September 17
/Exodus 24 / Read
The ceremony described in today’s reading culminated all that took place between God and the Israelites since the beginning of Exodus Chapter 19. It was the final confirmation of their covenant relationship and a moment filled with grace, peace, hope and wonder.
God had declared who he was, had told the people who they were, had given them the Law as the terms for life in his kingdom, and had demanded their obedience in return for the love that he promised them. To all of this, the people responded, “Everything the LORD has said we will do.” (vv. 3; see also vv. 7)
Then, in dramatic fashion, both the altar of God and the people of God were sprinkled with the blood of animal sacrifices (vv. 6, 8). In the Old Testament, animals were sacrificed to atone for sin. God, who is holy and just, cannot associate with sin and must punish it. Sacrifices, therefore, filled the gap between God and humans caused by their sin, suffering the death that was due them for their disobedience. Shed blood was proof that one life had been given for another, that justice had been served and that grace had been shown to those still living.
The blood on the altar was the symbol to the people that they could once again approach God; the blood on the people was the symbol that sin had been paid for and they were reunited with God.
Finally, Moses and the leaders of Israel went into God’s presence and communed with him over a ceremonial meal. Incredibly, they saw God and experienced his glory up close.
The beauty of this moment is undeniable and is what our hearts long for - to be free from sin, to be in God’s presence, to know his love and his commitment to us, and to have hope that we, too, will remain committed to him.
For those who follow Jesus, this moment serves as a foreshadow of what would ultimately be ensured with the Cross. The truth is that God’s people, as hard as they tried, could never keep the terms of the Old Covenant. Another trip to the altar for another animal sacrifice would always be necessary.
God couldn’t stand it. He couldn’t stand the separation from his people. So, he again met with his people, not on a mountain called Sinai but on a hill called the Skull (“Golgotha”, see John 19:17). This time the sacrifice for sin was a person, an unblemished Lamb, the Son of God, the man Jesus.
A New Covenant was confirmed on the Cross. The terms of the relationship didn’t change, but the way to them did. No longer would they be dependent on our performance, but on his performance - the one person who lived in perfect obedience to the Father. Faith in Jesus is the way to life in the New Covenant and the symbol is his body and blood, broken and shed “to bring you to God.” (1 Peter 3:18)
Take some time to allow your mind and heart to rest in God’s Word. Let go of your agenda and invite him to speak to you.
What is grabbing your attention? Why?
How is God leading you to respond to him? What will it look like to be obedient to what he’s saying to you?