Exodus 19:7-8 And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before their faces all these words which the LORD commanded him.… I. COMMENDABLE ENGAGEMENT. 1. Because of its righteousness. 2. Because of its advantageousness. (1) The highest character. "A holy nation." (2) The highest service. "Unto Me a kingdom of priests." (3) The highest privilege. "A peculiar treasure unto Me." 3. Because of its unanimity. "All the people answered together." II. A COMMENDABLE ENGAGEMENT RASHLY MADE. 1. Without due consideration. 2. Without earnest purpose, 3. Without hearty concurrence with the will which they promised to obey. 4. Without any realization of their need of Divine help in order that they may keep it. "How easily overween we our own abilities!" III. A COMMENDABLE ENGAGEMENT REPEATEDLY AND TERRIBLY BROKEN. Their sin in violating this solemn promise was the more heinous because of (1) God's great goodness to them. (2) His invariable faithfulness in His portion of the covenant. (3) The comparatively trivial circumstances and slight influences which proved sufficient to induce them to break their engagement.Notwithstanding the strongest obligations to fulfil their promise, they broke it upon the slightest provocation. Conclusion — 1. Let us heed well our obligation to do all that the Lord commands. 2. Let us be careful in the utterance of religious vows. 3. Let us be humbled by the recollection of the many religious vows we have made but not kept, and seek forgiveness for our failures. 4. Let, us endeavour to perform our vows, looking to God for strength to enable us to do so. (William Jones.) Parallel Verses KJV: And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before their faces all these words which the LORD commanded him. |
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