20131006 Sunday, October 6 2013
Exodus 24: The People's Covenant

by Wayne Blank
See also 1 Year Holy Bible Reading Plan

"He took the Book of the Covenant, and read in the audience of the people: and they said, All that the LORD hath said will we do, and be obedient"

The LORD (Who was and is Jesus Christ; see Genesis 1: In The Beginning Was The Word and The Kingdom Of The LORD God) delivered the Ten Commandments (see Exodus 20: The Ten Commandments) to the Israelites as a means for them to chose a free life for themselves (see Exodus 13: Liberation, Not Liberal-ation). It was a timeless object lesson, delivered on a national scale, of salvation (see Christ Died For Repentant Sinners). The "leaders" of Israel were given the responsibility to serve the LORD's people for that "journey."

"24:1 And he said unto Moses, Come up unto the LORD, thou, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel; and worship ye afar off. 24:2 And Moses alone shall come near the LORD: but they shall not come nigh; neither shall the people go up with him." (Exodus 24:1-2 KJV)

The Law of the LORD is an offer of life that people have to choose to accept and obey. The Israelites did, at first: "And he took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people: and they said, All that the LORD hath said will we do, and be obedient."

"24:3 And Moses came and told the people all the words of the LORD, and all the judgments: and all the people answered with one voice, and said, All the words which the LORD hath said will we do. 24:4 And Moses wrote all the words of the LORD, and rose up early in the morning, and builded an altar under the hill, and twelve pillars, according to the twelve tribes of Israel.

24:5 And he sent young men of the children of Israel, which offered burnt offerings, and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen unto the LORD. 24:6 And Moses took half of the blood, and put it in basons; and half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar. 24:7 And he took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people: and they said, All that the LORD hath said will we do, and be obedient." (Exodus 24:3-7 KJV)

Notice that the Covenant was sealed with "the blood of the covenant, which the LORD hath made with you concerning all these words" (see also The Water and The Blood).

"24:8 And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which the LORD hath made with you concerning all these words." (Exodus 24:8 KJV)

Centuries after the Exodus, Jesus Christ plainly and authoritatively declared that no man, except the Messiah, has seen the Father.

"1:18 No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him." (John 1:18 KJV)

"5:37 And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape." (John 5:37 KJV)

"6:46 Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father." (John 6:46 KJV)

No man has seen the Father. But many people have seen the LORD God, as stated in the verses below, Who was later born as Jesus Christ. It was Jesus Christ Who delivered the Israelites in the Exodus, and it was Jesus Christ Who gave the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai: "10:1 Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; 10:2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; 10:3 And did all eat the same spiritual meat; 10:4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ." (1 Corinthians 10:1-4 KJV)

"24:9 Then went up Moses, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel: 24:10 And they saw the God of Israel: and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness. 24:11 And upon the nobles of the children of Israel he laid not his hand: also they saw God, and did eat and drink." (Exodus 24:9-11 KJV)

Moses then returned to the top of Mount Sinai where he received the Covenant in writing (as with any contract, the parties discuss the terms of the agreement before it's put into writing). The Ten Commandments were first spoken ("And God spake all these words" Exodus 20:1 KJV), to which the people spoke their acceptance ("they said, All that the LORD hath said will we do, and be obedient") - after which it was placed in writing.

"24:12 And the LORD said unto Moses, Come up to me into the mount, and be there: and I will give thee tables of stone, and a law, and commandments which I have written; that thou mayest teach them.

24:13 And Moses rose up, and his minister Joshua: and Moses went up into the mount of God. 24:14 And he said unto the elders, Tarry ye here for us, until we come again unto you: and, behold, Aaron and Hur are with you: if any man have any matters to do, let him come unto them.

24:15 And Moses went up into the mount, and a cloud covered the mount. 24:16 And the glory of the LORD abode upon mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days: and the seventh day he called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud. 24:17 And the sight of the glory of the LORD was like devouring fire on the top of the mount in the eyes of the children of Israel. 24:18 And Moses went into the midst of the cloud, and gat him up into the mount: and Moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights." (Exodus 24:2-18 KJV)

Fact Finder: How were the Ten Commandments written on the Tables of Stone - on just one side (as is popularly, and incorrectly portrayed) or on both sides?
See Turning The Tables