Exodus 24

People Affirm Their Covenant with God

1 Then He said to Moses, "1Come up to the LORD, you and Aaron, 2Nadab and Abihu and 3seventy of the elders of Israel, and you shall worship at a distance.
2 "Moses alone, however, shall come near to the LORD, but they shall not come near, nor shall the people come up with him."
3 Then Moses came and recounted to the people all the words of the LORD and all the ordinances; and all the people answered with one voice and said, "4All the words which the LORD has spoken we will do!"
4 5Moses wrote down all the words of the LORD. Then he arose early in the morning, and built an 6altar at the foot of the mountain with twelve * pillars for the twelve * tribes of Israel.
5 He sent young men of the sons of Israel, 7and they offered burnt offerings and sacrificed young bulls as peace offerings to the LORD.
6 8Moses took half of the blood and put it in basins, and the other half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar.
7 Then he took 9the book of the covenant and read it in the hearing of the people; and they said, "10All that the LORD has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient!"
8 So 11Moses took the blood and sprinkled it on the people, and said, "Behold 12the blood of the covenant, which the LORD has made with you in accordance with all these words."
9 Then Moses went up with Aaron, 13Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel,
10 and 14they saw the God of Israel; and under His feet 15there appeared to be a pavement of sapphire, as clear as the sky itself.
11 Yet He did not stretch out His hand against the nobles of the sons of Israel; and 16they saw God, and they ate and drank.
12 Now the LORD said to Moses, "Come up to Me on the mountain and remain there, and 17I will give you the stone tablets with the law and the commandment which I have written for their instruction."
13 So Moses arose with 18Joshua his servant, and Moses went up to 19the mountain of God.
14 But to the elders he said, "20Wait here for us until * we return to you. And behold, 21Aaron and Hur are with you; whoever has a legal matter, let him approach them."
15 Then Moses went up to the mountain, and 22the cloud covered the mountain.
16 23The glory of the LORD rested on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days; and on the seventh day He 24called to Moses from the midst of the cloud.
17 25And to the eyes of the sons of Israel the appearance of the glory of the LORD was like a 26consuming fire on the mountain top.
18 Moses entered the midst of the cloud as he went up to the mountain; and Moses was on the mountain 27forty days and forty nights.

Exodus 24 Commentary

Chapter 24

Moses is called up into the mountain, The people promise obedience. (1-8) The glory of the Lord appears. (9-11) Moses goes up into the mountain. (12-18)

Verses 1-8 A solemn covenant was made between God and Israel. Very solemn it was, typifying the covenant of grace between God and believers, through Christ. As soon as God separated to himself a peculiar people, he governed them by a written word, as he has done ever since. God's covenants and commands are so just in themselves, and so much for our good, that the more we think of them, and the more plainly and fully they are set before us, the more reason we may see to comply with them. The blood of the sacrifice was sprinkled on the altar, on the book, and on the people. Neither their persons, their moral obedience, nor religious services, would meet with acceptance from a holy God, except through the shedding and sprinkling' of blood. Also the blessings granted unto them were all of mercy; and the Lord would deal with them in kindness. Thus the sinner, by faith in the blood of Christ, renders willing and acceptable obedience.

Verses 9-11 The elders saw the God of Israel; they had some glimpse of his glory, though whatever they saw, it was something of which no image or picture could be made, yet enough to satisfy them that God was with them of a truth. Nothing is described but what was under his feet. The sapphires are the pavement under his feet; let us put all the wealth of this world under our feet, and not in our hearts. Thus the believer sees in the face of Jesus Christ, far clearer discoveries of the glorious justice and holiness of God, than ever he saw under terrifying convictions; and through the Saviour, holds communion with a holy God.

Verses 12-18 A cloud covered the mount six days; a token of God's special presence there. Moses was sure that he who called him up would protect him. Even those glorious attributes of God which are most terrible to the wicked, the saints with humble reverence rejoice in. And through faith in the atoning Sacrifice, we hope for greater honour than Moses ever enjoyed on earth. Now we see through a glass darkly, but when he shall appear, then face to face. This vision of God will continue with equal, if not increasing brightness of joy; not for a few days only, but through eternity.

Cross References 27

  • 1. Exodus 19:24
  • 2. Exodus 6:23; Exodus 28:1; Leviticus 10:1, 2
  • 3. Numbers 11:16
  • 4. Exodus 19:8; Exodus 24:7; Deuteronomy 5:27
  • 5. Exodus 17:14; Exodus 34:27; Deuteronomy 31:9
  • 6. Exodus 17:15
  • 7. Exodus 18:12
  • 8. Hebrews 9:18
  • 9. Exodus 24:4; Hebrews 9:19
  • 10. Exodus 24:3
  • 11. Hebrews 9:19, 20
  • 12. Zechariah 9:11; Matthew 26:28; Mark 14:24; Luke 22:20; 1 Corinthians 11:25; Hebrews 13:20
  • 13. Exodus 24:1
  • 14. Exodus 24:11; Numbers 12:8; Isaiah 6:5; John 1:18; John 6:46
  • 15. Ezekiel 1:26; Ezekiel 10:1; Revelation 4:3
  • 16. Genesis 16:13; Genesis 32:30; Exodus 24:10
  • 17. Exodus 31:18; Exodus 32:15; Deuteronomy 5:22
  • 18. Exodus 17:9-14; Exodus 33:11
  • 19. Exodus 3:1
  • 20. Genesis 22:5
  • 21. Exodus 17:10, 12
  • 22. Exodus 19:9
  • 23. Exodus 16:10; Numbers 14:10
  • 24. Psalms 99:7
  • 25. Exodus 3:2; Ezekiel 1:28
  • 26. Deuteronomy 4:24; Deuteronomy 9:3; Hebrews 12:29
  • 27. Exodus 34:28; Deuteronomy 9:9; Deuteronomy 10:10

Footnotes 14

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO EXODUS 24

In this chapter we have an account that Moses was ordered to come up to the Lord alone, Ex 24:1,2, but that before he did go up, he related to the people all the above laws delivered to him, which they promised obedience to, and so a covenant was made between God and the people by sacrifice, and by the sprinkling of blood, Ex 24:3-8, upon which he and Aaron, and his two sons and seventy elders of Israel, went up part of the mountain, and had a vision of God, Ex 24:9-11, when Moses with Joshua was called, and went up higher, until at length he entered into the cloud where the Lord was, and continued forty days and forty nights, Ex 24:12-18.

Exodus 24 Commentaries

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