*Exodus 20:1-21, "Then God spoke all these words, saying, 'I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments. You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain. Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath of the LORD your God; in it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter, your male or your female servant or your cattle or your sojourner who stays with you. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day and made it holy.

 

Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be prolonged in the land which the LORD your God gives you. You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife or his male servant or his female servant or his ox or his donkey or anything that belongs to your neighbor.'

 

And all the people perceived the thunder and the lightning flashes and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it, they trembled and stood at a distance. Then they said to Moses, 'Speak to us yourself and we will listen; but let not God speak to us, lest we die.' And Moses said to the people, 'Do not be afraid; for God has come in order to test you, and in order that the fear of Him may remain with you, so that you may not sin.' So the people stood at a distance, while Moses approached the thick cloud where God was."

 

*Exodus 24:1-11, "Then He said to Moses, 'Come up to the LORD, you and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu and seventy of the elders of Israel, and you shall worship at a distance. Moses alone, however, shall come near to the LORD, but they shall not come near, nor shall the people come up with him.' Then Moses came and recounted to the people all the words of the LORD and all the ordinances; and all the people answered with one voice, and said, 'All the words which the LORD has spoken we will do!' And Moses wrote down all the words of the LORD. Then he arose early in the morning, and built an altar at the foot of the mountain with twelve pillars for the twelve tribes of Israel. And he sent young men of the sons of Israel, and they offered burnt offerings and sacrificed young bulls as peace offerings to the LORD. And Moses took half of the blood and put it in basins, and the other half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar. 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!' So Moses took the blood and sprinkled it on the people, and said, 'Behold the blood of the covenant, which the LORD has made with you in accordance with all these words.' Then Moses went up with Aaron, 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 beheld God, and they ate and drank."

 

According to the design that God had given Moses, while he was on Mt. Sinai for forty days, a tabernacle was built. Within the wall of the tabernacle was placed a bronze altar for sacrifices. A bronze laver for the priests to bathe in. A table where twelve loaves of bread were placed for the priests to eat. A lamp stand with seven golden bowls of oil for light. An altar of incense for spices that were burnt with the coals from the altar. A veil of blue, purple, and scarlet separating the holy of holies. Inside the holy of holies was placed the mercy seat on top of the ark of the covenant. The Law was written on tablets of stone by the hand of God. After they had been broken, God restored them and Moses placed them inside the ark. Also placed inside the ark were the manna and Aaron's rod which budded.

 

All these things were mere images and likenesses of those which are in heaven. *Hebrews 9:6-10, "Now when these things have been thus prepared, the priests are continually entering the outer tabernacle, performing the divine worship, but into the second only the high priest enters, once a year, not without taking blood, which he offers for himself and for the sins of the people committed in ignorance. The Holy Spirit is signifying this, that the way into the holy place has not yet been disclosed, while the outer tabernacle is still standing, which is a symbol for the present time. Accordingly both gifts and sacrifices are offered which cannot make the worshiper perfect in conscience, since they relate only to food and drink and various washings, regulations for the body imposed until a time of reformation."

 

The Law was now in the earth leaving mankind without excuse. The Law, or First Covenant, revealed sin. It revealed that the only penalty for sin was death. It revealed that without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin. The laws and ordinances required daily sacrifices of bulls and goats to cover the sins of the people. Showing that daily man was living contrary to the law of God. Had the Law not been given man would not have known sin. Had the Law not been given man would not have known the righteousness of God.

 

But thanks be to God through Jesus Christ we have a mediator of a better covenant. A covenant of the promise and hope of eternal life. Through Him we have been set free from the penalty of sin. Through Him we are being set free from the power of sin. Through Him we shall be set free from the presence of sin.

 

Enter His covenant of promise through the blood of Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour and have peace with God.

 

 

*October 28, 2002