Exodus 14
In Exodus 14, we read about how Pharaoh changed his mind about letting the people of Israel leave Egypt. As the Hebrews were leaving the land, he ordered his men to bring the Hebrew people back. The story comes to a climax when Moses and the people stand stranded between the Egyptian guards and the unforgiving Red Sea.
Exodus 15
Moses and the Israelites sing a song to God. They praise the LORD for his glorious triumph. They recount the floods that covered the Egyptian chariots and God’s majesty, fury, and strength in consuming them, contrasting this with Egyptian arrogance. They sing that there’s no one like the LORD among the gods. He led his redeemed people with steadfast love, causing the leaders of other nations to tremble with fear. The LORD placed the people on his holy mountain and will reign there forever.
Exodus 19
Moses brought the people to the foot of the mountain and the Lord called Moses to the top. God repeated his warning that the people must not touch the mountain. Moses had set limits around the mountain so the people would keep their distance. God told Moses to descend the mountain and return with his brother Aaron.
Exodus 20
The covenant was the Ten Commandments, which God came down on mount Sinai Himself to speak and spoke it to their hearing and in their sight.
They were commanded not to have other gods before the God of Israel. They were not to have graven images of any kind because God is a jealous God.
There was no taking the name of God in vain; they had to remember and keep the Sabbath day with their entire family. The first four commandments pertained to God and how to serve and love God fully.
The remainder of God’s commandments pertained to mankind’s treatment of their fellow brothers and sisters. These included honoring parents for lengthened days on the earth; no killing, no adultery, no stealing or bearing witness falsely in a cause, as well as not coveting the things that belonged to their neighbor.
The children of Israel saw the thundering lightning smoke and noise of the trumpets and were extremely frightened that they asked God to communicate with Moses or a man who would communicate with them as a whole.
They no longer wanted to hear from God directly. Moses said God did that to prove them, that is to prove to them His existents and His mighty. Also, the Lord put on the theatrics to put the fear of God in them so they do not go sinning and despise His Holy Covenant.
