Today’s passage: Exodus 24
Helpful thoughts:
- Three events take place to confirm the covenant between the Lord and Israel.
- An altar is built and sacrifice is made. The blood is offered and also placed on the people (The blood of the Old Covenant).
- Moses, Aaron and the other leaders of Israel are allowed to see a manifestation of the presence of God! The fact that they could only describe what was under His feet probably implies they didn’t get to see all of Him (Exodus 33:20).
- Moses is invited up into the mountain, where the glory of God had rendered a covering over the top of the mountain. The purpose of this invitation was to produce the first copy of the written word of God.
- The confirmation of the covenant included sacrifice/blood, fellowship and the written word.
Questions to consider:
- In what way might this varied level of access to the Lord be a precursor to the Tabernacle/Temple?
- In what way(s) might the different aspects of confirmation of the covenant point forward to the New Covenant? Whose blood was poured out for our confirmation in the New Covenant?
- What is the significance of the written word? What did it provide for Israel in that context? What purpose did it serve after having audibly heard the words of God? How can this help us to rightly treasure and meditate on the written word we have available to us today?