Exodus 24:1-18 – After God provided the commandments, He ratified a covenant with His people. A sacrifice was essential so that the people could experience close fellowship with God.
The answer to all religious fear is to know the God who draws us near.
Observations
- God is so holy that even His leaders couldn’t approach Him casually (24:1-2).
- The Israelites gave a verbal commitment to obedience that their lives would be unable to back up (24:3-4).
- Before they disobeyed, God deemed a sacrifice necessary to initiate such a covenant with His people (24:5-8).
- After being cleansed, the people could draw near to God with an unfathomable nearness (24:9-12).
- God’s presence was inviting to those near but seemed threatening to those afar (24:13-18).
Applications
- We are too unholy to approach the holy God on our own terms.
- The blood of Jesus is the only source powerful enough to welcome us back into the presence of God.
- God is not begrudging in His forgiveness or distancing with His presence.
- The God who removes your sin far away desires to know you up close.
- It is never the preference of God to be distant from you.
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Travis Agnew serves as the Lead Pastor of Rocky Creek Church in Greenville, SC. His most recent book is Just (About) Married.
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