Today's readings are Exodus 24.1-18 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Ex.+24.1-18 ) and Luke 5.1-16 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Luke+5.1-16 ).
I observe today that in Exodus 24 Moses erects altars and sacrifices animals to the Lord, pouring some blood on the altar and the rest on the people of Israel, who agree to hear and obey all the Lord has commanded. He has a book of some sort which details what God demands. When does this happen? It happens before God gives his commands to Moses on the tablets. I also see that God calls Moses and a crowd of witnesses to see his gracious presence at a distance on the mountain before he calls Moses to go receive the Law. The leaders of Israel have been confronted with the presence of the Lord.
Some quick applications of this passage - that's all I have time for though I would love to pursue it farther.
First, even before the giving of the Commandments, God had revealed himself to his people, even in a written manner, presumably through Moses, so the people would have a definitive statement of his righteous demands. Our Lord has never left his people to guess at his will, like the pagan gods. He has always revealed himself in clear and understandable ways.
Second, since Adam's sin, the shedding of blood has been a required part of keeping the covenant of obedience to God. Here the blood is shed at God's command, is an offering to him, and is also used to cover sinful people. When we enter into worship and fellowship with God, we should be conscious that it happens only through blood shed on our behalf. We have life in Christ through a covenant that involves death.
Third, God's person and presence is not without witnesses. We will see in subsequent chapters how faithful those witnesses are. But we must remember for now that they have witnessed God's presence, they have agreed to live in covenant with him, obeying his commands. These are not casual observers. God is not distant from his people.
Finally, God provides means to approach him, even for sinful people. In these last days, he has provided a means to approach him, and that means is named Jesus, called the Christ, who shed his blood on our behalf, died that we might have life, and has covered us with his death, making us also partakers of his resurrection. We and a great cloud of witnesses testify to this. We have received testimony from people and directly from God through his inspired word. Let us rejoice, believing that indeed God is calling us out of this world of death to live in him.
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