Exodus 24:12-18 - Homilies By J. Orr

Moses ascends the mount.

Observe,

1 . He alone ascends ( Exodus 24:12 ). Aaron and his sons, with the seventy elders, were left behind. Their privilege was great as compared with that of the body of the people. Yet even they are not permitted to enter the cloud—to draw nigh into God's immediate presence. The limitations and imperfections of the legal economy are stamped on these arrangements. How superior the standing of Christians, who are all permitted to draw nigh; who have now the privilege, formerly possessed only by Moses, of beholding with unveiled flee the Divine glory in the ecstasy of immediate vision ( 2 Corinthians 3:18 ).

2 . The design of this ascending was primarily to receive the stone tables ( Exodus 24:12 ). These were to be written by God's own finger. God took every pains to impress upon the minds of the people that the law they had to deal with was his law. Its perpetuity was symbolised by the rock tablets.

3 . Moses made arrangements for the conduct of business in his absence ( Exodus 24:14 ). His absence would be a trial of the faith and disposition of all parties.

4 . The fire still burned on the summit of the mount ( Exodus 24:16 , Exodus 24:17 ). This, notwithstanding the vision of Exodus 24:10 . The economy was outwardly and characteristically one of law; interiorly, one of grace. Even Moses had to wait seven days for the summons ( Exodus 24:16 ).— J . O .