The Pulpit Commentary — Exodus — Volume 2 — Section 121

was this contrast between Sinai and 8ion within Israel itRelj. Sinai anrl Sion wcr~, so lo speak, the two poles round which the whole national and religious life of Israel revolved. As Sino.i, the mountain of the law, represent• their position under law, so the grace element in their economy comes to light in Mount Sion. As on Sinai, G,"l descended in o.wful smoke and flame, so on Sion he dwelt in pence in the midBt of Israel, giving forth his oracles, receiving his people's worship, and dispensing mercy ancl favour from between the cherubim, above the blood-sprinkled mercy-seat. liod came down for o. seo.son only on Sinai; on Sion, he was said to dwell (Ps. cxxxii. 13, 14). lie appeo.red in terror on Mount Sinai; but Sion displayed the milder glories of his character. Sion wo.s the place of salvation (Ps. xiv. 7 ; Is. xlvi. 13, etc.). In Sion God ruled; from it he sent forth strength and help; from it was to go forth the Gospel law (Ps. xx. 2; ex. 2; ls. ii. 2, 3). Yet ::iion, under that economy, was only the type of something better. Grace at that time was only very imperfectly revealed; it was hidden under types and forms of law; it has now been made fully manifest, and the old coverrnnt has been superseded by a better and enduring one. (2) 8inai and Sion as repre- senting the contrast betwren the two dispensations. Sion has not ceased to exist, it has only, so to speak, gone up higher. Its special seat is now in heaven. 'l'here is the throne of God; there, the capital or head-quarters of that great spiritual commonwealth, here denominated "the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem," and else- where, "the Jerusalem that is above,"" New Jerusalem," in plain terms, the Church or kingdom of God on earth and in heaven. '!'his heavenly Sion alone perfectly realises and fulfils the idea embodied in the earthly one. Do we ask why the Church or kingdom of God, as respects its state of privilege, is in this text figured as on a mountain -as a city set on Mount Sion? The answer is--1. Because the special seat of God's holy abode in the midst of his Church is now literally in heaven, i.e., spiritually removecl from, and exalted above the earth. 2. Because the kingdom of God is spiritually the highest thing on earth-founded on the highest order of ideas, on those principles oi tighteousness and justice which dominate all others. 3. Because it is, in point of fact, the central, commanding, controlling power in history. 4. Because entrance into it, and growth in its spirit and power, involves a spiritual rise-is a true moral ascent. These facts evince the propriety of this figurative representation. II. THE CONTRAST IN THE ACCESSORIES. Each mountain, in the passage in Hebrews, is made the centre of a scene. We have, accordingly, two groups of attendant circum- stances, the details of which are placed studiously in contrast. The series of manifesta- tions at Sinai has already engaged our attention, and we need not dwell upon them further. In contrast to Sinai is placed the picture of the convocation at Mount Sion. 'l'he picture is ideal; but the features in it are severally real, and the whole are needed to set forth Christian privilege in its completeness. 1. The mount is represented as crowned by "the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem "-the city denoting that great spiritual polity into which believers are admitted, and in which they have rights of citizenship, but which, like every other polity, has an existence of its own, irrespective of the individuals who at any time compose its membership. 'l.'he civitas endures, though the cives come and go.. The ideas suggested are order, beauty, sym- metry. God has founded this city. God defends it. It has salvation for walls and bulwarks. The capital of this great "City of God" is heaven; but believers, even on earth, are enfranchised members of it, and, spiritually, have come to it (Eph. ii. l 9; Phil. iii. 20). 2. Crowding the mount, thronging its sides, and hovering above, behind, around, is "an innumerable company of angels." Cf. 2 Kings vi.17, where the se~vant of Elisha saw the mountain " full" of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha, or Dan. vii. 10, where thousand thousands minister to the Ancient of Days, and ten thousand times ten thousand stand before him; or Rev. v. 11, where the number of the angels round about the throne was "ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands." The truths farured are these two--(1) That the angelic hosts stand in a relation of ministry to the Church and kingdom of God (Heb. i. 14); and (2) That they take a deep interest in its fortunes (Eph. iii. 10; 1 Pet. i. 12). Their bright forms, crowding the mount, add augustness, splendour, an,l beauty to the scene. 3. The mount is further occupied by "the general assembly and Church of the first-born, which are written in heaven "-this designation incluiling the whole brdy of Christian believers both those on earth allll thotie in heaven,  THE BOOK OF EXODUS. [ell. XTX. 16-19.