If we would enter into fellowship with God, we need to experience His full salvation. We need to be saved from the condemnation of sin, the world, and Satan, as seen in chapters one through fourteen. Then we need to enjoy God’s rich provision (15:1—17:7), conquer the flesh (17:8-16), and be brought into the kingdom of God (18:1-27). If we do not have such an experience and enjoyment, we shall not be able to have fellowship with God.
Our spiritual experience matches the experience of the children of Israel. First we are saved from sin, the world, and Satan. Then we enjoy God’s provision. The bitter water is changed into sweet, and we eat of manna, the heavenly food, and drink the living water flowing from the smitten rock. Through the enjoyment of these divine provisions, we are equipped to conquer the flesh and subdue it. We should not excuse ourselves by saying that we are weak. If we make such an excuse for ourselves, we shall not come to God’s mountain. The more excuses we make, the more we shall be kept away from the mountain of God. We need to say, “Yes, I am weak, but the Lord is not weak. I have Moses, the heavenly Christ, interceding for me, and I have Joshua, Christ as the life-giving Spirit, dwelling in me and fighting for me.” We have the living Spirit with the cross operating to deal with our flesh. Once the flesh is slain, we are immediately in the kingdom. Then, in the kingdom, we are ushered into God’s presence to enjoy fellowship with Him. Exodus certainly is a portrait of our spiritual experience. If we consider our experience, we shall realize that it corresponds to the record in this book.
The children of Israel were brought into the presence of God at Mount Sinai (19:11). The significance of Mount Sinai is that it is the place for God to speak. On Mount Sinai God did not perform miracles. Rather, He simply spoke. With God’s speaking, there is also the heavenly vision. Therefore, the spiritual significance of the mountain of God is that it is the place of God’s speaking with God’s vision. First, the children of Israel heard God speaking, then they saw the vision. This vision was of the pattern for God’s dwelling place on earth.
As we gather together in the meetings of the church, we should have God’s speaking with His vision. In many of the so-called religious services today, there is no speaking of God and no vision from God. What an enjoyment to hear God’s direct speaking and to see God’s vision in the church meetings! Meeting after meeting, we may have God’s speaking and see more of God’s vision. It is a very great matter to hear God’s speaking and to see His vision, especially the vision concerning His dwelling place. It is of vital importance that we go to the genuine mountain of God, to God’s mountain on earth today.
According to the record in the Bible, God often spoke from a mountain. The Lord Jesus delivered the constitution of the kingdom of the heavens while on a mountain with His disciples (Matt. 5:1-2). It was also on a mountain that He uttered the prophecy concerning the end of the age (Matt. 24:3). God the Father spoke to Peter and the other disciples while they were on the mount of transfiguration (Matt. 17:1-2, 5). John was carried away to a high mountain to see the vision of the new heaven and the new earth with the New Jerusalem. Thus, in our experience we need to come out of Egypt, cross the Red Sea, and journey through the wilderness until we arrive at the mountain of God. At this mountain we are brought into God’s presence. Without His presence, what we say or do means nothing. His presence is everything to us. Many of us can testify that whenever we gather together into the Lord’s name, we enjoy His presence. We hear His speaking, and we see His vision at the mountain of God.
We are brought into the presence of God through sanctification. Exodus 19:10 says, “And Jehovah said unto Moses, Go unto the people, and sanctify them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their clothes” (Heb.). Verses 14 and 22 also speak of sanctification. To be sanctified is to be separated from the world unto God. When the children of Israel were assembled around Mount Sinai, they were far removed from Egypt. They had been separated from the world. At Mount Sinai they were living in God’s presence, having been sanctified, separated, unto God in an absolute way. When we gather together in the church meetings, we should also be separated from the world unto God. Praise the Lord that we are a sanctified people!