Exodus 24

We’ve been studying the book of the covenant (the commandments and the ordinances) over the past few weeks, beginning in 20:22, and continued till 23:33.

“The covenant commands summarize this distinctive way of life and God’s plan to deal with sin so he can dwell with his people.” (BP)

In it God gives laws for worship, justice, and daily living — calling them to honor him alone, treat others fairly and compassionately, observe sacred times, and trust his guidance as He leads them into the promised land.

This chapter acts as a bridge that connects the book of the covenant and the instructions for for building the tabernacle and its furniture (25-31)

In Chapter 24, Israel accepts the terms of the covenant as Moses explained to them.

The covenant ceremony is one that YHWH has ordered,

He is holy and is the one who determines how and when sinful man can approach Him.

He has an establish way that Israel will enter into the covenant with Him.

And here we see it is through a chosen mediator and blood of a sacrifice.

Israel Accepts the Terms of the Covenant.

Exodus 24 (NKJV)

Instructions to Moses

1 Now 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.

2 And Moses alone shall come near the Lord, but they shall not come near; nor shall the people go up with him.”

YHWH calls Moses to come to him bringing with him representatives from the priesthood and the nation as a whole.

yet Moses was the only one given special access to God’s presence, setting him apart as God’s chosen intercessor.

Moses has been singled out from the rest of Israel,

His relationship with YHWH is marked by access to God that no one else had.

as God’s chosen representative to the people, and regularly met with God and communicated God’s instruction to the people.

Only Moses was allowed to approach the glory of God.

Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, are representative of the priesthood,

though Nadab and Abihu will be killed by God for their irreverent behavior while serving God.

When we see what they experienced here on the mountain we see why they were held to such accountable for their actions

The seventy elders were representatives from all the tribes of Israel and spoke on behalf of the people.

Sealing of the Covenant

3 So Moses came and told the people all the words (10 Commandments) of the Lord and all the judgments (the book of the covenant). And all the people answered with one voice and said, “All the words which the Lord has said we will do.”

The people heard and verbally accepted and agreed to follow through with the terms of the covenant.

agreed to the terms to fulfill their side of the covenant.

This phrase is repeated in verse 7 with the added words, “and be obedient.”

It encapsulates the offering of the sacrifices and the sprinkling of the blood of the sacrifice on the altar in a formal ceremony establishing the covenant.

which when we see these things we should look closer to what is in between.

4 And Moses wrote all the words of the Lord (ch 20-23). And he rose early in the morning, and built an altar (Ex 20:24-26) at the foot of the mountain, and twelve pillars according to the twelve tribes of Israel.

Moses records the words of God in writing, on a scroll, most likely,

and then leads Israel in a sacrificial offering, a sign of their commitment to whole-heartedly follow through.

Arose early to build and alar at the base of the mountain where he met with God and erected twelve pillars, one fore each tribe.

the instructions for building an altar were already given earlier on by God. uncut stone…

We’ve seen these “pillars” or memorial stones, set up in places where men have encountered God in special ways. — Jacob,

5 Then he sent young men of the children of Israel, who offered burnt offerings and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen to the Lord.

Burnt offerings could be a bull, a ram, a male goat, a turtle dove or a pigeon (Lev 1:3-9),

It was the most costly sacrifice since the whole animal was burned up on the altar,

they were primarily offered to make atonement, serving to restore relationship to God or to please God.

They also played a role in cleansing various ritual impurities

Peace offerings or Fellowship offerings were free-will offerings for thanks, the fulfillment of a vow

It was one of the sacrifices offered that provided meat for the people, share in feasts,

the priests kept a portion and the offerer recieved a portion, but the fat and blood were offered to God.

6 And Moses took half the blood and put it in basins, and half the blood he sprinkled on the altar.

To understand the full gravity of what is occuring here we should remind ourselves of Genesis 2-3,

When God made Man and placed him in the garden it was to live in relationship with him, ruling over creation as His representative,

When they encountered the deceiver, and believed his lie, Man went against God’s order and so cut off the relationship with God, being exiled from his presence. God is holy and sinful man cannot stand before him, to do so would mean death.

Man now lives under the curse of sin and death, apart from God.

But we have seen that God is willing to accept the sacrifice of an animal, as a substitute for the sinner.

God will accept the shed blood of an animal on behalf of a man, the blood being the proof that one’s life had been given for another.

the sacrifice was the death of an animal but also represented the life that was spared as a result.

The blood of the sacrifice was reserved in bowls for the consecration of the altar and then later the people.

as Moses sprinkles the blood on the altar, he is showing that God is willing to accept the sinner because something died in his place.

these Levites and Elders, sins were covered by the blood of the sacrifice and could approach God.

So moses sprinkles the blood on the altar…

7 Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read in the hearing of the people. And they said, “All that the Lord has said we will do, and be obedient.”

8 And Moses took the blood, sprinkled it on the people, and said, “This is the blood of the covenant which the Lord has made with you according to all these words.”

The sacrifices prepared, the altar consecrated, the Covenant read, and accepted, the people consecrated with the blood of the sacrifice.

The blood of the sacrifice sprinkled on the people showed that the penalty for their sin had been paid and they could be united with God in covenant.

sprinkling both the altar and the people signified that the people of Israel were bound together with YHWH in covenant.

This was an act that was familiar for those in the ancient context, some covenant agreements being sealed with a sacrifice, in essence, saying that their live were bound up in the fate of the animal if they did not uphold their end of the agreement.

to which the affirmed their role again to keep and their readiness to obey.

“This is the blood of the covenant which the Lord has made with you according to all these words.

The words are so close to Jesus’ words at the Last Supper, where he took the cup of wine…

Luke 22:20 “20 Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.”

Matthew 26:28 “28 For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.”

The blood of the covenant phrase means ‘theblood by which the covenant is ratified’ (NET)

IF the odl covenant was established with the blood of a animal what does it mean if Jesus is establishing the new covenant with his own blood?

First it means that the old covenant is done, He fulfilled it through his sinless obedient life, and what he establishes is something new based in his sacrifice of himself on behalf of sinners.

just as the Israelites were chose to represent God and to enter into covenant relationship with him, through the blood of a sacrifice.

We are brought into relationship with God through Christ…

1 Peter 1:2 “2 elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace be multiplied.”

Its his blood that cleanses us from all unrighteousness, making eternal intercession fro us before the father, calling us into obedience to his commandments, to love Him and love others.

Which is the fulfillment of the law…

A Divine Meal

9 Then Moses went up, also Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, 10 and they saw the God of Israel. And there was under His feet as it were a paved work of sapphire stone, and it was like the very heavens in its clarity. 11 But on the nobles of the children of Israel He did not lay His hand (idiom: cause harm). So they saw God, and they ate and drank.

as most of the sacrifice was burned up on the altar, parts were kept back for feasting,

they are now eating the covenant meal on the mountain, signifying peace with God in covenant with him.

As the group called together by God were gathered and partaking in the covenant meal,

they get a glimpse of God’s glory,

up on the mountain they get a picture of heaven and earth overlapping.

what they saw was the God of Israel, under whose “feet” was a vast beautiful blue stone like pavement, like the polished floors of a grand throne room.

one commentator, noted that what they saw was what one would see bowing down prostrate before a king,

floor and feet.

others compare it to what Ezekiel (1:26) saw as he looked up, seeing through the clear glassy pavement.

And God allowed them to see this without causing them to be destroyed

They ate and drank there in the presence of God… and Moses is bid by God to come closer or further up the mountain.

Moses’ Ascends Mount Sinai a Second Time

12 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Come up to Me on the mountain and be there; and I will give you tablets of stone, and the law and commandments which I have written, that you may teach them.”

The copies of the commandments were for teaching, the people how they are to live and what they are to do as the people of YHWH.

These stone tablets were the covenant inscribed in stone, they will be kept in the ark,

13 So Moses arose with his assistant Joshua, and Moses went up to the mountain of God.

14 And he said to the elders, “Wait here for us until we come back to you. Indeed, Aaron and Hur are with you. If any man has a difficulty, let him go to them.”

Aaron and Hur are the vice leaders over Israel in Moses’ absence.

15 Then Moses went up into the mountain, and a cloud covered the mountain.

16 Now the glory of the Lord rested 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.

17 The sight of the glory of the Lord was like a consuming fire on the top of the mountain in the eyes of the children of Israel.

18 So Moses went into the midst of the cloud and went up into the mountain. And Moses was on the mountain forty days and forty nights.

YHWH presence was real and tangible as seen in the cloud and fire upon the mountain

The children of Israel saw the fire

Faithlife Study Bible Chapter 24

forty days and forty nights

as he led them in the wilderness, he will now lead them in instruction, giving to moses all the instructions for the building of the tabernacle, the place where God’s glory would dwell among his people.

This covenant gives way to God’s acceptance of his people in relationship with them to