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Sealed in Blood: Drawing Near to God
Exodus — Chapter 24 (BSB)
Chapter Overview
Exodus 24 records the formal ratification of the Mosaic covenant between God and Israel at Mount Sinai, one of the most solemn and intimate moments in all of Scripture. Beginning in verse 3, Moses recites God's words to the people, who unanimously respond, 'All the words that the Lord has spoken we will do,' setting the stage for a binding covenant ceremony. In verses 5-8, young men offer burnt offerings and peace offerings, and Moses sprinkles blood on both the altar and the people, declaring, 'Behold the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you.' Remarkably, in verses 9-11, Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and seventy elders of Israel actually ascend the mountain and see God — eating and drinking in His presence without being destroyed, a breathtaking act of divine grace. Moses then receives a personal summons in verses 12-13, ascending further to receive the stone tablets and spend forty days in God's glorious, consuming presence as described in verses 16-18. For the believer today, this chapter is a vivid foreshadowing of the new covenant sealed not in animal blood but in the blood of Jesus Christ, inviting every Christian into the same holy nearness to God that these elders experienced.
Key Verses
Exodus 24:3 (BSB)
"When Moses came and told the people all the words and ordinances of the LORD, they all responded with one voice: “All the words that the LORD has spoken, we will do.”"
The people's unified response to God's word is a powerful picture of wholehearted commitment. It invites you to examine whether your own response to Scripture is one of eager obedience or selective hearing. God desires a people who receive His word not merely with admiration but with a surrendered 'yes, Lord.'
Exodus 24:8 (BSB)
"So Moses took the blood, sprinkled it on the people, and said, “This is the blood of the covenant that the LORD has made with you in accordance with all these words.”"
This act of sprinkling covenant blood points directly to Jesus, whose blood establishes a better and eternal covenant (Hebrews 9:20). You are not standing at a distance from this moment — through faith in Christ, you are the recipient of a covenant sealed by the most precious blood ever shed. Let that truth settle deeply into your heart today.
Exodus 24:10 (BSB)
"and they saw the God of Israel. Under His feet was a work like a pavement made of sapphire, as clear as the sky itself."
That these men saw God and lived is an act of staggering mercy — God chose to reveal Himself without destroying them. This verse reminds you that drawing near to God is only ever possible because He first makes a way. Every moment you spend in prayer or Scripture reading is an invitation to see something of who God is, and He is gloriously beautiful.
Exodus 24:11 (BSB)
"But God did not lay His hand on the nobles of Israel; they saw Him, and they ate and drank."
Eating and drinking in God's presence is the language of fellowship, rest, and belonging. This is a foretaste of the Marriage Supper of the Lamb and the communion table you share with Christ today. God's desire has always been not mere obedience from His people, but genuine relationship and shared joy at His table.
Exodus 24:18 (BSB)
"Moses entered the cloud as he went up on the mountain, and he remained on the mountain forty days and forty nights."
Moses willingly entered the consuming fire of God's glory and remained there for forty days — a picture of total immersion in God's presence. This challenges you to consider whether you are willing to linger in God's presence, especially when it feels costly or uncertain. The cloud that seems fearful is also the place of deepest encounter with God.
Main Themes
- Covenant commitment and wholehearted obedience
- Drawing near to God through the blood of the covenant
- Fellowship and intimacy in God's holy presence
Discussion Questions
- When you hear God's word, what is your honest first response — surrender and 'yes,' or hesitation and conditions?
- Is there an area of your life where you have been holding back from entering deeper into God's presence, and what might it look like to take one step closer this week?
Personal Application
Take five minutes this week to read Hebrews 9:18-22 alongside Exodus 24 and thank God specifically that the new covenant sealed in Jesus' blood has made a way for you to draw near to Him without fear.
Practice lingering in prayer this week — instead of ending your prayer time quickly, stay an extra few minutes in silence, simply resting in God's presence the way the elders ate and drank before Him in verse 11.
Closing Prayer
Father, thank You that You are a God who draws Your people near rather than keeping them at a distance. Thank You that the blood of Your Son Jesus has sealed a covenant with me that is better and eternal, and that I can come into Your presence not in fear but in belonging. Search my heart and show me where I have been holding back my full 'yes' from You, and give me the courage to step into the cloud of Your presence the way Moses did. In Jesus' name, Amen.