📅 February 14: Exodus 24, 25 – Covenant Sealed and God’s Holy Design

Daily Bible Readings February
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:date: February 14: Exodus 24, 25 – Covenant Sealed and God’s Holy Design

:earth_africa: Introduction

In these chapters, we witness pivotal moments in Israel’s history: the sealing of the covenant between God and the nation of Israel, and the giving of instructions for creating the Tabernacle.

:scroll: Exodus 24: Covenant Sealed

Celebrating this holy alliance, Moses and seventy elders travel up the mountain to commune with God. This chapter is filled with engaging imagery; imagine the sight of God appearing like a “pavement of sapphire stone, clear as the sky itself”.

:scroll: Key Verse: Exodus 24:7 “Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it in the hearing of the people. They said, ‘All that the Lord has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient.'”

:scroll: Exodus 25: God’s Holy Design

God begins to outline the holy plans for the Tabernacle and its furniture. This blueprint is full of symbolism and foreshadowing, detailing each artifact with awe-inspiring precision.

:scroll: Key Verse: Exodus 25:8 “And let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst.”

:sparkles: Key Themes and Reflections

  1. Solemn Obedience: When faced with the awe-inspiring presence of God, Israel responded with faithful obedience. This focus on obedience still echoes today, reminding us of the importance of our commitment to God’s word.
  2. God’s presence among us: From his high and holy place, God chose to reside among his people. The Tabernacle’s elaborate design and beauty indicates not just God’s majesty but also his profound desire to dwell close to his people.

:bulb: Today’s Application

These chapters urge us to ponder over the spaces we create for God in our lives. Just as Israel built the Tabernacle - a physical manifestation of God’s presence - we can strive to build ‘spiritual tabernacles’ in our hearts where God can dwell.

:mag: Hidden Gem

Just as the Tabernacle was adorned with precious metals and rare woods to honor God, so must our worship and obedience be genuine, rare, and precious.

:thought_balloon: Reflective Q&A

  • :question: What does our obedience to God look like today?
    A: Our obedience is our commitment and submission to God’s word in everyday choices and decisions.
  • :question: How do we create ‘spiritual tabernacles’ in our lives?
    A: We make room for God in our lives by seeking His wisdom, acknowledging His presence, and walking in His light daily.

:speech_balloon: Join the Discussion

We’d love to hear your thoughts on these chapters! How do you invite God’s presence into your daily life? How do you perceive obedience?

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Exodus 24,25
Having received the laws from Yahweh in the previous chapters, now, as mediator between Yahweh and His children, Moses comes to the people and recounts the laws to them. He first makes an altar and offers burnt offerings and sacrifices peace offerings. Notice half of the blood from the sacrifices was ‘sprinkled,’ which is better translated ‘to scatter or to throw,’ and when they had heard the Law declared, they responded “All that Yahweh hath said will we do” (v. 7) and Moses then sprinkled the blood upon the book and the people stating, “Behold the blood of the Covenant” (in the sense of cutting; cp. Gen. 15:6-12). So the Covenant was confirmed by blood (see Heb. 9:19-20). Chapter 24 sets out: [1] General instructions: vv. 1-2. [2] The covenant accepted: vv. 3-8. [3] Divine theophany: vv. 9-11. [4] Moses ascends the mount: vv. 12-18. Chapter 25 outlines: [1] The tabernacle designed: vv. 1-7. [2] The law of the tabernacle: vv. 8-9. [3] The design of the ark: vv. 10-16. [4] The mercy seat: v. 17. [5] The cherubim: vv. 18-22. [6] The table of shewbread: vv. 23-30. [7] The lampstand: vv. 31-39. [8] A warning to obedience: v. 40. The seventy elders were chosen as a representative of the nation to see the Manifestation of Yahweh and portray that to the people, but they were not allowed into His presence (v. 14) and Moses went into His presence for forty days and forty nights. “The sight of the glory of Yahweh was like a devouring fire.” Chapter 25 continues part of the dialogue in the mount with the instructions for the preparation for and building of the tabernacle and all of its furniture. The tabernacle was to be made of the freewill offerings of the people, the list of which is in vv. 1-7 (fourteen items are listed). All was to be done according to the Divine Plan, which was ‘shewn’ Moses when in the mount. The idea of the word ‘shewn’ is to be physically shown and told, thus explained. The marvelous thing which is now brought before us, is a principle which is followed through the Scripture, and can be seen in the words “Yahweh looketh on the heart.” The natural building of the tabernacle would have been to get the blueprints of the outside worked out and then work inward. Yahweh however starts at the very point upon which He will dwell in their midst; the ultimate and final glory: in the Most Holy, and then describes the way in which that is to be found. The royal wedding of Psalm 45:13 is based upon v. 2. The Ark and the Mercy Seat had the basis of ‘Shittim Wood’ which represents human nature, and therefore this furniture had to be covered on the INSIDE as well as the OUTSIDE with pure gold — with the lesson that there should be an outward manifestation of our inner faith; and that both our mind and our nature needs the divine treatment to cover our needs. Human nature must be fashioned and covered by He who will be our Salvation. The Mercy Seat was of pure gold and it was here that the ‘Shekinah’ Glory dwelt. The Most Holy, the moving outward to the Holy place, the Altar of Incense, the Table of the Shewbread and the Seven Branched Lightstand, were placed, and this Lightstand was the only light in the Holy Place, lit by ‘pure oil olive.’ Look carefully at and count the number of the knops, bowls and flowers that were made into the Lightstand — they total 66, the number of books in the Bible, the Light of the world. Each item of furniture is a type of Christ, as indeed is the whole of the tabernacle. Glorious lessons taught us in a divine parable direct from our heavenly Father to all who have “ears to hear and eyes to see.” Notice also the similarities between Exodus 24 and Mark 9 – one dealing with the covenant under the Law, the other dealing with the coming Kingdom in fulfilment of the Law and the Prophets. One temporary, the other permanent. Moses took Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and the 70 elders. Yahshua took Peter, James and John, and the 70 disciples to continue the work of the Gospel. When speaking of the Shekinah glory, note that shakan first occured in Genesis 3, when God placed (shakan) the cherubim outside Eden to “keep the way of (to) the tree of lives”. Its next appearance as far as the God of heaven is concerned, is here, in Exodus 24:16, “the glory of Yahweh abode (shakan) upon Mt. Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days: and the seventh day He called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud.” The Law is such a wonderful schoolmaster. — Logos.