Moses Called Up Into The Mount (Exodus 24:12-18).
Exodus 24:12 gives the impression that they were now back in the camp. Thus it would seem that the call came to Moses there, and Moses went up into the Mount to receive the Overlord's version of the covenant.
We may analyse this passage as follows:
a Moses is to go up into the mount to receive the written Law, and Moses and Joshua go up into the mount while the elders remain to oversee the people (Exodus 24:12-14).
b Moses goes up into the mount and the cloud covers the mount (Exodus 24:15).
c The glory of Yahweh is revealed on the mount (Exodus 24:16 a).
d The cloud covers the mount and Yahweh speaks to Moses from the midst of the cloud (Exodus 24:16 b).
c The appearance of the glory of Yahweh is like a devouring fire on the mount (Exodus 24:17).
b Moses entered into the cloud and went up into the mount (Exodus 24:18 a).
a Moses was in the mountain forty days and forty nights (Exodus 24:18 b).
We note that in ‘a' Moses goes up into the mount and in the parallel he is there for forty days and forty nights. In ‘b' Moses goes up into the mount and the cloud covers the mount (where Moses is), in the parallel Moses enters the cloud and goes up into the mount a deliberate reversal. Both things occurred at the same time. In ‘c' the glory of Yahweh is revealed and in the parallel it is described. The central point is that Yahweh is there and gives His words to Moses.
We also note that there is here a gradually increasing crescendo as Moses goes up to meet with Yahweh.
‘And Yahweh said to Moses, “Come up to me into the Mount and be there. And I will give you the tables of stone, and the law (instruction) and the commandment which I have written that you may teach them.” '
“And Yahweh said to Moses.” In contrast with ‘He said to Moses' (Exodus 24:1) this indicates a new section in the narrative. In Exodus 24:14 the elders were now clearly in the camp. Thus this is after the elders have left the mount and returned to the camp.
“Come up to me into the Mount and be there.” Now that the covenant feast was over the solemn presentation of the covenant by the Overlord, written by His own hand, would take place. Moses was called up to receive it solemnly from the hand of the Overlord. ‘And be there' suggests that he would be there for some time.
“The tables of stone, even the instruction and the commandment which I have written.” The tablets of stone contained the instruction and the commandment. God's covenant both guides and commands. We may possibly see here the distinction between the judgments (instruction) and the words (commandments) of Yahweh (see on Exodus 24:3).
“The tables of stone --- which I have written.” The tables of stone signified permanence. The writing of God stressed His personal involvement in the matter. They were written ‘with the finger of God' (Exodus 31:18; Exodus 32:16), that finger which had worked so powerfully in Egypt (Exodus 8:19).
“That you may teach them.” It was to be Moses' solemn responsibility to ensure that the words and judgments of Yahweh were made known to the people constantly.
‘And Moses rose up, and Joshua his servant, and Moses went up into the Mount of God, and he said to the elders, “You wait here for us until we come to you again. And behold Aaron and Hur are with you. Whoever has a cause let him come near to them.” And Moses went up into the Mount and the cloud covered the Mount.'
In full obedience to his Lord Moses went up into the Mount taking with him Joshua, his ‘servant'. That Joshua does go is brought out in that Moses says ‘us'. But from then on we might think that Moses was alone. Ancient writings were often like this. They concentrated on the essentials. ‘Servant' may be compared with the earlier ‘servants of Pharaoh' (Exodus 8:21), his chief officials. Joshua has clearly been selected out to be groomed for the future. ‘The servant of Moses' is now Joshua's official and prestigious title (Exodus 33:11; Numbers 11:28; Joshua 1:1).
“You wait here.” The words that follow show that this was not meant literally. It simply meant that they were not to go up any further. They were to wait at the bottom of the mountain and not go any higher. They were in fact to continue with their responsibility of judging the people, with Aaron and Hur designated as chief judges.
“Until we come to you again.” Moses did not know how long he would be and thus made provision for the judging of the people until he returned. But this suggests that he expected to be there for some time.
“Aaron and Hur”. Compare Exodus 17:10-12. These were his two deputies. But Joshua was the heir apparent.
“And Moses went up into the Mount.” He climbed up higher taking Joshua with him, but did not yet enter the cloud.
“And the cloud covered the Mount.” This was preparatory to the appearing of the glory of Yahweh.
‘And the glory of Yahweh abode on Mount Sinai and the cloud covered it for six days, and the seventh day he called to Moses out of the midst of the cloud, and the appearance of the glory of Yahweh was like a devouring fire on the top of the Mount in the eyes of the children of Israel. And Moses entered into the midst of the cloud and went up into the Mount. And Moses was in the Mount forty days and forty nights.'
Moses did not go directly into the presence of Yahweh. He had to wait to be called. This period of waiting was probably in order to indicate that Moses had to be prepared before he could enter into God's presence. Periods of waiting are often prescribed later as a part of the cleansing process. The waiting is for seven days. His cleansing is divinely perfect. Then he could be called and enter the cloud.
“The glory of Yahweh, like a devouring fire (see on Exodus 19:18) ‘dwelt” on the Mount for the seven days, manifested to the children of Israel (Exodus 22:17), who must have watched in awe as they realised that Moses and Joshua were up there with God. The glory was seen through the cloud.
“And Moses entered into the midst of the cloud and went up into the Mount.” The ascent has taken place in stages. Going up with Joshua, then leaving him, and then going further up, and now the final ascent to come into the very presence of God.
“And Moses was in the Mount forty days and forty nights.” ‘Forty days and forty nights' was regularly a significant period when men of God waited on God at special moments in history (Moses - Exodus 24:18; Exodus 34:28; Deuteronomy 9:9; Deuteronomy 9:18; - Elijah - 1 Kings 19:8; and Jesus Himself - Matthew 4:2 and parallels). The mention of both days and nights shows the intensity of the experience. It was unceasing.
The phrase probably means ‘for longer than a moon period', i.e. a month. ‘Forty days' had probably already from earliest days (Genesis 7:4; Genesis 7:12; Genesis 7:17) begun to mean an unspecified period of a little over a month, as it certainly would later as a period of waiting for judgment (Ezekiel 4:6; Jonah 3:4) or as a more general period of waiting (Numbers 13:25; 1 Samuel 17:16 - both significant periods of waiting for Israel). It was thus a period which stressed the significance of the event.
So Moses spent ‘forty days and forty nights' with God. And Joshua was in the Mount with him. Here he would receive the tables of stone written with the finger of God, the final sealing of the covenant that Yahweh had made with His people. The Great Overlord will hand over to His people His version of the finalised covenant. He will then establish His throne (the Ark of the covenant) and His dwelling-place (the Tabernacle), both portable, among them. Details of this are given in the next section.
Note for Christians.
What significance has this covenant ceremony for us? It reminds us that we too have entered into solemn covenant with God when we became Christians. We too are solemnly bound by the covenant in His blood, a covenant enunciated for us in Hebrews 8:7-13 which has replaced the old by adding to it and improving it, for the old had been marred by misinterpretation and misuse. For the old covenant had come to have a different meaning and significance because of its misinterpretation. Thus it had to be replaced by a better covenant. But the one that was superseded was not the one that God made, but the misinterpretation of it that had changed it from what it was.