Exodus 19:18

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Exodus 19:16-25

Now, at length, comes that memorable day, that terrible day of the Lord, that day of judgment, in which Israel heard the voice of the Lord God speaking to them out of the midst of the fire, and lived, Deut. 4:33. Never was there such a sermon preached, before nor since, as this which was here preached to the church in the wilderness. For, I. The preacher was God himself (Exod. 19:18): The Lord descended in fire, and (Exod. 19:20), The Lord came down upon mount Sinai. The shechinah, or glory of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 19:18

And Mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke ,.... Not from nature, as volcanos, but for a reason after given; it seemed to be one large body of smoke, nothing else to be seen but smoke; an emblem of the darkness of the legal dispensation, which was full of obscure types and figures, of dark shadows and smoky sacrifices, to which the clear day, of the Gospel dispensation is opposed, see 2 Corinthians 3:12 . because the Lord descended upon it in fire ; in flaming fire, as the Targums,... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 19:18

Verse 18 18.And all the people saw the thunderings. Because in the parallel passage (218) Moses more largely pursues what he here only touches upon briefly, I shall also defer my full exposition of it. If he had been the only spectator of God’s glory, the credit of his testimony would be lighter; after having, then, reported the ten commandments, which God Himself spoke with His own sacred lips in the hearing of the people, he adds, at the same time, that the lightning’s shone openly, the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 19:7-25

The revelation of Jehovah. I. WHAT IS DEMANDED ERE THE REVELATION CAN BE IMPARTED . 1 . The will must be surrendered to God, "All that the Lord hath spoken we will do" ( Exodus 19:8 ). 2 . The filthiness of the past must be put away; "Sanctify them" ( Exodus 19:10 ). There must be loathing of, and separation from, sin. 3 . There must be a sense of the distance sin has put between the soul and God; "Take heed to yourselves that ye go not up into the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 19:9-25

The manifestation of God's glory at Sinai. I. THE PURPOSE OF THIS MANIFESTATION . God made this purpose known beforehand; and it was that the people who saw and heard these dreadful phenomena might believe Moses for ever, might permanently acknowledge his authority as a messenger and representative of God. When Moses was at Sinai before and then entrusted with a Divine message to Israel, he urged it as one of his difficulties that Israel would not believe him. "They will say,... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 19:10-25

The mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire ( Hebrews 12:18 ). It is interesting to observe that, with the latter part of this chapter, we enter on an entirely new phase in the history of God's revelation of himself to Israel. Terror enough there has been in the previous portions of the book—terror and "a mighty hand"—awful manifestations of God's power and holiness; but towards Israel there has been displayed only benignity and fatherly affection. Their wants have been... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 19:16-19

Sinai and Sion. In studying these verses we cannot but be reminded of the picture drawn by the writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews of the contrast in respect of Church state and privilege between believers of the Old and believers of the New Testament dispensations. "Ye are not come," he says, "unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest … But ye are come unto Mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 19:16-20

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 19:16-20

God's various modes of manifesting himself. It has been well said that "when God reveals himself it is in a manner suitable to the occasion." No revelation that he has made of himself has ever been so terrible in its material accompaniments as that at Sinai; and no occasion can ever be conceived of as more needing the employment of solemn, startling, and impressive circumstances. Here was a people gross of heart, delighting in flesh-pots, debased by slavery, careless of freedom, immoral,... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 19:18

Mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke . Literally, smoked, all of it. Kalisch suggests that "the dense clouds from which the thunders broke forth had the appearance of smoke." But the reason assigned—"because the Lord descended on it in fire," seems to imply real smoke; and. the same re-suits from the comparison of it to "the smoke of a furnace." The whole mount quaked greatly . Scarcely "through the vehemence of the thunder" (Kalisch), for thunder does not shake the earth, though it... read more

Group of Brands