Title: God of the Covenant
Exodus (67) The God of the Covenant (Exodus 24:1-11)
< Covenant at Mount Sinai >
When God and the Israelites made the covenant on Mount Sinai, God told Moses to bring Aaron, his two sons, Nadab, Abihu, and 70 elders to the top of Mount Sinai, and then only Moses to come near (verses 1-2). And with Moses as an intercessor, God gave him the word of God. After receiving the word, he came down from Mount Sinai and preached all his words and ordinances, and the people said with one voice that they would do all these words (verse 3).
In order to receive that promise and to establish a covenant, Moses wrote down all these words, got up early in the morning, built an altar under the mountain, and built twelve pillars according to the twelve tribes of Israel (verse 4). Why did you build an altar? This is because the covenant relationship cannot be formed without the shedding of blood through the sacrifice. Why were the twelve pillars erected? The twelve pillars symbolize the twelve tribes of Israel making a covenant with God. In ancient times, there was a custom of erecting stone pillars or piles of stones to commemorate the signing of a contract.
How did you offer sacrifices? Moses took the blood, put half in spoons, and sprinkled the other half on the altar (verse 6). Blood was an essential component of sacrifices and covenants (Hebrews 9:22). The blood was sprinkled half on the altar and half on each of the people, indicating that God and Israel became a blood union. It has the same meaning as sharing blood when you are married. Such a contract with blood means that if you break the contract, you will be punished with the taste of the blood of death.
When the covenant was signed, Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and the seventy elders of Israel went up Mt. Sinai, but they could not go up to the top of the mountain. Then they saw God, and under his feet it was like sapphire, and it was as clear as the sky (verse 10). The fact that sapphire, a symbol of purity and holiness, spread under God's feet, suggests that unclean things are inaccessible. So, if they violate the glory of God, they die, but God did not kill Moses and Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and the 70 elders. They saw God and ate and drank (verse 11).
Often, after signing a contract, we usually have a meal together. The fact that the leaders of Israel saw God, ate and drank, showed that a deep communion and solidarity had been established between God and Israel. The ordinance of the New Testament era, which means that the fellowship between the saints and God has become a covenant relationship that has been restored forever, is the Eucharist service.
< God of the Covenant >
The Sinai covenant is still valid in Jesus. In other words, believers are beings in a deep covenant relationship with God. Therefore, even in difficult circumstances, always think of the covenant and do not say “It is over!” no matter how desperate the situation is. The end of man is the beginning of God. As such, God's grace begins where all human possibilities have ended. God is the God of the covenant who comes to us when we are discouraged and despairs, finds us when we are tired of waiting and wants to give up, and raises us up again when dreams are broken.
David confessed. “Jehovah is my Shepherd; I lack nothing!” That confession is covenant faith. When you meet the God of the covenant, your existence will change and your life will change. At that time, when Abram (eldest father) changes to Abraham (father of nations), his name and status change, and his life goals, vision, mission, essence, and direction change. From then on, we will live according to the values of heaven, not the values of the world.
In the Bible, there are many people whose names and existences have changed after meeting the God of the covenant. Saul became Paul and Simon became Peter. Just like that, we must believe in Jesus and change our name and existence. If you say you believe and nothing has changed yet, meet the God of the covenant anew. Then your existence and essence will change, your dreams and language will change, your mission and perspective will change, and your perspective on life will change.
God's covenant promises that blessings will not be confined to you, but will be passed on to your children and grandchildren. According to Exodus 20:6, curses last for 3 or 4 generations, but grace and blessings continue for thousands. Don't just look at your limits and think that everything is over. Even if people give up, God does not give up because of the covenant. Therefore, even when everything seems to be over, it is time to start anew.
Can't see the way to go in the dead-end alley right now? Do you have the pain and scars that the dreams you have dreamed of are falling apart? Do you have a big plan in mind, but you are unable to handle it in your own strength and ability? Remember the God of the covenant. Then a new beginning unfolds. When you think it's over, it's time to start anew. Even if you give up, God never abandons the promise he made once. So he is the God of the covenant. Think, feel, meet, and experience the God of that covenant anew.