Exodus 24: Covenant Meal

​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. 2 Moses alone shall come near to the Lord, but the others shall not come near, and the people shall not come up with him.”

3 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.” 4 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. 5 And he sent young men of the people of Israel, who offered burnt offerings and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen to the Lord. 6 And Moses took half of the blood and put it in basins, and half of the blood he threw against the altar. 7 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.” 8 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.”

9 Then Moses and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel went up, 10 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. 11 And he did not lay his hand on the chief men of the people of Israel; they beheld God, and ate and drank.

12 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.” 13 So Moses rose with his assistant Joshua, and Moses went up into the mountain of God. 14 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.”

15 Then Moses went up on the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain. 16 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. 17 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. 18 Moses entered the cloud and went up on the mountain. And Moses was on the mountain forty days and forty nights.
 
Meditation
Biblical covenants are sovereignly administered, sealed in blood, and celebrated with a meal. Prior to the fall, Adam and Eve ate in the presence of the Lord. After the curse, sin separated God and His people (Isaiah 59:2). Covenant is God’s gracious move to restore relationship, binding Himself and His promised blessings to His people who respond in faith by obligating themselves to keep His law. 
 
God had bound Himself to Israel through covenant with Abraham (Genesis 15, 17) and God had  redeemed Israel from slavery (Exodus 12). In today's reading we see slaves whose faces had been beat down into the mud looking up and behold the glory of God. Covenant relationship moves believers from slavery to celebration.
 
Moses acted as Israel’s representative by approaching God (1-2, 12-18) and sharing the laws of God with Israel (3-4). Responding in faith, the people promised to keep God’s covenant (4). Moses made sacrifice to seal the covenant renewal, casting blood on the people saying “behold the blood of the covenant the Lord has made with you…” (5-8). Covenant renewal was celebrated with a meal, God nourishing His people with His promised presence (9-11).
 
Covenant relationship finds fullness in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Jesus was sovereignly sent as God’s representative, from love to restore relationship. Jesus kept every covenant obligation before dying as the sacrifice to atone for our sins, taking the curse we deserve (Galatians 3:10-14). Jesus’ blood seals a new covenant (Luke 22:20; Hebrews 9:15-28) and the Lord’s Supper is the covenant meal where believers feast on His grace (1 Corinthians 11:23-25).

Richly Dwelling
-What stands out to you from today’s reading, especially the specifics of covenant represented in the reading?
 
-The blood of the covenant covers God’s people so we can enter into God’s presence. The sacrifice of Jesus for our sin is complete. How can gratitude and generosity grow from this grace in your heart?
 
-What does it look like for you to feast with the Lord? Do you need to move something from your schedule, add something (like a time of solitude) into your schedule, or miss a meal to be with Jesus in fellowship?
 
Key Verse
11 And he did not lay his hand on the chief men of the people of Israel; they beheld God, and ate and drank.