In Exodus 19, God tells Moses to prepare the people for Him to speak to them. What an amazing event that must have been — to hear God speak directly to you! But notice how such an event was not casual. Preparation was required. While we are not the ancient Israelites, we can learn some valuable lessons today from this chapter.

The first lesson is that worship requires preparation. The Hebrew writer parallels the events of Exodus 19 and Christian worship (Heb. 12:18-19). We have come to a greater mountain than Sinai, so we are to offer worship with reverence and awe (Heb. 12:28). If our worship is greater than that of the Old Testament, it requires no less preparation.  

The second lesson is that we must get ready to worship. The Israelites in Exodus 19 had to bathe, abstain from marital relations, and not go near the meeting place. In short, they had to ensure they were pure and ready to approach God. Today, we must prepare our hearts and minds for worship lest we offer unacceptable worship to God (Matt. 18:8-9).

Lastly, we learn that when we are ready to worship, we meet God in worship. Exodus 19:16-17 records Israel coming to Mt. Sinai and God descending to give the law. Their preparation was more than worth it. While we will not see God appearing today as He did then, when we are fully prepared for worship, we will find ourselves more engaged, meditative, and uplifted by the God-honoring the worship we are offering.