God provides the way.

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.”

Exodus 24:7

God provides the way for people to be in relationship with Him. As Israel entered into covenant with God, the Lord gave a special “audience” to the leaders of the nation. There at Sinai, Moses gave the people all the words and rules of the Law of God, and they agreed to obey (Exodus 24:3). An altar was built at the foot of the mountain and offerings were given in worship of the Lord.

Then for a second time Moses read all of the Book of the Covenant to the assembled nation. For a second time they affirmed their willingness to obey and worship the Lord by committing to the terms and means God had provided. Moses then flung the blood of the sacrifices out in a spatter upon the crowd, as the blood of the sacrifices now bound them to their words (Exodus 24:8).

Moses and the leaders of Israel (at least 74 of them) then journeyed further up the mountain where God showed Himself in splendor to all of them. A pavement of sky blue sapphire-like stone lay under the feet of the Lord. “They beheld God and ate and drank” (Exodus 24:11). This meal with the Almighty showed His acceptance of Israel’s commitment to follow and obey Him and His Law.

Then God called Moses to the very top of Sinai, where a devouring fire marked the place of the glory of God, and where enshrouded in a cloud of glory, Moses was in communion with God for forty days and nights (Exodus 24:18). There the tablets of stone, written by the finger of God, were given to Moses and Joshua… the final sign that this covenant with Israel, the glorious work of God to enter into relationship with His chosen people, was accepted.

God did all the powerful work to covenant with Israel in Exodus. There on the high ground of Sinai, God came to earth to love His creation. And later, on a hill called Calvary, God did all the glorious work to bring through Jesus a new covenant, in Jesus’ own blood to the world. God’s glory on the mountain of Sinai foreshadowed the glorious freedom of a cross at Calvary and that covenant echoes forever in an empty tomb that has defeated death and hell and set us free! Thank God that He does the work and provides the way!