Confirming the Covenant – Seeing God! – “a closer walk with thee!” – Walking in Intimacy….
Notes
Transcript
Exodus 24 – Community Bible Church Aug. 3, 2025
Exodus 24 – Community Bible Church Aug. 3, 2025
Context:
We are approaching one of the more important chapters in the entire Old Testament. Ever since the people of Israel left Egypt, God has been leading them… and preparing them for what was to come. Ultimately, God is drawing His people to Himself…. preparing them for a life of fellowship and relationship with Him. To do that, Israel will need to be given some guidelines and boundaries.
They have just spent the last 400 years in Egypt… a pagan, false-god worshipping culture. God rescued them from slavery in that context… and is leading them to the Promised Land… which is currently filled with…. pagan, false-god worshippers.
At each step, and with each lesson, God is preparing the people to be able to represent Him (return to their original purpose in the garden) (vice-regent) in the world.
In order for someone to effectively represent someone else, they must know them. It is no different with God’s people. In order for Israel to effectivley serve as God’s representatives in the world…. they would need to know HIm. And in order to truly know Him…. have a relationship with Him… .they would need to know about Him. Doing that… would require being in His presence.
That is the catch. They are a sinful people. Yahweh is a holy God! Those two things don’t mix.
Adam and Eve were separated from God’s presence… removed from the Garden…. and we have been separated ever since.
Beginning in chapter 19… going through chapter 31, God is giving the Law…. and establishing a Covenant with His people… so that they can know about Him…. truly Know Him… and be with Him…. only then will they be able to effectively represent Yahweh
In this 12 chapter section…. Chapter 24 is the climax. It is the chapter, God leads a worship service in which He confirms a covenant with Israel. We now call this the Mosaic Covenant.
The rest of the OT (and some of the NT) will look back to this moment as a means through which fellowship with God is gained… and this moment points the reader forward to a perfected fellowship with Yahweh through Christ.
The people of Israel leave Egypt - ch. 13-14
God leads the people, demonstrating that He is the One who will provide for them (manna, quail, water, protection) - ch. 15-18
God leads them to the base of Mt. Sinai and gives instructions about not stepping foot on the mountain (people or animals) unless God calls. Moses begins a series of trips up and down the mountain, receiving instructions from God and then delivering it to the people. – ch. 19
God gives Moses the 10 commandments and a series of other ordinances that the people were to implement. – ch. 20-23.
All of these laws and ordinances are the background information for a Covenant God is preparing to make with the people. When we come to chatper 24, we come to the climax of the process where the covenant is confirmed…. activated.
Then he said to Moses, “Come up to the Lord, you and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, and worship from afar. Moses alone shall come near to the Lord, but the others shall not come near, and the people shall not come up with him.”
Moses came and told the people all the words of the Lord and all the rules. And all the people answered with one voice and said, “All the words that the Lord has spoken we will do.” And Moses wrote down all the words of the Lord. He rose early in the morning and built an altar at the foot of the mountain, and twelve pillars, according to the twelve tribes of Israel. And he sent young men of the people of Israel, who offered burnt offerings and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen to the Lord. And Moses took half of the blood and put it in basins, and half of the blood he threw against the altar. Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it in the hearing of the people. And they said, “All that the Lord has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient.” And Moses took the blood and threw it on the people and said, “Behold the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words.”
Then Moses and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel went up, and they saw the God of Israel. There was under his feet as it were a pavement of sapphire stone, like the very heaven for clearness. And he did not lay his hand on the chief men of the people of Israel; they beheld God, and ate and drank.
The Lord said to Moses, “Come up to me on the mountain and wait there, that I may give you the tablets of stone, with the law and the commandment, which I have written for their instruction.” So Moses rose with his assistant Joshua, and Moses went up into the mountain of God. And he said to the elders, “Wait here for us until we return to you. And behold, Aaron and Hur are with you. Whoever has a dispute, let him go to them.”
Then Moses went up on the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain. The glory of the Lord dwelt on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days. And on the seventh day he called to Moses out of the midst of the cloud. Now the appearance of the glory of the Lord was like a devouring fire on the top of the mountain in the sight of the people of Israel. Moses entered the cloud and went up on the mountain. And Moses was on the mountain forty days and forty nights.
I. Call to Worship (Summary Statement vv. 1-2)
Then he said to Moses, “Come up to the Lord, you and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, and worship from afar. Moses alone shall come near to the Lord, but the others shall not come near, and the people shall not come up with him.”
II. God’s Word Given — Oath before witnesses [Witnesses to Worship] (vv. 3-8)
Moses came and told the people all the words of the Lord and all the rules. And all the people answered with one voice and said, “All the words that the Lord has spoken we will do.” And Moses wrote down all the words of the Lord. He rose early in the morning and built an altar at the foot of the mountain, and twelve pillars, according to the twelve tribes of Israel. And he sent young men of the people of Israel, who offered burnt offerings and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen to the Lord. And Moses took half of the blood and put it in basins, and half of the blood he threw against the altar. Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it in the hearing of the people. And they said, “All that the Lord has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient.” And Moses took the blood and threw it on the people and said, “Behold the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words.”
III. Seeing God.. and Living!
Communing with God
Ceremonial Meal between Parties (vv. 9-11)
Then Moses and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel went up, and they saw the God of Israel. There was under his feet as it were a pavement of sapphire stone, like the very heaven for clearness. And he did not lay his hand on the chief men of the people of Israel; they beheld God, and ate and drank.
IV. Provisions for receiving the official text of the Covenant (vv. 12-18)
The Lord said to Moses, “Come up to me on the mountain and wait there, that I may give you the tablets of stone, with the law and the commandment, which I have written for their instruction.” So Moses rose with his assistant Joshua, and Moses went up into the mountain of God. And he said to the elders, “Wait here for us until we return to you. And behold, Aaron and Hur are with you. Whoever has a dispute, let him go to them.”
Then Moses went up on the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain. The glory of the Lord dwelt on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days. And on the seventh day he called to Moses out of the midst of the cloud. Now the appearance of the glory of the Lord was like a devouring fire on the top of the mountain in the sight of the people of Israel. Moses entered the cloud and went up on the mountain. And Moses was on the mountain forty days and forty nights.
Main idea/ Intended Response:
God wants us to know about Him in order that we may truly know Him!
God wants to be seen… to be personally experienced… but that experience can only be had on His terms, terms that are in keeping with His holy character.
Intimacy with God is the goal of this covenant. God is preparing a way for people to have an intimate relationship with Him. Ex. 24 Covenant -> Jeremiah 31:31-33 a “new covenant” written on their hearts —> Temple veil torn from top to bottom (Matt. 27:51)….
The Exodus 24 covenant is a great next steps towards this final destination.
Biblical Theology:
Joshua 24:26-28 … connection with Exodus 24:3-8
Genesis 15:9-21, Jeremiah 34:18, Hebrews 6:13-18— Similar to what is happening in Ex. 24:5-8
Hebrews 9:21 - Sprinkling of blood…
Other covenant language: Deuteronomy 28-33, Joshua 8:34, Exodus 23:20-33
Application:
