p { font-size:24px: }

11/19/2024 – Day 149 – Exodus – Chapters 33 – 36 / Chapter 34 – The New Stone Tablets – the connection to the Covenant of Grace and our LORD Jesus Christ.


0
Categories : Semikkah7 One Year

“Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Write down these words, for in accordance with these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel. Moses was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights without eating bread or drinking water. And he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant – the Ten Commandments.” (Exodus 34: 27:28)

First here is a link to Matthew Henry’s full commentary on Chapter 34, free on-line:

https://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/matthew-henry-complete/exodus/34.html

Now, I have copied an excerpt covering our verses above, in particular notice, the bold highlights under #IV:

III. The three feasts are here mentioned, with their appendages. 1. The passover, and the feast of unleavened bread, in remembrance of their deliverance out of Egypt; and to this is annexed the law of the redemption of the first-born, v. 18-20. This feast was instituted, ch. 12 13, and urged again, ch. 23 15. 2. The feast of weeks, that is, that of pentecost, seven weeks after the passover; and to this is annexed the law of the first-fruits. 3. The feast of in-gathering at the year’s end, which was the feast of tabernacles (v. 22): of these also he had spoken before, ch. 23 16. As to those laws repeated here (v. 25, 26), that against leaven relates to the passover, that of the first-fruits to the feast of pentecost, and therefore that against seething the kid in his mother’s milk in all probability relates to the feast of in-gathering, at which God would not have them use that superstitious ceremony, which probably they had seen the Egyptians, or some other of the neighbouring nations, bless their harvests with.

IV. With these laws, here repeated, it is probable all that was said to him when he was before upon the mount was repeated likewise, and the model of the tabernacle shown him again, lest the ruffle and discomposure, which the golden calf had put him in to should have bereaved him of the ideas he had in mind of what he had seen and heard; also in token of a complete reconciliation, and to show that not one jot or tittle of the law should pass away, but that all should be carefully preserved by the great Mediator, who came not to destroy, but to fulfil, Matt 5 17, 18. And in the close, 1. Moses is ordered to write these words (v. 27), that the people might be the better acquainted with them by a frequent perusal, and that they might be transmitted to the generations to come. We can never be enough thankful to God for the written word. 2. He is told that according to the tenour of these words God would make a covenant with Moses and Israel; not with Israel immediately, but with them in Moses a mediator. Thus the covenant of grace is made with believers through Christ, who is given for a covenant to the people, Isa 49 8. And, as here the covenant was made according to the tenour of the command, so it is still; for we are by baptism brought into covenant, that we may be taught to observe all things whatsoever Christ has commanded us, Matt 28 19, 20.

Notes:

  • Christ fasted for 40 days and nights as Moses did in receiving the Ten Commandments tablets, by the hand of God, just after his baptism from John and just prior to commencing His ministry.
  • Fullfillment of the Law as Jesus proclaimed: “Do not think I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished… ” (Matthew 5: 17 – 20 / Verses 19 & 20 not shown – check it out!)

Thoughts? Reflections? Prayers?

Soli Deo Gloria!

_____________________________________________

Questions for fellowship generation, the lifelong sanctification process:

  • What does the text reveal about God’s character?
  • How has this reading generated prayer for you and/or us?
  • What themes stand out to you in this bible study?
  • How does our reading fit into the bigger picture (creation, the fall, restoration, etc.)?
  • What verse(s) jumped out at you like never before?  Is it explainable at this point?
  • Do you have any questions you would like to put before the group as to how to interpret any particular verse(s)  in our reading.  Let scripture testify to scripture: Share with us where you sense contradiction between passages elsewhere.
  • What did you find convicting and inspiring at the same time?  Share with us how the Spirit of God is working within you as a messenger, both within and outside of our fellowship group.
  • Share with the group how our study is calling or confirming to you a new mission to glorify God in our times.

Leave a Reply