Chapter 27: Ratifying the Covenant
Q1 - How did Moses know what to do in making preparations for ratifying the Israelites’ covenant with God? What did each of the steps he took symbolize?
A1 - If God gave Moses instructions as to how to make preparations for the ratifying of the covenant, it’s not recorded in scripture. Bible commentators suggest that the ceremony was likely modeled on proceedings that were customary during that time. Looking back at the covenant God made with Abram in Genesis 15, God told him which animals to bring but Abram seemed to know what to do with them, indicating he knew what was customarily done.
Moses first built an altar which would be for offering sacrifices to God. He knew the Israelites would be worshipping God that day.
He also erected twelve pillars. These stones served as a memorial which represented the Israelite people, the descendants of the twelve sons of Israel. They would be a party in entering into this covenant with God.
Moses had young men prepare oxen for the offerings. Some of the offerings were burnt offerings which were totally burned up in the worship of God. Other offerings were peace offerings which were partially burned (the portion which went up to God) and partially eaten by the participants. The peace offerings represented the people communing with God.
The blood from the oxen Moses divided in half. One half he sprinkled on the altar. The other half he placed in basins to use later, after the people had committed to the covenant.
Moses then read the covenant in the hearing of the people. They agreed to obey all that the Lord had told them to do. Then Moses sprinkled the blood upon the people, thus sealing the agreement between the two parties—God and the Israelite people.
Q2 - Why did God wait until the seventh day after Moses ascended the mountain to speak to him?
A2 - The scriptures do not tell us why God waited. We do know that God, who as an infinite being, is not constrained by time. 2 Peter 3:8 states that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. Perhaps seven days represented completeness, as God completed His work of creating the earth in seven days. Perhaps He was giving Moses time to pray and develop a responsive mindset. Regardless, Moses had the good sense to wait upon God to call to him.
Q3 - Why was Moses on the mountain for forty days and forty nights? Was Joshua with Moses the entire time God presented His Law on the mountain?
A3 - According to the article, Meaning of Numbers in the Bible: The Number 40, the number 40 is mentioned 146 times in scripture and usually symbolizes a period of testing, trial, or probation. Here are just a few of those times:
During the great flood, the rains fell on the earth for 40 days and 40 nights (Genesis 7:12).
Moses's own life was divided into 40 year segments: 40 years in Egypt, 40 years in Midian, and 40 years leading the Israelites.
The spies Moses sent into the promised land retuned after 40 days (Numbers 13:25).
God sentenced the Israelites to wander in the wilderness for 40 years, one year for each day the spies had explored the Promised Land (Numbers 14:34).
Jonah was sent to warn the city of Nineveh that it would be destroyed in 40 days (Jonah 3:4).
The prophet Ezekiel laid on his right side for 40 days to bear Judah’s sins, a day for each year (Ezekiel 4:6).
Jesus fasted in the wilderness for 40 days where He was tempted by the devil (Matthew 4:2, Luke 4:2).
Moses went up on the mountain for forty days on several occasions. You can understand how God presenting to him the rest of the Law that Moses recorded in the Book of the Covenant could take some time, particularly if God explained things to him as they went along. Moses also may have spent some of that time in prayer and meditation while waiting for God to speak. The scriptures do not tell us many of the details. The forty days may have symbolized completeness or perhaps a time of testing, which would turn out to be more of a test for the Israelites than for Moses.
Moses’s forty days on the mountain when the golden calf was created certainly proved to be a time of great testing, not only of the people, but of Aaron and Moses in particular. Aaron failed miserably, while Moses proved his commitment to God. That the people failed this test is obvious. However, it is to be noted that the Levites only killed 3,000 of their fellow Israelites. There had to be a million or more people in the camp, which means that the Levites killed less than one percent of the population. Hopefully that means many of the people were holed up in their tents and chose not to participate in the debauchery, but the scriptures are silent on this point.
Whether Joshua went all the way up with Moses or not is unknown, but it’s likely he stayed a distance away from the presence of God. We do know that he was with Moses at least part way as he ascended (Exodus 24:13) and also when he descended (Exodus 32:17).