Exodus 24: Moshe and elders dine with God

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In Exodus 24, we read that after the revelation of the 10 Commandments, God wanted to reveal more information to Moshe (Moses) but for part of that journey, he brought an entourage. God told Moshe to appear before Him but God also called for Aharon (Aaron), Nadab ben Aharon, Abihu ben Aharon, and 70 of the elders of Israel to meet with Him on the mountain first for a seven-day feast, and they did meet Him. They saw Yeshua (Jesus), the Word, the Logos of the Father. That’s why Abraham as well as Moshe, Aharon, Aharon’s two oldest sons and the 70 elders could see God, eat a meal with Him, yet live to talk about it.

God didn’t just want Moshe to appear but he called for Aharon, Nadab ben Aharon, Abihu ben Aharon, and seventy of the elders of Israel to meet with Him on the mountain first. How did God reveal Himself to them?

“… you shall worship at a distance. Moshe alone, however, shall come near to the LORD, but they shall not come near, nor shall the people come up with him.” (Ex. 24:1b-2)

Who are these 70 elders? We can read more about them in Num. 11:16-17. These were trusted leaders, who were respected by all the people.

When the 70 elders, on behalf of the people, agreed to all the commandments of the Lord, we are told in Ex. 24:4 that Moshe wrote all these things down. Did they agree to this rules in haste? No, that’s a cop-out. Both Moshe and Yeshua tell us that we are live by every word that comes from the mouth of God. Not just a few words, but all of them. These elders were not foolish, senile old men.

Moshe received the agreement of the 70 elders and wrote them all down in the book. Moshe then read these same rules to the entire congregation, and they respond:

“Then he (Moshe) 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!'” (Ex. 24:7)

One of the most controversial comments in this chapter:

“Then Moshe went up with Aharon, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, and they saw the God of Israel; and under His feet there appeared to be a pavement of sapphire, as clear as the sky itself. Yet He did not stretch out His hand against the nobles of the sons of Israel; and they saw God, and they ate and drank.” (Ex 24:9–11 NAS95)

They saw God’s feet, they saw the ground beneath His feet. They saw heaven and they saw God’s clearness and purity. This was not a vision. This was real. They saw God’s brightness but they did not see the glory of God that Moshe saw later. They did not see flesh and blood, they saw a body from heaven.

Abraham and Joshua saw representations of YHWH. We live in a world where we don’t see God because God is not going to reveal Himself to us. He is revealed His Son to us. When you see the Son, you have seen the Father. What does God want us to see in the Son? His handsome face? His manicured toes? No, we are to see clarity, purity and truth in the Son.

Why does the scriptures tell us, “He did not stretch out His hand against the nobles of the sons of Israel”? He didn’t conceal Himself but He didn’t speak to them. The being that these 70 elders met was the Word, the Logos. They saw Yeshua, the word of the Father. That’s why they could see and eat with God yet live to talk about it.

Let’s take a closer look at how God referred to them as “nobles.” This word in Hebrew is אָצִיל ’atzil (Strong’s lexicon No. H678). Turn to Isaiah 41. I encourage you to read the entire chapter and you will find it uses the same and it uses the same terminology of comfort and encouragement.

When Yeshua was resurrected and He had His glorified body, no one recognized His features when they first met Him again. He revealed Himself in His actions.

Let’s go back to Genesis 1:

“The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters.” (Gen. 1:2)

It says that the Spirit of God was moving or “hovering” over the surface. The Spirit was working in darkness and brought forth the light.

When He gave the covenant to Abraham, did it happen? When? It was fulfilled when Yeshua came, which was God’s timing, not Abraham’s. When God designs something, it immediately exists because Yeshua built it.

“Now the LORD said to Moshe, ‘Come up to Me on the mountain and remain there, and I will give you the stone tablets with the law and the commandment which I have written for their instruction.'” (Ex. 24:12)

What is the difference between commandments and instructions? The elders were to be given these instructions first and then the people later.

Why did Moshe have to wait seven days after the feast with the elders to approach God? Did you think about that?

“Moshe entered the midst of the cloud as he went up to the mountain; and Moshe was on the mountain forty days and forty nights.” (Ex. 24:18)

God chose Moshe to reveal His thoughts, His goals. He spoke to Moshe plainly, not in parables or visions. It took two trips to do this but that is how profound His relationship was with Moshe. God told Moshe to make sure that He built the Tabernacle to God’s exact specifications.

If you want to know how important is, remember this. In Rev. 15:3, we are shown that it’s the Song of Moshe that is revealed first, then the Song of the Lamb.

Reader: Jeff. Summary: Tammy.