Exodus 24:8
And Moses took the blood and threw it on the people and said, “Behold the blood of the covenant that the LORD has made with you in accordance with all these words.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
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This act signifies more than a mere ceremony; it's a profound declaration that every aspect of this covenant, from God's promises to Israel's obedience, is sealed by the blood that atones for sin. The blood, applied to both the altar representing God and the people, creates a sacred union, highlighting that their relationship is fundamentally one of redemption.
Following the Israelites' enthusiastic agreement to obey God's commands, Moses offered sacrifices and built an altar and twelve pillars representing the tribes. After dividing the blood from the sacrifices, with half poured on the altar, Moses then sprinkled the remaining blood on the people, signifying their ratification of the covenant. This act sealed their commitment to God's word, binding them to the promises and responsibilities He had laid out.
Why was blood so central to the covenant ceremony? It wasn't just for show; it represented something profound about the promises being made.
In Exodus 24, the sprinkling of blood by Moses was a critical act to ratify the covenant between God and Israel. This practice wasn't unique to Israel; ancient cultures often used blood to seal agreements, signifying the seriousness and binding nature of the promises.
A Sacred Union
The covenant wasn't just about blood; it was also about specific words. How did these words bind Israel to God?
While the blood sealed the covenant, the foundation of this agreement was God's 'words.' In Exodus 24, Moses first reads the Book of the Law aloud to the people, and they affirm their commitment to obey.
Words as the Covenant's Content
This passage directly references the event in Exodus, clarifying that Moses sprinkled both the Law (the book) and the people with blood, emphasizing the blood's role in purifying and ratifying the covenant.
Hebrews 12:24This verse speaks of Jesus as the mediator of a new covenant and His sprinkled blood that cries out for mercy, drawing a clear parallel to the blood sprinkled in Exodus that ratified the old covenant and speaks of God's promises.
1 Peter 1:2Peter refers to believers being chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling by His blood. This echoes the Exodus event by highlighting the purifying aspect of blood in relation to obedience to God's commands.
Matthew 26:28Jesus refers to His own blood as the 'blood of the covenant' that will be poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. This directly connects the Old Testament covenant ratification in Exodus with the ultimate New Covenant established by Christ's sacrifice.
calvinExodus 24:1-18: "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."
- Come up unto the Lord, thou, and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu. Before Moses erected the tabernacle and consecrated it by a solemn ceremony, it was necessary for him to fetch the Tables of the Covenant, which were a pledge of God's favor; otherwise, if the ark had nothing in it, the sanctuary would have been in a manner empty. For this rea…
jfbExodus 24:8: "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."
- Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people—probably on the twelve pillars, as representing the people (also the book, Heb 9:19), and the act was accompanied by a public proclamation of its import. It was setting their seal to the covenant (compare 1Co 11:25). It must have been a deeply impressive, as well…
This act signifies more than a mere ceremony; it's a profound declaration that every aspect of this covenant, from God's promises to Israel's obedience, is sealed by the blood that atones for sin. The blood, applied to both the altar representing God and the people, creates a sacred union, highlighting that their relationship is fundamentally one of redemption.
Following the Israelites' enthusiastic agreement to obey God's commands, Moses offered sacrifices and built an altar and twelve pillars representing the tribes. After dividing the blood from the sacrifices, with half poured on the altar, Moses then sprinkled the remaining blood on the people, signifying their ratification of the covenant. This act sealed their commitment to God's word, binding them to the promises and responsibilities He had laid out.
Following the Israelites' enthusiastic agreement to obey God's commands, Moses offered sacrifices and built an altar and twelve pillars representing the tribes. After dividing the blood from the sacrifices, with half poured on the altar, Moses then sprinkled the remaining blood on the people, signifying their ratification of the covenant. This act sealed their commitment to God's word, binding them to the promises and responsibilities He had laid out.
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Not everyone could approach God directly. How did God make His presence known in a way that was both awe-inspiring and accessible?
Exodus 24 illustrates a crucial principle: God relates to His people through representation, especially when dealing with a holy and covenant-making God.
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"And Moses took the blood and threw it on the people and said, “Behold the blood of the covenant that the LORD has made with you in accordance with all these words.”" — This act signifies more than a mere ceremony; it's a profound declaration that every aspect of this covenant, from God's promises to Israel's obedience, is sealed by the blood that atones for sin.…
