12 Put limits for the people around the mountain and tell them, ‘Be careful that you do not go up the mountain or touch the foot of it. Whoever touches the mountain shall surely be put to death.
The Lord is setting up a demonstration of His presence for the people of Israel who have just been delivered out of Egypt. This demonstration will put the people into sensory overload. They will see, hear, smell, and feel the Lord’s presence. They have spent two days preparing for this encounter. The Lord wants them to know that this is not a casual encounter. The Lord is the One who sets the rules for the relationship. The people are not allowed to go up on the mountain. Only Moses can travel there when the Lord is present. The Lord places strict limits on their travel. And the penalty could not be higher. This is serious business, this business of meeting with God. The people have seen the Lord’s presence in the pillar of cloud and fire as they left Egypt. But this is the first time the Lord is going to speak to them as a group. The Lord has spoken to Moses privately, but now He will speak so that they can listen in to the conversation. Moses understands the holiness of the Lord. He removed his shoes during his first encounter at the burning bush. The people do not have this experience yet. But that is exactly what is coming. When the Lord shows up on the mountain, they get the message. Don’t cross the line! The Lord is holy and to be feared. His power is great and they need to yield to His authority. If they cross the line, they die. If only we could get this message. The cross is about the holiness of God. The cross made a way for God to accept us. The sin that we commit separates us from Him. Only death can make payment for our crossing of the line. Jesus paid that debt. We crossed the line and Jesus paid the price with His life.
The Arnold Journey 