“Moses took the blood, sprinkled it on the people and said, ‘This is the blood of the covenant which Adonai has made with you in accordance with all these words.‘ Moses, Aharon, Nadav, Avihu and seventy of the leaders went up; and they saw the God of Isra’el. Under his feet was something like a sapphire stone pavement as clear as the sky itself.”-Exodus 24:8-10
Exodus chapter 24 foreshadows two awesome events in the New Testament.
One that has occurred and one that is to occur.
First, notice that something extraordinary happens in verse 9.
Moses takes the blood from the sacrifices and sprinkles it on the people.
Then we’re told that Aaron, his two sons, and the 70 elders crossed the boundary wall and set foot on God’s Holy mountain.
Are you catching the significance of this?
The blood of the sacrifice allowed the people to approach God.
Before that there was an impenetrable barrier separating them from God.
Notice Moses says, “This is the blood of the covenant which Adonai has made with you in accordance will all these words”.
Woah!
When I read those words, I accidentally thought I was in the New Testament instead of the Book of Exodus.
Of course, this is exactly the same situation that occurs with us when we accept Yeshua as Lord and Savior and are spiritually “sprinkled” with His blood.
Before coming to Yeshua, there was a barrier between us and God.
But after being covered by His blood, we can now approach God guilt-free without fear or reproach!
Awesome!
Next, we’re clearly told that the people “saw God”.
Yet in other parts of Scripture we’re clearly told that “no man can see God and live”.
What gives?
Well, the only logical conclusion I can come to is that this must have been a vision pure and simple.
According to Rashbam, what actually happened here is similar to what happened when God cut a covenant with Abraham and appeared to him in the form of a smoking firepot.
Just as the smoking firepot was not actually God Himself, so was this visual manifestation that appeared to the people also not actually God Himself.
Notice the phrase “and God did not reach out His Hand against them….”.
This means the people were able to wine and dine in the Lord’s presence without getting destroyed.
And notice how the visual focus shifts to beneath God’s feet.
I want to share Robert Alter’s thoughts on this particular part of Scripture.
“Mere flesh and blood cannot long sustain the vision of God, and so the visual focus immediately slides down to the celestial brilliance beneath God’s feet. Even for this zone touched by the divine, direct linguistic reference is not possible, and so the writer uses a doubled simile—“ like a fashioning of…,” “like the very heavens….” sapphire.” -Alter, Robert (2008-10-17). The Five Books of Moses: A Translation with Commentary
So here we are witnessing a scene where those who have been purified by the blood of the sacrifice are wining and dining in the very presence of the Lord God Himself.
Does this bring anything to mind?
Like maybe the great and future Marriage Feast of the Lamb where all blood bought believers will be committed in a formal marriage and then participate in a great ceremonial feast.
Understand that according to covenant ritual, the eating of a meal together COMPLETES THE COVENANT.
Right now we are in a state of betrothal.
Our union or covenant with Yeshua is NOT yet complete.
But it will be complete when we who have faith in Yeshua, finally sit down at the feet of our Lord and dine with Him at the Marriage Feast of the Lamb.
On the other hand, understand one thing about this Mosaic Covenant.
With this ceremony here, the covenant was now complete.
It has never been renewed because there was never a need for it to be renewed.
Because as I just said the covenant was now complete and it is a permanent covenant.
Its terms and conditions STAND, at least until the end of the age, which is a super looooooooooooooooooooooooong time from now.
To me it seems more like a hologram, or as you say a vision, not the actual. I believe God told Moses he could not see his face or his full glory and live. Seems to me God is just too awesome in power and majesty to just pop into our dimension without destroying it, because nothing unclean, contaminated, or sinful can be in God presence without being destroyed. Which is why he does not make his final, actual appearance on earth until after he has made the new heavens and new earth that it’s free of contamination.
We can use our iminagiation, but to me it is plain God cannot come into our dimension without causing death and destruction, so visions, manifestations, holograms whatever is what people actually see.
Thanks for sharing Terry! I think I would agree with you. There is no way the people could have been looking at God’s actual essence, not without being destroyed at least. Shalom!