The Mountains of God – Week 3 Guide
The Mountain of Promise – Exodus 24:12-28
To download the guide for this week, use the link below.
Connecting
Think of a time when you experienced something that filled you with both awe and closeness at the same time (for example, standing in a breathtaking place or being present for a significant life moment). What made it powerful, and how did it affect you?
The Mountain of Promise, Exodus 24:12-28
Exodus 19:16-20
16 On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, as well as a thick cloud on the mountain, and a blast of a trumpet so loud that all the people who were in the camp trembled. 17 Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God. They took their stand at the foot of the mountain. 18 Now Mount Sinai was wrapped in smoke, because the Lord had descended upon it in fire; the smoke went up like the smoke of a kiln, while the whole mountain shook violently. 19 As the blast of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses would speak and God would answer him in thunder. 20 When the Lord descended upon Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain, the Lord summoned Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up.
Exodus 24:12-18
12 The Lord said to Moses, “Come up to me on the mountain, and wait there; and I will give you the tablets of stone, with the law and the commandment, which I have written for their instruction.” 13 So Moses set out with his assistant Joshua, and Moses went up into the mountain of God. 14 To the elders he had said, “Wait here for us, until we come to you again; for Aaron and Hur are with you; whoever has a dispute may go to them.”
15 Then Moses went up on the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain. 16 The glory of the Lord settled on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days; on the seventh day he called to Moses out of the cloud. 17 Now the appearance of the glory of the Lord was like a devouring fire on the top of the mountain in the sight of the people of Israel. 18 Moses entered the cloud, and went up on the mountain. Moses was on the mountain for forty days and forty nights.”
Questions for Discussion
1. Encountering God’s Holiness
When you picture Israel at Mount Sinai, what stands out about God’s holiness — and how should that shape the way we approach God in worship today?
2. Preparing to Meet God
What does it look like to prepare our hearts to meet with God, rather than approaching God casually?
3. Redemption and Obedience
God gave the Law after delivering Israel from slavery. Why does obedience follow redemption, and how does God’s guidance lead to true freedom?
4. Reverence, Boundaries, and Access
Why are boundaries important in our relationship with God, and how do we balance reverence with confidence, in approaching the Lord?
5. Covenant Living
What does it mean to live in covenant with God today — embracing both God’s promises and our responsibility? And how do love and obedience work together?
6. Reflecting God’s Character
If God is holy and just, how should that shape the way we live in our homes, workplaces, and communities? Where is the Lord calling you to reflect God’s character more clearly?
Praying for Each Other
Are there any joys to celebrate, any burdens we can share?
Closing prayer
Holy God, you are majestic, powerful, and completely set apart — and yet, you invite us into relationship with you. Forgive us for the times we approach you casually, or live without reflecting your character. Shape us through your presence, so that our worship is marked by reverence and our lives by obedience and love. Help us to live as covenant people who reflect your holiness and justice in our homes, workplaces, and communities. Amen.