How does Exodus 20:19 connect to Jesus as our mediator in Hebrews 9:15? The Scene at Sinai: Fear and Distance Exodus 20:19: “And they said to Moses, ‘Speak to us yourself, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, or we will die.’” • Israel stands at Mount Sinai as God speaks the Ten Commandments with thunder, lightning, and trumpet blast (Exodus 19:16–19). • The holy presence of God exposes human sinfulness; the people recoil, convinced that direct exposure means death (cf. Romans 3:23; Hebrews 12:18–21). • Their plea creates a clear picture: humanity cannot safely approach God without a go-between. Recognizing the Need for a Mediator • Sinai shouts the holiness of God and the weakness of man. • By asking Moses to “speak to us,” Israel confesses: – “We need someone righteous to stand between God and us.” – “We trust the mediator’s words as God’s words.” • Deuteronomy 5:5 echoes this: “At that time I stood between the LORD and you to declare to you the word of the LORD.” Moses: A Foreshadowing Mediator • Moses receives God’s law, intercedes after Israel’s sin (Exodus 32:30–32), and pleads for mercy (Numbers 14:13–19). • Yet Moses himself is mortal, barred from the Promised Land for one failure (Numbers 20:12). • His ministry anticipates—but cannot accomplish—the lasting reconciliation humanity needs. Jesus: The Perfect Mediator Fulfilled Hebrews 9:15: “Therefore Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that He has died as a ransom to redeem them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.” • Christ enters not an earthly mountain but the heavenly sanctuary (Hebrews 9:11–12). • His mediation costs His own blood, fully satisfying divine justice (Isaiah 53:5–6; 2 Corinthians 5:21). • The result: – Redemption from sins under the first covenant. – Secure eternal inheritance for all who are called. – Direct, confident access to God (Hebrews 4:14–16; 10:19–22). • 1 Timothy 2:5 affirms, “For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” Bridging the Two Passages • Exodus 20:19 shows humanity’s instinctive dread before God’s holiness. • Hebrews 9:15 reveals God’s gracious answer: the Mediator who removes fear by removing sin. • Where Israel said, “Do not let God speak to us,” the gospel proclaims, “In Christ, God speaks peace to us” (Ephesians 2:13–18). Living Out the Truth Today • Approach God confidently, not presumptuously, because Jesus’ blood covers you. • Treasure Scripture; the same God who thundered at Sinai now speaks through His Son (Hebrews 1:1–2). • Share the good news: the distance feared at Sinai has been bridged forever in Christ. |
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