Daniel R. Hyde |

Reformed Catholic Theology

God’s Glory in the Mountain

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What are the most important doctrines to your Christian faith and life? Without doubt, the death and resurrection of Jesus. No doubt the Triune nature of our blessed God. As Protestants, no doubt justification sola gratia, sola fide, and solo Christo. Reformed Christians no doubt would say the sovereignty of God in salvation. Everyone believes there are key doctrines particularly important for what to believe and how to live as Christians. If so, how about God’s glory on the mountain of Sinai?

At Mount Sinai God revealed his glory in the old covenant. You at least you know there’s a new covenant. If there’s a new, there must’ve been an old. How important is it that we understand God’s covenantal dealings with Israel? The old covenant is the covenant between God and Israel as a nation that formally began at Mount Sinai in Exodus 24. It lasted until our Lord brought it to an end by his death and resurrection, making it obsolete (Heb. 8:13).

It certainly was important for the apostles. For example, Paul based his entire argument for the wonderful truth that sinners are justified before a holy God on the relationship between the old and new covenants (Gal. 3–4). He based his argument on the validity and authority of the Christian ministry on understanding what we have in the new covenant (2 Cor. 3–4). Hebrews’ entire argument is that Jesus is the better high priest. Therefore Jewish Christians must be content and not return to Temple worship. This is all based on the relationship of the old and new covenants. So how important is it? We need to be acquainted with it since it’s central to justification, preaching, and worship. Admittedly, it’s a difficult issue in the history of Reformed dogmatics. Anthony Burgess once said, “I do not find in any point of Divinitie learned men so confused and perplexed…as here.”

This covenant should heighten our awareness of God’s glory in the mountain in Exodus 24.

The Glory of its Inauguration

The Pleasure

The first way we see God’s glory in the mountain is the inauguration of the covenant. The sovereign, good pleasure of the Lord inaugurated it. Isn’t that glorious? Notice that after Moses comes down from the mountain he “told the people all the words of the Lord and all the rules” (24:3). This is exactly what the Lord had told done earlier:

Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the people of Israel: You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel. (19:3–6)

Like the covenant with Adam in the Garden, with Noah after the Flood, and with Abraham, the sovereign, good pleasure of God alone inaugurated the old covenant. Of course, the graciousness and goodness of God towards Adam is not the same as it is with all the covenants afterward, because Adam was not a sinner. This only heightens what we believe, though. God is absolutely sovereign. He didn’t need to make the universe, Adam, or us. Yet in goodness and graciousness he made the universe, Adam, and us. After Adam rebelled—again—the sovereign God didn’t need to inaugurate another covenant. But he did! He’s not a God who does his part then waits for us to do ours. He doesn’t need us. If he wants to enter into a covenant with us, he does it. It’s as simple as that. Have you stood in awe and wonder lately that God saved you? The glory of God on this mountain should humble us because he’s the same God who made a covenant with us. We need this sovereign grace poured out upon the church and world today!

The Problem

“Houston, we have a problem.” The congregation then replied: “All the words that the Lord has spoken we will do” (Ex. 24:3). One interesting thing to take note of in Scripture is who takes the oath when a covenant is made? Who makes the promise or vow to do something? In Genesis 3 it was God who made the skins from the sacrificed animals to cover Adam and Eve. In Genesis 9 it was the Lord who turned the bow of judgment upside down to point to himself. With Abraham (Gen. 15) it was the Lord who passed through the pieces. Now its Israel who takes the oath. While similar to the covenants before, this shows that the old covenant is also somewhat different. It has a legal aspect and feeling to it. The Westminster Confession of Faith says there’s one covenant of grace, begun in Genesis 3:15, but with various administrations. In Paul’s language, God added the law to the previous covenant with Abraham (Gal. 3). Why? To act as a tutor (paidagogos) leading Israel as a little child to Jesus (Gal. 3:24). A paidagogos would lead a child by the hand, discharging the duties of parents in Roman culture. In other words, even the law served God’s (our Father’s) purpose of grace to point Israel to Jesus. It increased trespass so that sinners would seek remission of sins (Rom. 5). Despite their inability to keep the law, it’s fulfilled in Christ. Our Lord says of himself in the Psalms: “I have come to do your will, O God” (Ps. 40:8).

The Glory of its Ratification

God demonstrates his glory in the mountain in its ratification. Ratification is a formal ceremony that puts a covenant into place. The Lord has inaugurated his covenant, spoken the terms in his law, the people have responded with their oath, but it remains for the covenant to be put into effect. How?

Sacrifice

The first thing Moses does is build an altar for sacrifice (25:4). Interestingly, it has twelve pillars “according to the twelve tribes of Israel” (24:4). Sacrifices of oxen were offered on the altar. Note what kinds of sacrifices: burnt and peace sacrifices (24:5). Leviticus later describes these in more detail. The burnt offering was consumed by fire on the altar—God ate it! In contrast, part of the peace offering was eaten by the people.

To understand this, think about the order of these sacrifices. First there’s an offering for sin then there’s an offering for fellowship. Sin must be dealt with before there can be any fellowship with the Almighty. God’s justice must be satisfied before his his peace, mercy, and love are experienced. Just as the Lord provided for the Israelites’ sins and provided fellowship between him and them, so today. The Lord offers you Jesus as the only sacrifice that can take away your sins. Receive him! Rest in him! If you do, you’ll have peace with him.

Sprinkling

Second, the covenant ritual is finally completed when the rest of the blood is sprinkled upon the people: “Behold the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you” (24:8). How glorious it must have been to be there at Sinai that day! To have the God of the universe bring you out of slavery into the wilderness. There he gloriously inaugurated and ratified a covenant with them. His mediator, Moses, officiated. There he provided for their sins and for their longing of fellowship with him. That God would voluntarily condescend to sinners shows his glory in the mountain! We can hardly begin to express our gratitude.

Application

God’s glory on that mountain is for you too. In Hebrews 8 the apostolic author explains that the Jewish priests serve in an earthly replica of heaven (8:5). Then he says: “Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better” (8:6). The old covenant gives way to the new because we have a more excellent minister and mediator. We have Jesus! The covenant he mediates is better. Why? It’s inaugurated and ratified on the basis of “better promises.” The old covenant had fault (8:7). There was need for a second covenant. Remember that conditionality and legal aspect under the old covenant? God spoke his promises in a conditional way: “if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant you shall be my treasured possession” (19:5). He did this to point them to Messiah. Our Lord is a greater mediator of a greater covenant with greater promises. “Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant” (9:15).

Those called to receive an eternal inheritance are not merely outward calling, though. This is effectual. How many in churches today are on the verge of deceiving themselves. To be called is not mere formal membership in the church, with obligatory attendance, with cold worship. If your pastor sees it, be warned that God sees it. This inheritance is for those who’re internally and effectually called by the Holy Spirit. For those who’ve heard Christ’s voice, trusted in his sacrifice, and have godly sorrow for sin, be assured that you’ve received this inheritance already!

The Glory of its Signification

With that said, imagine you’ve made a new friend. After you become friends what is one intimate and personal way you can show your friendship is real? You can invite his/her over for dinner. Our God acts the same way. The third way we see God’s glory in the mountain is in its signification. In the ancient world, as today, table fellowship over a meal was a powerful way to visibly signify as well as internally seal a relationship. All covenants have signs.

So Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy representative elders ascended the mountain to partake of their portion of the peace offerings (24:9 ). What an amazing thing it was to go up! “They beheld God, and ate and drank” (24:11). They were in the presence of God, who brought heaven to earth: “There was under his feet as it were a pavement of sapphire stone, life the very heaven for clearness” (24:10). Sound familiar? Revelation 21–22 mentions this the same glory.

They beheld God in the means of food and drink. Wouldn’t it be amazing if we could, too? What if God invited all believers to his table instead of just the elite few? What if instead of an earthly mountain, you could come to a heavenly one? (cf. Heb. 12:22) Instead of animal sacrifice, what if you could partake a final Passover lamb, an ultimate burnt offering and peace offering? Can you understand where I’m going? When we partake of the Lord’s Supper, the Holy Spirit brings us into heaven to feed upon Christ. This is why the church from the earliest of days has said at the Table, sursum corda/habemus ad Dominim: “Lift up your hearts! We lift them up to the Lord!”

Conclusion

How important is the old covenant to your faith and life? John Owen said, “The [simplest] believer may now find out more of the work of Christ in the types of the Old Testament, than all the prophets or wise men could have done of old.” You may not think the subject of covenant theology or the old covenant is very relevant to your life. But you have the Holy Spirit who unites you to Christ and who opens your minds to understand the depth, the height, the breadth, and length of the love of God in Christ in the Old Testament. God’s glory in the mountain of Sinai is reflected in the face of Jesus.


For previous articles in this series:

  1. God’s Glory in Exodus
  2. God’s Glory in the Sea
  3. God’s Glory in the Manna

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