241 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 . 2 "Moses alone , however, shall come near to the Lord , but they shall not come near , nor shall the people come up with him." 3 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 !" 4 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 e pillars for the twelve e tribes of Israel . 5 He sent young men of the sons of Israel , and they offered burnt offerings and sacrificed young bulls as peace offerings to the Lord . 6 Moses took half of the blood and put it in basins , and the other half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar . 7 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 !" 8 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 ."
9 Then Moses went up with Aaron , Nadab and Abihu , and seventy of the elders of Israel , 10 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 . 11 Yet He did not stretch out His hand against the nobles of the sons of Israel ; and they saw God , and they ate and drank .
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Exodus 24:1-11
Commentary on Exodus 24:1-8
(Read Exodus 24:1-8)
A solemn covenant was made between God and Israel. Very solemn it was, typifying the covenant of grace between God and believers, through Christ. As soon as God separated to himself a peculiar people, he governed them by a written word, as he has done ever since. God's covenants and commands are so just in themselves, and so much for our good, that the more we think of them, and the more plainly and fully they are set before us, the more reason we may see to comply with them. The blood of the sacrifice was sprinkled on the altar, on the book, and on the people. Neither their persons, their moral obedience, nor religious services, would meet with acceptance from a holy God, except through the shedding and sprinkling' of blood. Also the blessings granted unto them were all of mercy; and the Lord would deal with them in kindness. Thus the sinner, by faith in the blood of Christ, renders willing and acceptable obedience.
Commentary on Exodus 24:9-11
(Read Exodus 24:9-11)
The elders saw the God of Israel; they had some glimpse of his glory, though whatever they saw, it was something of which no image or picture could be made, yet enough to satisfy them that God was with them of a truth. Nothing is described but what was under his feet. The sapphires are the pavement under his feet; let us put all the wealth of this world under our feet, and not in our hearts. Thus the believer sees in the face of Jesus Christ, far clearer discoveries of the glorious justice and holiness of God, than ever he saw under terrifying convictions; and through the Saviour, holds communion with a holy God.