Summary
Exodus 24 is a powerful chapter about covenant, obedience, worship, and being in the presence of God.
God tells Moses to come up the mountain with Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and seventy elders of Israel. However, Moses alone is permitted to come near to the Lord.
Before going up, Moses tells the people everything the Lord has commanded. The people respond together that they will do everything God has said.
Moses writes down the Lord’s commands and builds an altar at the foot of Mount Sinai. Twelve stone pillars are also set up, representing the twelve tribes of Israel. Young Israelite men offer sacrifices, and Moses uses the blood from the sacrifices as part of confirming the covenant between God and His people.
Moses then reads the Book of the Covenant to the people.
Again, they respond:
“We will do everything the Lord has said; we will obey.” — Exodus 24:7 NIV
Moses sprinkles the blood of the covenant on the people, showing the seriousness of the agreement they are entering into with God.
Afterward, Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and the seventy elders go up the mountain. They are given an extraordinary glimpse of God’s glory, and they eat and drink in His presence.
Then God calls Moses farther up the mountain to receive the tablets containing His commands and instructions.
Moses leaves Aaron and Hur responsible for handling disputes among the people while he is gone. Moses and Joshua begin climbing the mountain, but Moses ultimately continues into the cloud covering Mount Sinai.
The glory of the Lord settles on the mountain.
To the Israelites watching from below, the glory of God looks like a consuming fire.
Moses enters the cloud and remains on the mountain for forty days and forty nights.
Observations
1. Obedience was part of Israel’s covenant with God.
2. God’s presence is holy.
3. Moses was willing to go where God called him.
Life Application
Exodus 24 challenges us to ask ourselves:
Do I only hear God’s Word, or am I actually living it?
The Israelites repeatedly said:
“We will obey.”
But as we continue through Exodus, we will see that saying we will obey and actually obeying are very different things.
The same can be true for us.
It is easy to tell God:
“I trust You.”
“I surrender.”
“I’ll follow You.”
But those words become real when our faith is tested.
Following God may require patience.
It may require letting go of something.
It may require forgiving someone.
It may require walking through a season where we cannot see what God is doing.
Faith is not only believing God when the path is clear.
Faith is trusting Him enough to walk toward Him even when the mountain is covered by clouds.
Questions
1. Am I only reading God’s Word, or am I applying what I learn to my everyday life?
2. Is there an area of my life where I have told God “yes” but have struggled to follow through?
3. Am I willing to trust God when I cannot see what He is doing?
Memory Verse
Exodus 24:7 NIV
“We will do everything the Lord has said; we will obey.”
Encouragement
Maybe you’re in a season where everything feels unclear.
You know God is leading you, but you cannot see what happens next.
Remember Moses.
The mountain was covered in a cloud.
God’s glory looked like consuming fire.
Yet Moses continued walking because God had called him forward.
You do not have to understand the entire journey before taking your next step of faith.
God already knows what is on the other side of the cloud.
Keep praying.
Keep reading His Word.
Keep obeying what He has already shown you.
And keep trusting that the God who called you forward will meet you there. 🤍
Heavenly Father,
Thank You for Your Word and for allowing me to learn more about who You are.
Help me not only hear Your Word but obey it.
Show me the areas of my life where I have been hesitant to follow Your instructions. Give me a heart that desires Your will more than my own.
Lord, when I cannot see what You are doing, help me trust You anyway.
When the road ahead feels covered by clouds, remind me that You can see what I cannot.
Give me courage to take the next step You are asking me to take.
Teach me to respect Your holiness while also being grateful that You invite me into a relationship with You.
Strengthen my faith, guide my decisions, and help my life reflect what I say I believe.
I trust You with what I understand and with what I don’t understand yet.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen. 🤍
Read It Yourself
I always encourage you to open your Bible and read Exodus 24 for yourself.
Don’t Have a Bible?
If you don’t have a Bible, please reach out to me.
I will buy you one.
I truly mean that. I don’t want not having a Bible to be the reason you cannot begin reading God’s Word for yourself.
You are welcome here, whether you have been following Jesus for years, recently started learning about Him, or are simply curious and trying to understand.
We’re learning together. 🤍
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