After the Passover, the Israelites left Egypt and travelled to Mt. Sinai where they spent most of two years preparing to enter the promised land. During that time, they experienced God appearing to them many times to give them instructions. God wanted to make a special covenant with the Israelites. (Ex. 19-1-8 NLT). Imagine their response when God said, “you will be My kingdom of priests, My holy nation”; they responded, “we will do everything the Lord has commanded”. What a great opportunity and sense of pride the people must have felt? God has given the same promise to the church: “But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for He called you out of the darkness into His wonderful light.” 1 Peter 2:9 (NLT).
But very quickly the situation changed. After Moses returned and gave the Lord the peoples’ response, God said He would appear to all the people in three days. When God appeared, He gave the people the Ten Commandments. Along with His voice, there was thunder, lightning, the loud blast of a horn, and billowing smoke that created a great fear in the people. Suddenly they no longer wanted to hear God’s voice and they cancelled their agreement. “Let God speak to you (Moses) and you can tell us what God said.” Ex. 20:18-20 (NLT). Immediately their opportunity for a personal relationship with God was gone and a new priesthood through the tribe of Levi was instituted. The priestly assignment began in Exodus 28:1.
Unfortunately, the same thing happens to Christians today. Many do not want to hear from God directly by reading His word. Instead, they will let their pastor read the word for them and to them and then tell them what it means. They miss the opportunity to have that special relationship with God just as the Israelites did over 3,000 years ago.