The Great Moment at Mount Sinai: Exodus 19

3Moses went up to God, and the LORD called to him from the mountain, saying, 'Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob and tell the sons of Israel: 4'You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wings, and brought you to Myself. 5Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine; 6and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.'  These are the words you shall speak to the sons of Israel.'

Right before Moses receives the Ten Commandments from the Lord this is what the Lord tells him.  Basically, as you can see, it says, "Because I brought you out of the land of Egypt (see Exodus 20:2), because I redeemed you, because I brought you out of the land of Egypt and delivered you from oppression and slavery, because I bore you on eagles' wings and brought you to Myself, because I loved you and showered you with my grace thought you did not deserve it, I have made a covenant with you."  And just as He had made a covenant with Israel because of His grace (redeeming them out of slavery) they must hear his voice and not harden their hearts like Pharaoh.  They must heed, they must listen and obey the very law He is about to give them in the Ten Commandments.  Not because they can by their own wills and strength, but only in the state of grace, only because they have been made God's own possession.  Because it is only through a Redeemer, a bruised reed, and by His righteousness alone that they will be able to fulfill this law, that they will be able to be seen as righteous in the sight of a Holy LORD, that they will be able to be to Him a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.  For just as the LORD called forth Israel from darkness in Israel into a marvelous light, so He does for us in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, our Redeemer, who died on the tree of Calvary.  So we must carry out this law, not that we can of our own accord, but through the grace and righteousness of our blessed Savior.

18Now Mount Sinai was all in smoke because the LORD descended upon it in fire; and its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked violently. 19When the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and God answered him with thunder. 20The Lord came down on Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain; and the LORD called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up.

Only one time in Scripture, to my knowledge and please correct me if I am wrong, does the Lord ever appear in a theophany, where He speaks softly (in the still small voice or gentle wind).  Many times He appears how we see Him in verses 18-20 in unimaginable power, where the earth shakes violently and He speaks in thunder.  O the majesty and the mighty power and the greatness and the splendor and the holiness of our Lord (see Hebrews 12:19-21 which describes these verses).  And yet I wonder if that trumpet spoken of in verse 16 and which is described here as growing louder and louder is the voice of God.  I wonder if that is true because of the only other place a loud trumpet is referred to is in Revelation 1 where it says, "10I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like the sound of a trumpet..." In fact, I think we must come to that conclusion.  That the Lord answered Moses in an audible voice which sounded like thunder and a deafening trumpet.  The people in verse 16, as they heard what is described as a 'very loud trumpet' and then in verse 19 that trumpet sound grew louder and louder, it is no wonder they trembled.  For before a thrice holy God speaking, the only thing sinful, wayward, and polluted hearts can do is tremble.  Should we not consider as we live our lives, as we sit and even meditate upon the Word throughout the day, as we spend unceasing time in prayer, and as we gather together on the Lord's Day in public and private exercises of His worship, should we not consider Who we go before, Who we are sinning against, Who we sit under, Who we grieve, Who we are hearing, Who we are exalting?  He is a thrice holy God with unimaginable power, He is righteous and just, but let us also not forget that in Christ Jesus our Savior, He is love, He is full of grace, mercy, truth, and all things good for those who call upon the only Name under heaven by which we must be saved.