Continuing on with Exodus 19 with respect to the time we live in and the soon-coming Day of Pentecost, we see another important fact. The LORD called both Moses and Aaron by name before they presumed to come up the mountain into his presence. I believe this sets a prophetic pattern for the people of God who eagerly await Christ’s second coming, that event which many call “the rapture.” This prophetic parable in Exodus 19 (although it is historically accurate God still designed it as a parable, a hidden teaching) shows us that most people will not be ready to come into God’s presence, will not be able to see him face to face, when he comes. Even Moses did not climb the mountain into God’s fire until God called him by name. Similarly, I believe, God will call each of us individually “up the mountain” by name. Scripture teaches that every overcomer receives a new name.
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, to him I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and a new name written on the stone which no one knows but he who receives it. (Revelation 2:17)
He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will not go out from it anymore; and I will write on him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God, and My new name. (Revelation 3:12)
It may be that Jesus calls 144,000 names or more simultaneously when the time arrives, but I think that each of us, when we are ready, will hear our name called, both our current name and our new name. This will be similar to Jesus calling to John in Revelation 4:1, saying, “After (A)these things I looked, and behold, (B)a door standing open in heaven, and the first voice which I had heard, (C)like the sound of a trumpet speaking with me, said, `(D)Come up here, and I will (E)show you what must take place after these things.’”
Now, however, God is warning us to not be presumptuous concerning coming into his presence. We need to remember the admonition of Moses to the people of Israel:
21 And the Lord said to Moses, “Go down and warn the people, lest they break through to the Lord to look and many of them perish. 22 Also let the priests who come near to the Lord consecrate themselves, lest the Lord break out against them.” 23 And Moses said to the Lord, “The people cannot come up to Mount Sinai, for you yourself warned us, saying, ‘Set limits around the mountain and consecrate it.’” 24 And the Lord said to him, “Go down, and come up bringing Aaron with you. But do not let the priests and the people break through to come up to the Lord, lest he break out against them.” 25 So Moses went down to the people and told them. (Exodus 19:21-25 ESV)
How, then, do we ever prepare ourselves to meet this Holy God who even caused Moses to tremble in fear?
“Now I will arise,” says the Lord,
“now I will lift myself up;
now I will be exalted.
11 You conceive chaff; you give birth to stubble;
your breath is a fire that will consume you.
12 And the peoples will be as if burned to lime,
like thorns cut down, that are burned in the fire.”
13 Hear, you who are far off, what I have done;
and you who are near, acknowledge my might.
14 The sinners in Zion are afraid; [“in Zion” means that these sinners are Christian believers]
trembling has seized the godless:
“Who among us can dwell with the consuming fire?
Who among us can dwell with everlasting burnings?”
15 He who walks righteously and speaks uprightly,
who despises the gain of oppressions,
who shakes his hands, lest they hold a bribe,
who stops his ears from hearing of bloodshed
and shuts his eyes from looking on evil,
16 he will dwell on the heights;
his place of defense will be the fortresses of rocks;
his bread will be given him; his water will be sure.
17 Your eyes will behold the king in his beauty;
they will see a land that stretches afar.
18 Your heart will muse on the terror:
“Where is he who counted, where is he who weighed the tribute?
Where is he who counted the towers?”
19 You will see no more the insolent people,
the people of an obscure speech that you cannot comprehend,
stammering in a tongue that you cannot understand.
20 Behold Zion, the city of our appointed feasts!
Your eyes will see Jerusalem,
an untroubled habitation, an immovable tent,
whose stakes will never be plucked up,
nor will any of its cords be broken.
21 But there the Lord in majesty will be for us
a place of broad rivers and streams,
where no galley with oars can go,
nor majestic ship can pass.
22 For the Lord is our judge; the Lord is our lawgiver;
the Lord is our king; he will save us. (Isaiah 33:10-22, ESV)
Look at the verses in bold lettering above! Do you walk righteously and speak uprightly? Do you rob or steal or oppress others so that you can gain more money? Do you take bribes to do certain things without understanding the rightness of the cause? Do you listen to bloodthirsty music or watch movies filled with violence? Do you look upon evil depictions of lust or any other thing? Only those who put away these things and long to walk in God’s holiness will be able to see the King in his beauty.
The LORD will come as fire to his mountain, but dare not to touch it unless he invites you to come up into his presence by name. For our God is a consuming fire and he will consume every aspect of every thing that does not portray his purity.
15 O Lord, thou knowest: remember me, and visit me, and revenge me of my persecutors; take me not away in thy longsuffering: know that for thy sake I have suffered rebuke.
16 Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O Lord God of hosts.
17 I sat not in the assembly of the mockers, nor rejoiced; I sat alone because of thy hand: for thou hast filled me with indignation. (Jeremiah 15:15-17)
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