CRITICAL NOTES.—
Exodus 24:10. And they saw the God of Israel.] The words—“they saw” = Vâyiruh—in this verse is qualified in its ordinary meaning by the word “saw” in the following verse
(11). There the word Vâyechsuh = they saw—means literally “they visioned,” that is, they had a vision of God clear enough to be assured of His actual presence.
Paved = libnath in this construction (stat. constr.)—does not mean brick-lebenah, and hence pavement, but should be rendered white or transparent-splendour. The translation of “a paved work of a sapphire stone”=kimâseh libnath hassappir, like a work of transparent sapphire.
MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.— Exodus 24:9-11
A GLORIOUS VISION
There was an indication of unity in the Old Testament Church, Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel went up together. Prophet, priests, and representatives of the people were united together on the great occasion. And there must be this practical unity on the part of the modern Church if there is to be any great work accomplished, if there is to be any glorious divine vision obtained. The primitive Church was united by the spirit of love. We need the welding power of this gracious spirit.
I. Glorious ascension. This united body went up to the mount of divine manifestation. The Church must not stay in the plain. There are mountains to climb. “Upward” should be the Church’s motto. It may be difficult work to climb, but difficulties brace up the energies. Mountain climbing is always wholesome. The more we climb the less will be our difficulty. On the summit of divine mountains are gracious manifestations to reward the praying climbers.
II. Blessed vision. “And they saw the God of Israel; and there was under His feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness.” “No man hath seen God at any time.” It may be that they saw no objective image, but only the place where the God of Israel stood. Certainly it was a vision that gave them very exalted views of the divine nature. The very place of the divine feet was glorious. “A paved work of sapphire stone, as it were the body of heaven in his clearness.” The clear blue stretched itself out as a divine pavement. This is suggestive of calm repose. We may rest sweetly on the divine fidelity. If the footstool be thus glorious, how glorious must be the throne! If the fringes of the divine vesture are thus splendid, how much more splendid the nature that is thus enshrined! Blessed visions are most surely the portion of those who climb the divine mountains. The pure in heart shall see God. Waiting spirits shall not wait in vain. Praying souls shall receive special disclosures of divine love.
III. Gracious preservation. “Upon the nobles of Israel He laid not His hand.” Sinners may well fear lest the hand of justice crush; but saints may believingly clasp the hand of divine mercy. Faith may venture where tear cannot approach. The nobles who trust the hand of God will find that it is a saving and not a destroying hand. God’s hand will never be laid upon the spiritual nobility. The earthly ignoble may become spiritually noble. The nobles of the spiritual Israel are under God’s protecting, preserving care.
IV. Wondrous festivity. “Also they saw God, and did eat and drink.” These two short sentences must be connected. They saw God, and yet they did eat and drink. Fear says that the sight of God is death, but faith finds that the divine vision is feeding and sustaining. Blessed are they that did thus eat and drink after, and close upon, such a vision. Here is a wondrous festivity indeed. It is prophetic. The saints shall eat and drink in the Divine Presence. Their food will be heavenly manna. Their drink the new wine of the upper Paradise. Their banqueting chamber the courts of heaven. The banner over them will be love. The attendant music will be struck from golden harps. The song will be that of Moses and the Lamb. May we stand amid prophets, priests, elders, and the great company of the redeemed!
—W. Burrows, B.A.
SUGGESTIVE COMMENTS ON THE VERSES
MAN’S APPROACH TO GOD.—Exodus 24:1-2; Exodus 9-11
From these words we learn—
I. That man’s approach to God is commanded, Exodus 24:1. This is both reasonable and necessary. Servant to master; scholar to teacher; child to parent; sinner to Saviour.
II. That man’s approach to God must be through a mediator; “worship thou afar off, and Moses alone shall come near unto the Lord.” So Jesus has entered into the Holy place for us. He is the “one mediator,” &c., “the new and living way” (John 14:6). We must remember that this was in answer to their own prayer (Exodus 20:19).
III. That man’s approach to God must be reverent. “Worship ye afar off.”
IV. That man’s approach to God is rewarded by a manifestation of the divine glory, Exodus 24:10. Not a literal or physical vision of “the king” … invisible (Deuteronomy 4:2; 1 Timothy 6:16); but spiritual (Isaiah 6; Acts 9:3-4, and refs.; 1 Corinthians 12:2).
V. That man’s approach to God is not to be dreaded, but welcomed and enjoyed. “They find His presence no more a source of disturbance and dread, but radiant in all the bright loveliness of supernal glory: a beautiful sign that the higher religion and state of conformity to law, now established, shall work onward to eternal blessedness.”—Ewald.
Application.— Hebrews 4:14-16.
—J. W. Burn.
ILLUSTRATIONS
BY
REV. W. ADAMSON
Covenant-Blood! Exodus 24:9. Doddridge, in his “Rise and Progress of Religion in the Soul,” suggested a solemn covenant being entered into with God. Samuel Pearce acted upon it by writing it with blood drawn from his own body. But he soon afterwards fell into sin, and thus broke his covenant. Driven into more close examination of the question, he was led to see that it was not his own blood, but that of Jesus. Carrying the blood-stained covenant to the top of his father’s house, he tore it into pieces, and scattered them to the winds, resolved thenceforth to depend upon the peace-making and peace-keeping blood of Jesus.
“Thy blood, not mine, O Christ,
Thy blood so freely spilt,
Can blanch my blackest stains,
And purge away my guilt.”
—Bonar.
Sapphire-Pavement! Exodus 24:10. “Paved stone” should be “whiteness, clearness.” “Splendour of sapphire,” says Wordsworth. Kalisch calls it “pellucid sapphire.” It is one of the brightest and most valuable of jewels. “Born of darkness,” says Macmillan, “it yet holds in its core of focussed rays the blue of heaven.” There is one variety, of a singularly soft pure azure, which has the power of retaining its lovely memory of heaven even by candlelight, when an ordinary sapphire looks black. It formed the throne of glory which appeared to Ezekiel in visions; and here it forms the pavement, like the body of heaven in its clearness, under the feet of the God of Israel, as seen by the elders of Israel. God’s throne is “Love,” its foundations are “Love,” and the treadings of His feet are “Love.” Such an interpretation is in strict accordance with the symbolism of nearly all rations, among whom sapphire-blue has always been associated with ideas of “Love.”
“In heaven’s starred pavement at the midnight,
In roseate hues that come at morning dawn,
In the bright bow athwart the falling showers,
In woods and waters, hills and velvet lawn,
One truth is written, all conspire to prove,
What grace of old revealed, that “GOD IS LOVE.”—Davies.
Sapphire-Symbolism! Exodus 24:10. During the Belfast revival of 1859, one of the converts who had previously been crying out under the crushing burden of an evil heart of unbelief said, “If they would but look up at the blue sky, would not that be enough, Jesus? I used to think it was only the blue sky; I did not know that THOU reignedst up there.” How came she to connect the blue sky with the Lord’s loving tender mercies? Was it not because she was Spirit-taught? And is not the blue sky a most beautiful emblem of the pavement of love, on which the King’s throne rests?
“I know He reigneth now
In yonder heaven of love;
And He will quickly come again,
To carry me above.”