Exodus 24

Chapter 24 presents us with several fascinating truths about God and the covenant He made with His people. Let’s look together:

·       God invited Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and seventy elders of Israel up certain heights of Mount Sinai to worship Him, where they would eat and drink in His presence (vv. 1, 9-11). The rest of the camp was instructed to remain at the base of the mountain, where they would await God’s words, as delivered by Moses. Recall, God made us in His own image, meaning we are relational beings. The most important fellowship we could ever have on earth is dwelling in the presence of and communing with our Lord. It’s also true that we are as close to God as we want to be. Granted, most of the Israelites were commanded to remain at a distance from God, but when we trust in Jesus’s atoning sacrifice for us, we can approach God’s throne of grace at any time (Hebrews 4:16). And with the Holy Spirit residing inside of Christians, the only thing getting in the way of us having uninterrupted communion with God is…us. So I ask you to consider today: what gets in the way of you continually experiencing more of God? 

·       When the people of Israel heard all that the LORD had commanded them to do, they responded with their desire to obey. However, mere words would not be enough to ratify this covenant. So, Moses “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. And he sent young men of the people of Israel, who offered burnt offerings and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen to the Lord. And Moses took half of the blood and put it in basins, and half of the blood he threw against the altar…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’” (vv. 4-6, 8). Blood was to be required to ratify this covenant between God and His people, giving us a glimpse into the New Covenant, where Jesus’s blood would be poured out to forever seal God’s promise of salvation for His people. 

·       Exodus 24 closes with Moses ascending high onto Mount Sinai, where God’s glory rested on its peak (v. 16). There, Moses would remain for forty days and forty nights, and during that time, he would receive God’s instructions for another place where He would dwell—the tabernacle. Are you beginning to notice this recurring theme that God desires to be among His people? 

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Journal responses to the following prompts:

·       God created you in His image with a purpose to be in relationship with Him. Do you desire to walk closely with Him? If not, pray that God will give you that desire, as nothing is more precious than His presence. 

·       What gets in the way of you continually experiencing more of God?