8/18/19 – Covenants Part I – Farther Up, Farther In Towards Deep Intimacy With God

Exodus 24:1-18 ESV
1 Then he said to Moses, “Come up to the Lord, you and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, and worship from afar. 2 Moses alone shall come near to the Lord, but the others shall not come near, and the people shall not come up with him.” 3 Moses came and told the people all the words of the Lord and all the rules. And all the people answered with one voice and said, “All the words that the Lord has spoken we will do.” 4 And Moses wrote down all the words of the Lord. He rose early in the morning and built an altar at the foot of the mountain, and twelve pillars, according to the twelve tribes of Israel. 5 And he sent young men of the people of Israel, who offered burnt offerings and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen to the Lord. 6 And Moses took half of the blood and put it in basins, and half of the blood he threw against the altar. 7 Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it in the hearing of the people. And they said, “All that the Lord has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient.” 8 And Moses took the blood and threw it on the people and said, “Behold the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words.” 9 Then Moses and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel went up, 10 and they saw the God of Israel. There was under his feet as it were a pavement of sapphire stone, like the very heaven for clearness. 11 And he did not lay his hand on the chief men of the people of Israel; they beheld God, and ate and drank. 12 The Lord said to Moses, “Come up to me on the mountain and wait there, that I may give you the tablets of stone, with the law and the commandment, which I have written for their instruction.” 13 So Moses rose with his assistant Joshua, and Moses went up into the mountain of God. 14 And he said to the elders, “Wait here for us until we return to you. And behold, Aaron and Hur are with you. Whoever has a dispute, let him go to them.” 15 Then Moses went up on the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain. 16 The glory of the Lord dwelt on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days. And on the seventh day he called to Moses out of the midst of the cloud. 17 Now the appearance of the glory of the Lord was like a devouring fire on the top of the mountain in the sight of the people of Israel. 18 Moses entered the cloud and went up on the mountain. And Moses was on the mountain forty days and forty nights.

I. The Up, Down, Near, and Far of the Gospel (1-2)
A. God came down so we could go up.
B. God came near so that we don’t have to worship from afar.
C. God came to where we are so He could take us to where He is.

II. The Communication of Covenants (3-4)
A. God makes His covenant known through His servant.
B. God wants us not just to know His covenant, but to let everyone know we belong to it.
C. God wants His covenant with man to not just be known, but known forever.

III. The Peace and Praise Filled Purpose of Covenants (4-5)
A. The purpose of God’s covenant with man is praise and worship.
B. The purpose of God’s covenant with man is peace between former enemies.

IV. The Closure of Covenants (6-8)
A. God seals His covenants with man in the blood of sacrifices.
B. God has sealed His new covenant with man with a better (the best) sacrifice.

V. The Conclusion of Covenants (9-11)
A. Man will be able to dwell with God, eat with God, behold God forever, and not be consumed.

NEXT STEP
1. Seeing isn’t believing. Believing is seeing.
2. Be enveloped in and consumed by the glory of God.