“Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”
(Mark 11:24 ESV)
The abandoned St. Mary's church, Rome NY
Book of the Covenant
=The reading of the Ten Commandments starts “The Book of the Covenant”. At this point all of the Israelites are on the mountain but before the commandments are read this happens:
=“Now when all the people saw the thunder and the flashes of lightning and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking, the people were afraid and trembled, and they stood far off and said to Moses, “You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, lest we die.” Moses said to the people, “Do not fear, for God has come to test you, that the fear of him may be before you, that you may not sin.” The people stood far off, while Moses drew near to the thick darkness where God was.” (Ex 20:18-21)=The reason the text is written out of order was twofold:
=1) Distinguish the importance of the Ten Commandments from the rest of the Book of the Covenant.
=2) Distinguish Moses as the covenant mediator.
=Now we will skim through the rest of the Book of the Covenant.
=“Now when all the people saw the thunder and the flashes of lightning and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking, the people were afraid and trembled, and they stood far off and said to Moses, “You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, lest we die.” Moses said to the people, “Do not fear, for God has come to test you, that the fear of him may be before you, that you may not sin.” The people stood far off, while Moses drew near to the thick darkness where God was.” (Ex 20:18-21)=The reason the text is written out of order was twofold:
=1) Distinguish the importance of the Ten Commandments from the rest of the Book of the Covenant.
=2) Distinguish Moses as the covenant mediator.
=Now we will skim through the rest of the Book of the Covenant.
Laws on Altars
=Text is found in Ex 20:22-26
=Basically Yahweh is saying that wherever his people build an altar he will come down and meet with them.
=He didn’t want his people to ornament and decorate the stones they used to make their altars; he wanted them to be simple.
=Yahweh also commanded that there be no steps leading up to the altar- possibly to remind the people that they weren’t ascending to Heaven.
=Laws on Slaves & Murder
=The first section after laws on altars is a section about slaves (Ex 21:1-11). This was to remind the people that they had come out of slavery. One of the chief rules about slaves is that any Hebrew bought into slavery could only be a slave for 6 years.
=Next comes a section about murder (Ex 21:12-32) that puts premeditated murder on a different plane than manslaughter.
=One of my favorite verses of this section is:
=“Whoever curses his father or his mother shall be put to death.” (21:17) Not talking about swearing, though- Calls down voodoo like curses.
=Basically Yahweh is saying that wherever his people build an altar he will come down and meet with them.
=He didn’t want his people to ornament and decorate the stones they used to make their altars; he wanted them to be simple.
=Yahweh also commanded that there be no steps leading up to the altar- possibly to remind the people that they weren’t ascending to Heaven.
=Laws on Slaves & Murder
=The first section after laws on altars is a section about slaves (Ex 21:1-11). This was to remind the people that they had come out of slavery. One of the chief rules about slaves is that any Hebrew bought into slavery could only be a slave for 6 years.
=Next comes a section about murder (Ex 21:12-32) that puts premeditated murder on a different plane than manslaughter.
=One of my favorite verses of this section is:
=“Whoever curses his father or his mother shall be put to death.” (21:17) Not talking about swearing, though- Calls down voodoo like curses.
Laws about social justice
=Next there is a section about social justice and here are two important commands from there:
=“You shall not permit a sorceress to live.
=“Whoever lies with an animal shall be put to death.” (Ex 22:18-19)
=Sorcery and witchcraft of any form are prohibited and people who practice them should be put to death.
=Bestiality is also something that is frowned upon, but sadly it was worshiped in ancient Canaan.
=“You shall not permit a sorceress to live.
=“Whoever lies with an animal shall be put to death.” (Ex 22:18-19)
=Sorcery and witchcraft of any form are prohibited and people who practice them should be put to death.
=Bestiality is also something that is frowned upon, but sadly it was worshiped in ancient Canaan.
Conclusion
=The Book of the Covenant concludes by talking about the sacredness of the Sabbath and about how the Hebrews will celebrate 3 festivals a year:
=Feast of Unleavened Bread (Passover), Feast of Harvest/Weeks (Pentecost), Feast of Ingathering/Tabernacles. Men attended church 3 times a year- that was it.
=The last verse of the Book is:
=“You shall not boil a young goat in its mother's milk.” (23:19) Strange ending, but don’t be cruel to a baby animal and their mother.
=Feast of Unleavened Bread (Passover), Feast of Harvest/Weeks (Pentecost), Feast of Ingathering/Tabernacles. Men attended church 3 times a year- that was it.
=The last verse of the Book is:
=“You shall not boil a young goat in its mother's milk.” (23:19) Strange ending, but don’t be cruel to a baby animal and their mother.
Exodus 24:1-18
The people agree
=After being given the Ten Commandments and the Book of the Covenant Moses writes the book down for the people.
=Next he gathered blood from animals in basins and threw it against the altar. This signified Yahweh would uphold his end of the agreement.
=Moses then read the book to the people and they said they would do as they were commanded. When the blood is thrown on them it signifies that they are to uphold their end.
=Nadab and Abihu are Aaron’s sons; Nadab is next in line for high priest.
=This group sees Yahweh, but apparently only his feet because if they saw his face they would have died.
=Moses and his assistant Joshua go to climb the mountain where Yahweh is going to personally write the Ten Commandments.
=Moses stays up on Mount Sinai for 40 days and 40 nights.
=After being given the Ten Commandments and the Book of the Covenant Moses writes the book down for the people.
=Next he gathered blood from animals in basins and threw it against the altar. This signified Yahweh would uphold his end of the agreement.
=Moses then read the book to the people and they said they would do as they were commanded. When the blood is thrown on them it signifies that they are to uphold their end.
=Nadab and Abihu are Aaron’s sons; Nadab is next in line for high priest.
=This group sees Yahweh, but apparently only his feet because if they saw his face they would have died.
=Moses and his assistant Joshua go to climb the mountain where Yahweh is going to personally write the Ten Commandments.
=Moses stays up on Mount Sinai for 40 days and 40 nights.