出埃及記19:1-25

19:1 以色列人出埃及地以後，滿了三個月的那一天，就來到西奈的曠野。
19:2 他們離了利非訂，來到西奈的曠野，就在那裡的山下安營。
19:3 摩西到上帝那裡，耶和華從山上呼喚他說：「你要這樣告訴雅各家，曉諭以色列人說：
19:4 『我向埃及人所行的事，你們都看見了，且看見我如鷹將你們背在翅膀上，帶來歸我。
19:5 如今你們若實在聽從我的話，遵守我的約，就要在萬民中作屬我的子民，因為全地都是我的。
19:6 你們要歸我作祭司的國度，為聖潔的國民。』這些話你要告訴以色列人。」
19:7 摩西去召了民間的長老來，將耶和華所吩咐他的話都在他們面前陳明。
19:8 百姓都同聲回答說：「凡耶和華所說的，我們都要遵行。」摩西就將百姓的話回覆耶和華。
19:9 耶和華對摩西說：「我要在密雲中臨到你那裡，叫百姓在我與你說話的時候可以聽見，也可以永遠信你了。」於是，摩西將百姓的話奏告耶和華。
19:10 耶和華又對摩西說：「你往百姓那裡去，叫他們今天明天自潔，又叫他們洗衣服。
19:11 到第三天要預備好了，因為第三天耶和華要在眾百姓眼前降臨在西奈山上。
19:12 你要在山的四圍給百姓定界限，說：『你們當謹慎，不可上山去，也不可摸山的邊界；凡摸這山的，必要治死他。
19:13 不可用手摸他，必用石頭打死，或用箭射透；無論是人是牲畜，都不得活。到角聲拖長的時候，他們才可到山根來。』」
19:14 摩西下山往百姓那裡去，叫他們自潔，他們就洗衣服。
19:15 他對百姓說：「到第三天要預備好了。不可親近女人。」
19:16 到了第三天早晨，在山上有雷轟、閃電，和密雲，並且角聲甚大，營中的百姓盡都發顫。
19:17 摩西率領百姓出營迎接上帝，都站在山下。
19:18 西奈全山冒煙，因為耶和華在火中降於山上。山的煙氣上騰，如燒窯一般，遍山大大地震動。
19:19 角聲漸漸地高而又高，摩西就說話，上帝有聲音答應他。
19:20 耶和華降臨在西奈山頂上，耶和華召摩西上山頂，摩西就上去。
19:21 耶和華對摩西說：「你下去囑咐百姓，不可闖過來到我面前觀看，恐怕他們有多人死亡；
19:22 又叫親近我的祭司自潔，恐怕我忽然出來擊殺他們。」
19:23 摩西對耶和華說：「百姓不能上西奈山，因為你已經囑咐我們說：『要在山的四圍定界限，叫山成聖。』」
19:24 耶和華對他說：「下去吧，你要和亞倫一同上來；只是祭司和百姓不可闖過來上到我面前，恐怕我忽然出來擊殺他們。」
19:25 於是摩西下到百姓那裡告訴他們。

 On the first day of the third month after the Israelites left Egypt—on that very day—they came to the Desert of Sinai. ² After they set out from Rephidim, they entered the Desert of Sinai, and Israel camped there in the desert in front of the mountain.

³ Then Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain and said, “This is what you are to say to the descendants of Jacob and what you are to tell the people of Israel: ⁴ ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. ⁵ Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, ⁶ you^[a] will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.”
⁷ So Moses went back and summoned the elders of the people and set before them all the words the Lord had commanded him to speak. ⁸ The people all responded together, “We will do everything the Lord has said.” So Moses brought their answer back to the Lord.
⁹ The Lord said to Moses, “I am going to come to you in a dense cloud, so that the people will hear me speaking with you and will always put their trust in you.” Then Moses told the Lord what the people had said.
¹⁰ And the Lord said to Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. Have them wash their clothes ¹¹ and be ready by the third day, because on that day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. ¹² Put limits for the people around the mountain and tell them, ‘Be careful that you do not approach the mountain or touch the foot of it. Whoever touches the mountain is to be put to death. ¹³ They are to be stoned or shot with arrows; not a hand is to be laid on them. No person or animal shall be permitted to live.’ Only when the ram’s horn sounds a long blast may they approach the mountain.”
¹⁴ After Moses had gone down the mountain to the people, he consecrated them, and they washed their clothes. ¹⁵ Then he said to the people, “Prepare yourselves for the third day. Abstain from sexual relations.”
¹⁶ On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, with a thick cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast. Everyone in the camp trembled. ¹⁷ Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. ¹⁸ Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, because the Lord descended on it in fire. The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace, and the whole mountain^[b] trembled violently. ¹⁹ As the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and the voice of God answered him.^[c]
20 The Lord descended to the top of Mount Sinai and called Moses to the top of the mountain. So Moses went up ²¹ and the Lord said to him, “Go down and warn the people so they do not force their way through to see the Lord and many of them perish. ²² Even the priests, who approach the Lord, must consecrate themselves, or the Lord will break out against them.”
²³ Moses said to the Lord, “The people cannot come up Mount Sinai, because you yourself warned us, ‘Put limits around the mountain and set it apart as holy.’”
²⁴ The Lord replied, “Go down and bring Aaron up with you. But the priests and the people must not force their way through to come up to the Lord, or he will break out against them.”
²⁵ So Moses went down to the people and told them.

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    摩西在這裡聲明上帝的「聖」，是不可侵犯的「聖」！面對這樣的「聖」，是帶有威嚴的，是超乎人所能承受的！就像皇帝或國王的「聖」，是不可以違抗，一違抗就必須被治罪，甚至要付出極大的代價，生命還會喪失呢！

    這就說到上帝的主權性，是人無法違抗的！因為人常常高舉自己有自由可以做自己想做的事，於是強調「自由意志」！殊不知，人的自由意志並不是完全的，必須是伏在上帝的主權之下！也就是說，自由意志是有限的範圍，也不是無限的範圍！

    然而可惜的是，自從人類的祖先亞當和夏娃犯罪以來，罪就進入人的生命中轄制人，使人的意志不自由了，還有許多人已為自己有自由意志，可以決定要不要接受救恩！卻不知道，現在的意志已經不自由了，導致人是拒絕上帝的拯救，以致滅亡！

    然而上帝不願意人全部沉淪，在創世以前，就已經揀選一些人得救，在末日的時候，差遣聖靈開啟這些人的心眼，認出耶穌基督是主，並且接受祂的救恩，好脫離滅亡，想受永生的福樂！這一切，都是出於上帝的憐憫和恩典，不是人的努力感動上帝，反倒是上帝藉聖靈感動我們！