PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Exodus 23-24
What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage?
“The glory of the Lord looked like a consuming fire on top of the mountain.” (Exodus 24:17)
People related very differently to God in ancient times than we do today.
Through Jesus, who reveals the glory of God, we experience God very differently.
“You have not come to a mountain that is burning with fire.” (Hebrews 12:18)
God’s desire was not to relate to humans as unapproachable fire, but as loving friend.
Our self-loving nature makes God’s glorious goodness like fire to us.
Jesus reconnects us to God as friends by stepping into the consuming fire for us.
The covenant with Moses was temporary, put in place until Jesus would come.
He has made a new covenant (relationship) with us, the old one is obsolete (Hebrews 8:13).
We don’t need to stay away from God because of sin; we MAY approach God with Jesus.
We relate to God with Jesus, not the Law; he teaches and helps us to do God’s will.
Jesus teaches us the deeper purpose of OT laws – justice, mercy, compassion, goodness.
Jesus still wants us to be holy, devoted to God and loving towards people.
Jesus still wants us to treat people with justice and mercy… even more than the Law.
It is not by following OT laws, but by following Jesus that we learn how to do this.
PRAYER
Lord, you have changed the way I relate to God. Replace the fire of fear with the experience of love, and help me to love God and people like you did!
“But I will not drive them out in a single year, because the land would become desolate and the wild animals too numerous for you. 30 Little by little I will drive them out before you, until you have increased enough to take possession of the land.” I wondered about that. Why did it take so long for the Israelites to claim the promised land – yet God was clear that they had to abstain from any of the practices of the people they were displacing. God knew what would happen: “Do not let them live in your land or they will cause you to sin against me, because the worship of their gods will certainly be a snare to you.”
God through Moses makes a covenant with His people and Moses takes the blood of a lamb and sprinkles it on the people and says “This is the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words.” When Jesus institutes the Holy Supper – He takes a cup (the 3rd cup-of the Passover, the cup of redemption) and raises it and says this is the cup of a new covenant in my blood. Jesus is now the lamb’s blood and initiates a new Covenant between God and His people. Lord help me to live in the land, not to be compromised by it, but instead to be a blessing to those around me! Thank you for a snapshot of your glory!!