Israel at Mount Sinai (Exodus 19:1-6)

1 On the third new moon [“In the third month” or “Three months to the day”] after the people of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, on that day they came into the wilderness of Sinai. [This area is a desert and does not have a natural water supply. Therefore, it is not an oasis or a place for camping. Why would God chose such a spot?] 2 They set out from Rephidim and came into the wilderness of Sinai, and they encamped in the wilderness [for ten months and nine days]. [It seems that the water supply when they camped at Rephidim was at Sinai and they had to travel there daily according to 17:6—“Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb {Sinai}, and you shall strike the rock, and water shall come out of it, and the people will drink.” It must have been nice, then, to move to Sinai, eliminating the need to move their herds back and forth as well as carry water. The picture of Sinai, then, becomes a symbol of divine provision for God’s people. Additionally, 3:12 is now fulfilled: “The Lord said, ‘But I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.’”] There Israel encamped before the mountain, 3 while Moses went up to God. The Lord called to him out of the mountain, saying, “Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the people of Israel: 4 You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wings [the image encapsulates the entire story of the exodus itself metaphorically] and brought you to myself [to enter into covenant with you]. 5 Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples [even though God is the Creator and Father of all people and people groups, he intends to create for himself a particular people, his “treasured possession,” he desires to join him for all eternity], for all the earth is mine [a clear, early monotheistic statement for a people who grew up polytheistic]; 6 and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation [representing me to the rest of the world as intermediators in line with Genesis 12:2-3 when God said Abraham will be blessed and will be a blessing to all peoples on earth/priests stand between God and humans to bring humans closer to God and help dispense God’s truth, justice, favor, discipline, and holiness]. These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel.”