Series EXODUS with Pastor Mark Finley
Lesson 8.Covenant at Sinai
Sinai – The Place Where God Speaks
Lesson 8 takes us to the foot of Mount Sinai – one of the most significant places in the Bible. There, God meets His people in a special way and reveals not only His power but also His character through the giving of the Law. He establishes a covenant with Israel, based on grace, relationship, and responsibility. The Ten Commandments are not merely rules but an expression of divine love and a call to holy living. In this lesson, we discover how God’s law sets boundaries yet grants freedom – ultimately pointing us to Christ.
Content:
8.1 At Mount Sinai
Called into Covenant – God’s Invitation at Mount Sinai
God didn’t just bring Israel out of Egyptian slavery; He led them to Sinai to form a special relationship – a solemn covenant. He promised to make them His “special treasure,” a “kingdom of priests,” and a “holy nation” if they obeyed His word. Their election was not an end in itself but a calling to reveal God’s character to the nations. At Sinai, a slave people began their transformation into a spiritual nation with a holy mission. God acted out of grace and sought a voluntary, obedient response – a pattern that still applies today. This covenant was more than law – it was an expression of love, guidance, and divine purpose.
8.2 Preparing for the Gift
Holy Preparation – God’s Presence Requires Purity
Before revealing the Ten Commandments, God called His people to prepare themselves inwardly and outwardly – a sign of reverence for His holiness. The cleanliness of their garments symbolized their spiritual readiness to hear His word. Thunder, lightning, thick clouds, and the sound of a trumpet accompanied God’s descent – signs of His majesty and power. The commandments He gave were not just rules, but reflections of His character and love. The Decalogue was not written by men but given and inscribed by God Himself – a divine gift. Therefore, God’s law is not only binding but also loving, as it shows the way to life.
8.3 The Gift of the Decalogue
The Decalogue – Law of Love and Freedom
The Ten Commandments begin not with demands, but with a reminder of God’s saving grace – “I am the LORD your God…” This introduction shows that obedience is not a condition for salvation but a loving response to grace. The commandments are divided into two parts: the first four express love for God, and the last six, love for fellow human beings. Each commandment protects something precious – God’s honor, the Sabbath, family, life, faithfulness, property, truth, and purity of heart. They are not burdens, but guides for a fulfilled and sanctified life. Jesus summarized them in one principle: love – for God and for neighbor.
8.4 Different Functions of God’s Law
The Law – Mirror, Protection, and Guide to Christ
God’s law is a mirror of His character: holy, just, and good. It shows us what is right and wrong but cannot save us – like a mirror that reveals dirt but cannot clean it. The law warns against the path of destruction and acts like a fence that protects life by setting boundaries. It also serves as a guide pointing us to salvation in Christ, for only through Him can true transformation happen. James calls the law a “law of liberty” because it brings peace and direction to a heart that trusts. That’s why the law remains meaningful to believers – not as a means of salvation, but as an expression of love and new life in Jesus.
8.5 The Law as God’s Promise for Us
The Ten Commandments – Promises of a New Life with Christ
The law is not just a standard of divine justice but also a promise of what God wants to accomplish in us. The Ten Commandments – or better, the “Ten Words” – are divine assurances of a life of freedom, peace, and love. They not only reveal our faults but point us to Christ, who alone has the power to transform us. In Him, the law is fulfilled, for He is its goal (telos) – not its end in the sense of abolition. Through Jesus, the law comes alive in our hearts – not as a burden but as the fruit of a new, grace-filled relationship. In this way, the law reveals both our need for salvation and God’s willingness to restore us in His image.
8.6 Summary
The Covenant at Sinai – Laws of Love and Freedom
In Lesson 8, we encounter God at Sinai, where He makes a covenant with Israel and gives them His commandments as a sign of His love and guidance. The Ten Commandments begin with grace – God’s saving act comes first, followed by His instruction for life. The law reveals God’s character and invites us to live in a holy, trusting relationship with Him. It is not a tool for self-righteousness but a mirror showing our need for Christ, who is both the fulfillment and goal of the law. As “Ten Promises,” the commandments reveal God’s desire to shape us into a holy people. They are a gift that leads us to freedom and a life of love – with God and with others.
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