1
And 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
Only Moses shall come near to the LORD, but they shall not come near, and the people shall not go up with him.”
3
Then Moses came and told the people all the words of the LORD and all the ordinances; and all the people answered with one voice, “All the words that the LORD has spoken we will do.”
4
And Moses wrote down all the words of the LORD. Early the next morning he built an altar at the foot of the mountain, with twelve pillars according to the twelve tribes of Israel.
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Then he sent young men of the people of Israel, and they offered burnt offerings and sacrificed bulls as peace offerings to the LORD.
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Moses took half of the blood and put it in basins, and the other half of the blood he threw against the altar.
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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 obey.”
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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.”
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Then Moses went up with Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel.
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And they saw the God of Israel; under His feet there was something like a pavement of sapphire stone, as clear as the very sky.
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But He did not lay His hand on the chief men of the people of Israel; they beheld God, and ate and drank.
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The LORD said to Moses, “Come up to Me on the mountain and stay there, and I will give you the stone tablets, the law and the commandment, which I have written for their instruction.”
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So Moses arose with Joshua his servant, and Moses went up onto the mountain of God.
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But to the elders he said, “Wait here for us until we return to you; behold, Aaron and Hur are with you. Whoever has a matter, let him come to them.”
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Then Moses went up on the mountain, and the cloud covered it.
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The glory of the LORD settled on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days; on the seventh day He called to Moses from the midst of the cloud.
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To the eyes of the people of Israel, the appearance of the glory of the LORD was like a devouring fire on the top of the mountain.
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Moses entered into the midst of the cloud as he went up the mountain. And he remained on the mountain forty days and forty nights.
📜🩸🌫️ Summary of Exodus 24 – The Covenant Confirmed and Moses Ascends the Mountain
Exodus 24 is the climax of the giving of God’s law, where the covenant between the Lord and Israel is confirmed, and Moses goes up Mount Sinai to receive the laws written directly from the Lord.
1. The Lord Calls Moses and the Leaders (verses 1–2)
- The Lord calls Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and the 70 elders of Israel to come near.
- Only Moses may draw near to the Lord directly.
2. The People of Israel Declare Their Commitment (verses 3–8)
- Moses speaks all the words and laws of the Lord to the people.
- The people of Israel answer:
“All the words that the LORD has spoken we will do.”
- Moses writes down the law, builds an altar, and offers sacrifices.
- He sprinkles the blood of the sacrifice on the altar and the people, calling it:
“The blood of the covenant that the LORD has made with you.”
3. The Vision of the Elders and the Presence of God (verses 9–11)
- Moses and the leaders go up and see God:
“Under His feet was something like a pavement of sapphire stone, clear as the sky.”
- They eat and drink before the Lord—a holy and peaceful fellowship.
4. Moses Goes Up Alone to the Top of the Mountain (verses 12–18)
- The Lord calls Moses to go up higher and receive stone tablets containing the law and commandments.
- Moses is accompanied by Joshua, and leaves Aaron and Hur below to lead.
- The cloud of the Lord’s glory covered the mountain for six days.
- On the seventh day, the Lord called Moses to come into the cloud.
- Moses stayed on the mountain for 40 days and 40 nights.
📖 Main Teaching
- The covenant with the Lord is serious and involves sacrifice and obedience.
- The word of the Lord is not only to be heard, but also written down and obeyed.
- The blood of the covenant affirms that relationship with the Lord is grounded in forgiveness and sanctification.
- Seeing and experiencing the presence of the Lord brings awe and peace.
- The call to go up the mountain is a symbol of closeness to the Lord, but it also requires patience and time.
✨ Spiritual Meaning
- The blood of the covenant in Exodus 24 is a foreshadowing of the new covenant in the blood of Christ (Matthew 26:28).
- The meal together before the Lord symbolizes restored fellowship and a close relationship between God and His people.
- Moses as the mediator who goes up the mountain becomes a symbol of Jesus as the true mediator between God and humanity.
- 40 days and 40 nights is a time of transformation and intensive teaching from the Lord.
- The glory of the Lord like fire on the mountain peak portrays His holiness, power, and majestic presence.
