This chapter opens with an expression remarkably characteristic of the
entire Mosaic economy. "And He said unto Moses, 'Come up unto the
Lord, thou, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of
Israel; and worship ye _afar off ... they shall not come nigh_,
neither shall the people _go up_ with him." We may search from end to
end of the legal ritual, and not find those two precious words, "_draw
nigh_." Ah, no; such words could never be heard from the top of Sinai,
nor from amid the shadows of the law. They could only be uttered at
heaven's side of the empty tomb of Jesus, where the blood of the cross
has opened a perfectly cloudless prospect to the vision of faith. The
words, "afar off," are as characteristic of the law as "draw nigh" are
of the gospel. Under the law, the work was never done which could
entitle a sinner to draw nigh. Man had not fulfilled his promised
obedience; and the "blood of calves and goats" could not atone for the
failure, or give his guilty conscience peace. Hence, therefore, he had
to stand "afar off." Man's vows were broken and his sin unpurged; how,
then, could he draw nigh? The blood of ten thousand bullocks could not
wipe away one stain from the conscience, or give the peaceful sense of
nearness as being reconciled to God.
However, the "first covenant" is here dedicated with blood. An altar
is erected at the foot of the hill, with "twelve pillars, according to
the twelve tribes of Israel." "And he sent young men of the children
of Israel, which offered burnt-offerings, and sacrificed
peace-offerings of oxen unto the Lord. And Moses took half of the
blood, and put it in basins; and half of the blood he sprinkled on
the altar.... And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the
people, and said, 'Behold the blood of the covenant, which the Lord
hath made with you concerning all these words.'" Although, as the
apostle teaches us, it was "impossible that the blood of bulls and
goats could take away sin," yet did it "sanctify to the purifying of
the flesh," and, as "a shadow of good things to come," it availed to
maintain the people in relationship with Jehovah.
"Then went up Moses, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the
elders of Israel; and they saw the God of Israel: and there was under
His feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were
the body of heaven in clearness. And upon the nobles of the children
of Israel He laid not His hand: also they saw God and did eat and
drink." This was the manifestation of "the God of Israel," in light
and purity, majesty and holiness. It was not the unfolding of the
affections of a Father's bosom, or the sweet accents of a Father's
voice, breathing peace and inspiring confidence into the heart. No;
the "paved work of a sapphire stone" told out that unapproachable
purity and light which could only tell a sinner to keep off. Still,
"they saw God and did eat and drink." Touching proof of divine
forbearance and mercy, as also of the power of the blood!
Looking at this entire scene as a mere illustration, there is much to
interest the heart. There is the defiled camp _below_ and the
sapphire pavement _above_; but the altar, at the foot of the hill,
tells us of that way by which the sinner can make his escape from the
defilement of his own condition, and mount up to the presence of God,
there to feast and worship in perfect peace. The blood which flowed
around the altar furnished man's only title to stand in the presence
of that glory which "was like a devouring fire on the top of the mount
in the eyes of the children of Israel."
"And Moses went into the midst of the cloud, and gat him up into the
mount; and Moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights." This
was truly a high and holy position for Moses. He was called away from
earth and earthly things. Abstracted from natural influences, he is
shut in with God, to hear from His mouth the deep mysteries of the
Person and work of Christ; for such, in point of fact, we have
unfolded in the tabernacle and all its significant furniture--"the
patterns of things in the heavens." The blessed One knew full well
what was about to be the end of man's covenant of works; but He
unfolds to Moses, in types and shadows, His own precious thoughts of
love and counsels of grace, manifested in, and secured by, Christ.
Blessed for evermore be the grace which has not left us under a
covenant of works. Blessed be He who has "hushed the law's loud
thunders and quenched mount Sinai's flame" by "the blood of the
everlasting covenant," and given us a peace which no power of earth
or hell can shake. "Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our
sins in His own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and
His Father; to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen."