Week 17 (April 20–26): “All That the Lord Hath Spoken We Will Do”

Exodus 19–20; 24; 31–34

Doctrinal Foundation (multiple perspectives)

From Israel’s view at Sinai: Covenant-making felt clear and unanimous. Israel answered with confidence: “All that the Lord hath said will we do, and be obedient” (Exodus 24:7). The covenant was public, communal, and spoken aloud at the mountain.

From Moses’s view: Moses stood between a holy God and a fearful people, carrying words up and down the mountain and pleading for mercy when Israel fell (see Exodus 33:11–17; Exodus 32:30–32). Moses’s role shows how covenant leadership includes intercession and patient return to revealed law.

From the Lord’s view: The Lord framed covenant identity as treasured belonging and offered a way for His presence to remain with Israel. He commanded sacred preparation to “meet with God” (Exodus 19:10–11, 17) and later directed the building of a tabernacle “that I may dwell among them” (Exodus 25:8, cited in the lesson introduction). When Israel broke covenant, the Lord revealed His character: “merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth” (Exodus 34:6).

Scripture Deep Dive (ascending steps of discovery)

1) Covenant identity: “treasure” language

President Russell M. Nelson explained the covenant term behind “peculiar”:

“In the Old Testament, the Hebrew term from which peculiar was translated is segullah, which means ‘valued property,’ or ‘treasure.’ … For us to be identified by servants of the Lord as his peculiar people is a compliment of the highest order” (May 1995, Nelson, “Children of the Covenant,” Ensign, 34).

Read Exodus 19:3–6 with that definition in mind (see CFM “The Lord’s covenant people are a treasure to Him”). Covenant obedience is not only duty; it is belonging to the Lord as His “treasure.”

2) Preparation before presence

The Lord required preparation before Israel could “meet with God” (Exodus 19:10–11, 17). Come, Follow Me pairs this with preparation patterns in Luke 6:12–13; Enos 1:2–6; and Alma 17:2–3 (see CFM “Sacred experiences require preparation”). The bundle’s emphasis is consistent: holy encounters are not casual, and covenant discipleship includes intentional spiritual readiness.

3) The Ten Commandments as covenant structure

Israel heard God’s voice deliver the Ten Commandments (see Exodus 20:1–17; see also Deuteronomy 4:12–13, referenced in the bundle). Come, Follow Me suggests asking why the Lord emphasized these ten in particular and then connecting them to the “two great commandments” in Matthew 22:34–40 (see CFM “Obedience to God’s commandments brings blessings”). The bundle also points to the hymn “How Gentle God’s Commands” (Hymns, no. 125) as a lens for teaching commandments without resentment.

4) Covenant-making as enacted worship

Exodus 24:3–8 describes Israel’s covenant with ritual elements, including “an altar, animal sacrifices, and blood” (see CFM “Making covenants shows my willingness to obey God’s law”). The bundle asks what these could represent and how they relate to covenants today, while also noting that Israel’s rituals were “different from what God requires today.” The point to hold onto from the provided material is the continuity of covenant seriousness: God’s law was read, accepted, and bound upon the people.

5) The Sabbath as a “sign” rather than a checklist

The Sabbath receives covenant language in Exodus 31:13–16. President Nelson taught:

“In my much younger years, I studied the work of others who had compiled lists of things to do and things not to do on the Sabbath. It wasn’t until later that I learned from the scriptures that my conduct and my attitude on the Sabbath constituted a sign between me and my Heavenly Father [see Exodus 31:13; Ezekiel 20:12, 20]. With that understanding, I no longer needed lists of dos and don’ts. When I had to make a decision whether or not an activity was appropriate for the Sabbath, I simply asked myself, ‘What sign do I want to give to God?’ That question made my choices about the Sabbath day crystal clear” (May 2015, Nelson, “The Sabbath Is a Delight,” Ensign or Liahona, 130).

6) The golden calf: impatience, fear, and turning aside

Come, Follow Me frames the crisis with Israel’s vulnerability: “Moses has been gone for 40 days” and a future confrontation lies ahead (see CFM “Sin is turning away from God”). The bundle highlights the tragedy of speed: “They ‘turned aside quickly’ from their promise” (Exodus 32:8; see also Exodus 20:3; 24:3, referenced in the lesson introduction). This step exposes a recurring covenant danger: proximity to holy things does not eliminate the need for enduring trust.

7) Intercession and the desire for the Lord’s presence

Come, Follow Me asks what inspires readers about “Moses’s plea to the Lord in Exodus 33:11–17” (see CFM “Sin is turning away from God”). In the bundle’s framing, Moses models covenant loyalty when others collapse, seeking continued divine presence rather than merely a safer journey.

8) Mercy after rupture: the Lord’s self-revelation

The lesson’s introduction anchors repentance hope in God’s declared nature: “merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth” (Exodus 34:6). Come, Follow Me explicitly connects Exodus 34:1–10 to the Savior (see Exodus 32:30–32; Mosiah 14:4–8; 15:9; Doctrine and Covenants 45:3–5, all referenced in the bundle). The provided cross-references keep the focus on atonement, advocacy, and covenant renewal rather than despair.

Historical Context (from the bundle)

The bundle situates Israel at the mountain with a traditional location note: “This mountain in Egypt is traditionally believed to be Mount Sinai.” It also provides the wilderness pressure that frames Exodus 32: “You’re in the wilderness, Moses has been gone for 40 days, and a confrontation with the Canaanites over the promised land is in your future” (CFM “Sin is turning away from God”). In that setting, the calf becomes more than a doctrinal error; it becomes an attempt to control fear through something visible and immediate.

Pattern Recognition Web (cross-references in the bundle)

• Covenant identity and belonging: Exodus 19:3–6; May 1995, Nelson, “Children of the Covenant.”
• Preparation before sacred encounters: Exodus 19:10–11, 17; Luke 6:12–13; Enos 1:2–6; Alma 17:2–3.
• Commandments and love: Exodus 20:1–17; Matthew 22:34–40; hymn “How Gentle God’s Commands” (Hymns, no. 125).
• Covenant enactment: Exodus 24:3–8.
• Sabbath as covenant “sign”: Exodus 31:13–16; Ezekiel 20:12, 20; May 2015, Nelson, “The Sabbath Is a Delight.”
• Idolatry as rapid departure: Exodus 20:3; 24:3, 7; 32:8.
• Intercession and presence: Exodus 33:11–17; Exodus 32:30–32.
• Mercy and the Savior’s role: Exodus 34:1–10; Mosiah 14:4–8; Mosiah 15:9; Doctrine and Covenants 45:3–5.
• Higher and lesser law (JST and Restoration clarification): JST Exodus 34:1–2 (Bible appendix); Exodus 31:18; 32:19; Doctrine and Covenants 84:17–27.

Discussion Framework (progressing from observation to application)

1. What words or phrases in Exodus 24:7 show Israel’s intent, and what might a covenant community sound like when it speaks with one voice?
2. According to Exodus 19:10–11, 17, what did the Lord require before Israel could “meet with God”?
3. Using the bundle’s linked passages (Luke 6:12–13; Enos 1:2–6; Alma 17:2–3), what repeated preparation practices appear?
4. While reading Exodus 20:1–17, which commandment most directly guards worship of the true God, and why might it come first?
5. How does Matthew 22:34–40 (as referenced in the bundle) help connect the Ten Commandments to love-centered discipleship?
6. In Exodus 31:13–16, what does it mean for the Sabbath to function as a “sign”? How does President Nelson’s “What sign do I want to give to God?” reshape Sabbath decisions (May 2015, Nelson, “The Sabbath Is a Delight”)?
7. What pressures does the bundle name in Exodus 32:1–8, and how do those pressures help explain the desire for a visible idol?
8. What do Exodus 33:11–17 (as referenced in the bundle) and Moses’s pleading suggest about leadership when others falter?
9. What does Exodus 34:6 add to an understanding of repentance after serious covenant breaking?
10. How does the bundle’s Restoration note about JST Exodus 34:1–2 and Doctrine and Covenants 84:17–27 shape the way readers see “lesser” laws preparing for greater access to God’s presence?

Gospel Connections (Plan of Salvation links provided in the bundle)

• God desires to dwell with His covenant people: “that I may dwell among them” (Exodus 25:8, cited in the lesson introduction).
• Sin and repentance as directional: “Sin is turning away from God; repentance is turning toward Him and away from evil” (CFM section heading for Exodus 32–34).
• The Savior’s atoning advocacy and suffering: Come, Follow Me directs readers from Exodus 34:1–10 to Exodus 32:30–32; Mosiah 14:4–8; Mosiah 15:9; and Doctrine and Covenants 45:3–5 (see CFM “What does Exodus 34:1–10 teach you about the Savior?”).

Teaching Moments (ways to share these discoveries)

1. Covenant identity lesson: Read President Nelson’s segullah definition and then read Exodus 19:3–6, asking what covenant living looks like when it is understood as treasured belonging (May 1995, Nelson, “Children of the Covenant”).
2. Preparation workshop: Use Exodus 19:10–11, 17 with the bundle’s linked examples (Luke 6:12–13; Enos 1:2–6; Alma 17:2–3) to build a family or class conversation about preparing for sacrament and other sacred experiences.
3. Sabbath “sign” conversation: Share President Nelson’s question, “What sign do I want to give to God?” and let learners articulate what attitudes and conduct communicate that sign (May 2015, Nelson, “The Sabbath Is a Delight”; Exodus 31:13).
4. Repentance after failure: Pair Exodus 32:8 with Exodus 34:6, then follow Come, Follow Me’s invitation to read the Savior-focused cross-references (Mosiah 14:4–8; Mosiah 15:9; Doctrine and Covenants 45:3–5).

Personal Reflection (pattern-based questions)

• Where does preparation most often determine the quality of spiritual experience, using Exodus 19:10–11, 17 as the standard?
• What “sign” is being given to the Lord on the Sabbath through conduct and attitude, using Exodus 31:13 and President Nelson’s framing (May 2015, Nelson, “The Sabbath Is a Delight”)?
• When impatience or fear rises, what helps prevent “turn[ing] aside quickly out of the way” (Exodus 32:8)?
• After a covenant rupture, what does the Lord’s self-description, “merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth” (Exodus 34:6), make possible in the next step forward?

Prophetic Echoes (modern teachings in the bundle)

• Covenant people as “treasure”: see May 1995, Nelson, “Children of the Covenant,” with Exodus 19:3–6.
• Sabbath as a covenant “sign”: see May 2015, Nelson, “The Sabbath Is a Delight,” with Exodus 31:13–16 and Ezekiel 20:12, 20.
• Further study references in the bundle (not quoted): see also Dallin H. Oaks, “No Other Gods,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2013, 72–75; “The Great Commandment, Love the Lord,” in Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Ezra Taft Benson (2014), 37–45.

These chapters and prophetic teachings encourage steady covenant preparation, Sabbath-sign discipleship, and renewed trust in the Lord’s mercy after human weakness.