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.
So God says if you will obey my voice and keep my covenant you will be my peculiar treasure (King James translation). This word "peculiar treasure" is a word that a husband would use for his bride. His peculiar or special treasure.
We also see that God wanted a whole nation of priests.
So the Israelites say they will do all these things:
Exodus 19:8
Then all the people answered together and said, "All that the Lord has spoken we will do.
Exodus 19:9
And the Lord said to Moses, "Behold, I come to you in the thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with you and believe you forever."
When God speaks to Moses all the people must hear what God says.
Exodus 19:10-11
Then the Lord said to Moses, "God to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their clothes. "And let them be ready for the third day. For on the third day the Lord will come down upon Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people."
God will come down on the third day. The third day is significant. Jesus also came to the marriage in Cana on the third day.
Exodus 19:16-17
Then it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunderings and lightning, and a thick cloud on the mountain; and the sound of the trumpet was very loud so that all the people who were in the camp trembled. And Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain.
Moses takes the bride and leads her to her Husband. He leads her to the mountain to enter into a marriage covenant.
Exodus 19:25
So Moses went down to the people and spoke to them.
The Law is a marriage covenant which God makes with Israel:
Exodus 20:1
And God spoke all these words, saying: I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. "You shall have no other gods before Me"
God says: You will have no other gods beside Me. You will not have another husband, I am your Husband. You will not have other Lovers.
Exodus 20:7
You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.
There are only two groups of people who can take another's name: The son takes the father's name and the bride takes the husband's name. When God enters into a marriage covenant the bride takes the Husband's name. God says do not take My Name in vain. It has to do with the marriage covenant. We've reduced this to mean do not swear on tv but it is so much more. If we think about it, we are His bride today. Is the bride living up to His Name?
Exodus 20:8
Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
God says: I want time alone with you. Under the Old Covenant, one day was enough but for us, the bride of Christ every day is a Sabbath, we are in relationship with God every day of the week.
The last six commandments have to do with how we treat others. The way that we love each other is the way we love and treat God. For what you have done to the least of the brothers, that have you done to God.
Matthew 25:45
Then He will answer them, saying, "Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these you did not do it to Me"
The marriage that God makes, the Old Covenant, is given to them in the form of commandments. The ten commandments is almost like the marriage vows which they had to repeat.
God said to them "if you will hear My voice, and obey my covenant(the marriage vows), then you will be a people above the nations, a royal priesthood."
Exodus 20:18
Now all the people witnessed the thunderings, the lightning flashes, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it they trembled and stood afar off.
They basically ran away.
Exodus 20:19
And Moses said to the people, "Do not fear; for God has come to test you, and that His fear may be before you, so that you may not sin." So the people stood afar off, but Moses drew near the thick darkness where God was.
Israel did not want to listen to God's Voice. They said: we want the marriage agreement, the legal document but we do not want to hear Your Voice. We do not want the relationship.
Can you imagine a marriage on paper, but no relationship? That was what Israel wanted. God offered "Relationship". God was saying: hear my voice. Isreal said: we don't want the relationship, just give us the Letter, the legal document. They ran away and stood afar off.
2 Corinthians 3:6
who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
Israel said: We don't want the Spirit - the Voice of God. We just want the legal document, the letter. In other words: just tell us what we should do. It became all about "doing". It became about "works".
The Testament that God made with Abraham was about "being" somebody, it was about Grace.
Now the Old Covenant became about doing and works. This is how the Law became "The Law". When God gave the Israelites the Law He didn't intend to give them a set of rules which you had to keep, which He knew they couldn't keep. He intended it for relationship. Because you can only keep the Law IN relationship. If you try to keep the Law apart from relationship you can't, it's impossible. If you are walking with God IN relationship you automatically keep the Law.
Because of their response to this offer that God made them, where they said, we don't want to hear Your voice, it became the Law which no one could keep.
Galatians 3:21
Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law.
Because they rejected the relationship, which could have given them life, they now got death.
Life is in relationship. The Spirit gives life. But the letter kills.
They received what they wanted: the Law. The Law kept them in the way but it blinded them to the destination. Because they are walking in the Law, they are not looking at the destination, they are focused on the boundaries the whole time. They don't know where they are going. The Law was added to God's plan and purpose because of transgression. It wasn't part of His plan and purpose:
Galatians 3:19
What purpose then does the law serve? It was added because of transgressions, till the Seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was appointed through angels by the hand of a mediator.
Conversation Starters with the little ones:
Talk to the little ones about what Marriage Vows are. Our friends got married during the lockdown and we watched them on YouTube exchanging their marriage vows. These promises we exchange are special, it shows how we want to love each other. It is only with each other that husbands and wives make these promises. These vows are holy.
In a simplified way explain the Ten Commandments as marriage Vows God gave to Israel. Plant the seed that it was never meant to be Ten Rules that we need to keep.
Talk about what a good relationship looks like:
We listen to each other and spend time getting to know each other's hearts
We have alone time with one another
You do not earn someone's love, you receive it without having to work for it
You love your brother because he is your brother. Not because he needs to work for your love. It is about being, not doing.
Can you build a relationship with someone if you never speak to them or never hear their voice?
What are the different ways we can show a family member that we love them?
Teach them to Rule and Multiply:
Talk to your children about the five love languages. Let each of them do a quiz to find out which love language they prefer. Follow this link to an online quiz I used.
Give them two weeks to express their love for each family member in their preferred way. Help them with gift ideas - get creative and create a card, bake something, or draw a picture for someone. Create special "dates" - go on a bike ride together, build lego together or read a book on the trampoline with your flashlights at night. Help someone to clean their room or fold their laundry for them as a special surprise! Write someone a letter and tell them what you appreciate most about them. Give someone a foot or hand massage while they watch their favorite movie. Don't forget the popcorn!
For the older ones I suggest that you ask them if they would consider accommodating the other person. Use their love language rather than expressing your own love language. For example, if your love language is "Touch" and your sister's love language is "Acts of service" try to help her with her chores rather than giving her a backrub. This encourages them to focus on their sibling's needs instead of fulfilling their own needs first.
For more on the five love languages follow this link: 5 love languages
Kettle Prayer suggestions:
Dear Father God. Thank you that Love covers all. Even where we fail our children, Your Love will keep us. Thank you for your Grace. Thank you Jesus for loving us first. Please show my children the breath, height, and width of your Love. We love you with all of our hearts. Amen
You are welcome to download this visual aid for your own personal use:
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