The Covenant

Saturday, July 23, 2011
Exodus 24:3-8 (The Covenant)

At the base of Mt. Sinai, Moses built an altar of stone and sacrificed holocausts of oxen as peace offerings to the Lord.  He poured out the oxen’s blood on the altar and sprinkled it upon the people of Israel to ratify the covenant they had made with God. “All that the Lord has spoken we will do and be obedient.”  How wonderful!  And yet we know how short lived was the people’s obedience and how long suffering the Lord would have to be with them.  Human beings have little power to keep their good resolutions, no matter how fervent and sincere.  And so God would provide another altar, this one made of wood, set on top of another height called Calvary.  There He would sacrifice, not oxen, but Himself, pouring out His own blood for the remission of our sins.  Let us take up the cup of salvation and drink the saving blood that sanctifies and unites us to Jesus.  For it is only through Him, with Him and in Him that we can give glory to the Father.