The Book of the Covenant--Part V

Exodus 20:18-21 and 23:20-24:18 are "book ends" or "brackets" around "The Book of the Covenant" proper in Exodus 22:22-23:19. The second "book end" or "bracket" contains three paragraphs in narrative form.

I. Yahweh promises his people Israel that Yahweh will give them the promised land of Canaan, and give them his blessings in the land. Then, Yahweh strongly requires his people to be faithful to Yahweh alone. 23:20-33.
a. Here are Yahweh's "promises." (1) I am sending an "angel" in front of you to guard you on the journey and to bring you into the land of Canaan. (2) In the land of Canaan, I will bless your bread and your water; I will take sickness away from you; no one shall miscarry or be barren in this land; I will fulfill the number of your days. (3) I will send "my terror" against the Canaanites in the land, and defeat their enemies. (4) I will send "the pestilence" in the land of Canaan among the Canaanites, but I will not drive them out in one year, but little by little until you are established in this new land. (5) I will set your borders from the Red Sea to the sea of the Philistines, and from the wilderness to the Euphrates.
b. Here is Yahweh's strong requirement of his people. Follow the guidance of this "angel." Do not bow down to the gods of the Canaanites, and do not make any covenant with the Canaanites, but utterly demolish them and break their pillars in pieces. Worship Yahweh alone. This is obviously a reinforcement of the first of the ten commandments, AND the fundamental principle of all of God's instructions.

II. Yahweh tells Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu [Aaron's son], and 70 elders of Israel to worship at a distance. Then God tells Moses to declares Yahweh's words to the people and have Moses write down all the words Yahweh had spoken. The people of Israel readily agree. Moses builds an altar at the foot of Mount Horeb=Sinai, and on it he offers burnt offerings and offerings of well being. He dashed half of the blood of the animals on the people of Israel, and half of the blood on the altar. He reads the Book of the Covenant in the hearing of the blood. This blood ceremony symbolizes the covenant that Yahweh made with his people. Exodus 24:1-8.

III. Yahweh commands Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and 70 of the elders of Israel to come up to God on Mount Horeb=Sinai. They saw the God of Israel. Under his feet, there was something like a pavement of sapphire stone, like the very heaven for clearness. These people ate and drank before God. Yahweh gives Moses the tablets of stone with the law and the commandment. Moses and his assistant Joshua receive these tablets. A great cloud covers the mountain. "The glory of the Lord" settled on Mount Sinai for 6 days. On the 7th day, Yahweh called Moses out of the cloud. The appearance of "the glory of the Lord" was like a devouring fire. Moses was one this mountain 40 days and 40 nights. Exodus 24:9-18.

One cannot but marvel at the events described in this paragraph. We can only imagine what Moses and Joshua and his associates experienced on this occasion. But the important point is that "the glory of the Lord" is there. And, as we seek to worship and serve our God, we must be struck with awe that his "glory" is splendid, majestic, marvelous, beyond human comprehension and understanding. This kind of God motivates us to bow before him and worship him and serve him. What an awesome God is HE.

How do YOU respond to this marvelous section of the Book of Exodus? Does our God inspire YOU? Motivate YOU? Transform YOUR LIFE? Share your experiences and your thoughts. Let me hear from YOU.

John Willis