Exodus 24

The Lord gave Israel the general principles of how God's people might walk in relationship with Him in The Ten Commandments. He also provided specifics that instructed Israel concerning what it would be like to live in The Promised Land. God guaranteed His presence and His blessing upon His people if they would listen to Him.

The Lord is not a sinful man that He should make empty promises. He assured Moses concerning the solemnity of His Word by confirming the covenant with Him. He called up the priests and the elders of the people to witness His commitment to them. They would be further away, worshiping from afar, as Moses drew near to the Lord.

For their part, the people made their commitment again to follow the Lord. “All the words that the Lord has spoken we will do.” Moses wrote down God's Word, and he built a simple altar to the Lord. See Exodus 20:22-26. He also built twelve pillars that stood for the people, the twelve tribes of Israel.

The blood of the sacrifice should not be missed here as we consider this confirmation of the covenant. Even though this is the Law, the blood reminds us that we cannot have fellowship with God without the blood of the sacrifice. That blood is the grace of God, free to us, but requiring the life of the appointed substitute.

The blood of burnt offerings and peace offerings was to be thrown against the simple altar that Moses made. This was not an artistic display. It was a holy symbol that spoke of the need of God's people, a need that the blood of bulls could not finally satisfy.

The book of the covenant contained the Word of the Law. That Law needed to be kept. The blood of the covenant was necessary because of the guilt of disobedience. How did God show the people that they needed the blood of an innocent substitute in order to have fellowship with the Lord? He told Moses to take the blood of the bulls and throw it on the people! What a vivid picture! But Israel has always needed the blood of a law-keeping man for true atonement. The bulls tell a story, but God is not looking for a law-keeping bull. He demands a law-keeping man, a man who is willing to take the punishment that the people deserve.

The people again promised to obey. “All that the Lord has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient.” We do make pledges like that. How can we do anything less? But what will we do for forgiveness when we sin? We look for the grace that will come through the sacrificial blood of a true law-keeper.

We need the blood of the covenant. In the Old Covenant, the covenant of shadows and preparation for the Messiah, a bull would do. But who will be the Man of Light? Who will be worthy to stand before the Lord in His own obedience, with the light of God's perfect justice searching out the depths of His being?

God Himself would have to come, but as the new Man. Man had sinned. Man must obey. And now a perfect Man would shed His blood. This blood was important to God. Even in this day of preparation, notice what God said through His servant Moses: “Behold the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words.”

The covenant required this shedding of blood in accordance with the Word of Law that was part of that covenant. To disobey the commandment was death. How can those who have disobeyed live? Only through the blood of the covenant.

The old ritual told the story of God's covenant with Israel. The leaders of the people went up the mountain and “saw” the God of Israel. The ritual was commanded for a few Israelites to see a picture of heaven's glory on earth. They came near to the Holy One of Israel and lived. They beheld God. They ate and drank a meal in His presence.

Theirs was a covenant of Law written on tablets of stone which God gave to Moses. We long for something more. We need more than a record of a Law that is external to us. That Law tells a sinner of his condemnation. We need the effectual shedding of blood that cleanses our hearts. Then we need a new Law to be written upon our hearts by the Spirit of God.

This blessing is ours in the blood of Christ and the gift of the Holy Spirit. These gifts have covered more than a handful of key leaders. We have been granted a blessing for all the people of the covenant, that we all might have bold fellowship with God.

The Old Covenant solution told a good story, but we have something better than that story. We have the fulfillment of the Law in the blood of the Messiah, risen from the dead. Now the whole church can eat and drink with God. All who approach the Lord in faith can enjoy a holy meal preparing us to eat and drink with God in perfect fellowship and peace forever. All who have been covered by the true blood of the covenant can eat the Lord's bread and drink the cup that He provides. The body and blood Christ has been given for us.