Overview of Exodus Chapters 19-40

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People tend to think of the book of Exodus as being about the Israelites leaving Egypt, but that is only half the book (chapters 1-18). The second half of the book (chapters 20-40), describes how God gave the Israelites the 10 Commandments and the plans for a special tent. Both halves of Exodus are brought together by chapter 19.

God’s Presence on Sinai

In chapter 19, the Israelites are in the wilderness when they come to a mountain. At the top of this mountain, God’s presence descends in the form of a storm cloud, and it is quite frightening for the people.

The concept of God’s presence goes back to the book of Genesis. In Genesis, when Adam and Eve sinned, they were taken away from God’s presence, just like all humanity after them. However, God made a promise to humanity through Abraham. The promise said (among other things) that one day humanity would be able to again experience the presence of God.

In chapter 19, we again see God’s presence among his people. God’s presence is at the mountain in order to invite Israel into a special relationship with him. This is called a covenant. This is like a contract between God and Israel.

The Covenant Between God and Israel

Now, God had made promises to Israel previously, and in those promises, God never asked Israel to do anything. But now God is going to ask Israel to do something. God gives the people a number of laws, including the 10 Commandments. If the people follow these commands, they will become a kingdom of priests to the rest of the world. They will reveal God to the world, and in this way, Abraham’s descendants will bless the world, just as God promised.

It would not be easy to follow God’s commands, but the people agree to the covenant. The people, however, are a bit frightened by the presence of God, and they refuse to go up the mountain. So, alone, Moses goes up the mountain to meet with God.

The Israelites and the Special Tent

But God still wants to be among his people, so he has the Israelites build an elaborate tent (or tabernacle) so that he can dwell among his people. This is why the next seven chapters of Exodus describe in detail the building of this tent. Everything in the tent is symbolic to remind people that when they are in the tent, they are in God’s presence. The following six chapters of Exodus describes how the people fulfilled the commands to build the tent.

Before the tent is finished, Moses comes down from the mountain and he’s carrying the Ten Commandments and the plans for the tent. He sees that the Israelites are breaking the first two commandments by worshipping a golden calf.

Exodus 20:3-4 You must not have any other god but me. “You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea.”

Upon seeing all this, God tells Moses that he should start his plan all over with Moses. But Moses reminds God about his promise to Abraham, and pleads that the Israelites would be spared. This section of Exodus shows us that God is willing to extend grace and forgiveness to people, even though he knows it will cost him.

This leads to the end of Exodus. The tent is completed. God’s presence comes down from heaven and fills the tabernacle. Moses goes to enter into the tent, but the glory of God’s presence is so great that he can’t enter. And this is how the book ends.

Why doesn’t Moses enter the tabernacle? Sin has run too deeply through the Israelite camp. Moses can’t just walk right into God’s presence. The people’s sin must be dealt with first. And this is described in the next book, Leviticus.