Bugkiller,
here is proof positive that the covenant given was oral and not written. Go back and read the chapters before these verses and you will see that there were many things which God commanded them before the law was written down. God wanted them to keep them in their hearts in relationship with His goodness to them. But they wouldn't and constantly complained. Thus came in the law. Even unto the sabbath which they failed to keep as given orally.
hismessenger
Not one of those verses you quote Exodus 19:1 -5 reveal what the covenant is. I agree that the covenant was given orally.
Exodus 20:1-17 (King James Version)
1And
God spake all these words, saying,
2I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
3Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
4Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.
5Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;
6And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
7Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
8Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
9Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
10But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
11For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
12Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
13Thou shalt not kill.
14Thou shalt not commit adultery.
15Thou shalt not steal.
16Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.
17Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.
And Deuteronomy 4:13 says this is the covenant which in what 5 posts you have not said a word about. I used this verse by your second post I think. You used the verse preceding and post,but not the verse. Got a reason? Here it is again: And
He declared unto you
His covenant, which
He commanded you to perform, even
ten commandments; and
He wrote them upon two tables of stone.
What did He say (
declared)? His covenant - ten commandments
What did He write? them - ten commandments
Where did He write them? upon two tables of stone
To declare is normally spoken and can be used in the same place as the word said with out changing the meaning of verbal communication.
Why do you wish to ignore this verseand these facts?
I have presented proof positive that the covenant, the ten commandments were given orally and also written on two tables of stone.
Here is the reason God gave the the Sabbath in Ex 16. It was to test them about walking (following) His (God's) law. This was not written but oral. Notice it does not say anything about covenant.
Exodus 16:4 (King James Version)
Then said the LORD unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in My law, or no.
Is this Berean enough for you?
bugkiller