Biblical Commentary

INVESTIGATION
The covenant God entered into with the people of Israel was much like a wedding vow. God chose Israel from all the nations on the earth, and it was a covenant of love. In the covenant with Moses, both God and the nation of Israel made vows.

In this passage, God renewed the covenant with the people of Israel who had already broken their part of the covenant. As Moses was coming down off the mountain from meeting with God, he found the Israelites engaging in idolatry and immorality. Even though they had so quickly turned from their commitment, God still pursued a relationship with them and, in this passage, renewed the covenant with His people.

IMPORTANCE
This passage of Scripture is important for students because it teaches that the Bible is God’s Word. In this passage, God renewed the covenant that the Israelites had already broken through their worship of the golden calf. As God told Moses what was expected of the people of Israel, He also told him to “write these things down.” This is powerful when we realize that God was saying, “Write these things down and watch as I fulfill my word.” It reminds us that God is faithful to fulfill all His promises. God’s Word is still a promise to us today as we follow Christ.

This passage also touches on other Essential Truths: God Is and People are God’s Treasure.

INTERPRETATION
Exodus 34:10 God was not making a new covenant; this was a renewal of the previous covenant between God and Israel. The first time, Moses brought down the tablets and saw that the people had already violated the covenant by creating and worshiping a golden calf. God could have ended the covenant right there because the people had violated their end of the agreement. How quickly they had forgotten and forsaken their God! Though the people proved themselves unworthy, God graciously renewed the covenant because of Moses’ intercession.

God never treats sin lightly; there are always consequences. But how beautiful it is when God displays His grace!

Exodus 34:11–14 The renewal of the covenant indicated that God had forgiven Israel. This is one of the most powerful pictures of God’s grace in all the Old Testament. Despite the people’s blatant sin against God, He re-extended the terms of the covenant, once again drawing His children near to Him.

God promised to do marvels among His people that would enable them to possess the Promised Land. He promised to clear the land of all the enemies of the Israelites and offer protection to His chosen people. In return, the Israelites had to obey God’s commands.

God warned the Israelites about making covenants with nations that worshiped false gods. God knew the Israelites would incorporate the idol worship and immoral ways of the other peoples.

From altars to sacred rocks to Asherah poles, God told the Israelites to destroy all things that were sacred to the idol worshipers who had inhabited the land. These poles stood beside the altar of Baal and represented Baal’s wife, who symbolized crops and fertility. God told the Israelites that all evidence of idol worship had to go. God is jealous. He will not tolerate His people worshiping other gods.

Exodus 34:15–17 God again warned the Israelites about the dangers of entering into agreements with pagan nations. God knew a little influence from the pagans would tempt Israel to take part in idol worship. In the same context, God instructed the Israelites not to intermarry. The lifestyle of the pagan women would tempt the Israelites and corrupt their children. God also instructed the Israelites not to make their own idols.

God showed His love for the Israelites by setting boundaries. The boundaries were not to oppress the Israelites but to keep them from straying into destruction.

Exodus 34:18–22 God reminded the Israelites to celebrate certain festivals. These are festivals He ordained and that brought Him the glory. The Feast of Unleavened Bread lasted for one week and came immediately after Passover. For that week, the Israelites ate only bread without yeast and even removed all yeast from their homes. The Feast of Weeks (Pentecost) occurred seven full weeks after Passover. It celebrated the end of the grain harvest. The first fruits were sacrificed to God.

The Feast of Booths (Ingathering) took place in what is now mid-October. For seven days, the Israelites presented offerings to the Lord, during which time they lived in huts made from palm fronds and leafy tree branches. The huts were used to recall the wandering of the Israelites prior to their taking of the land of Canaan.

God also reminded the Israelites to set the Sabbath apart for worship and reflection. People were to work six days a week and rest on the seventh, even during the harvest times.

Exodus 34:23–28 God ordered the men of Israel to appear before Him three times a year. These appearances were the three feasts mentioned previously: the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks, and the Feast of Booths. Canaan was a desirable land, and the neighboring nations were greedy. Yet, God said the Israelites’ enemies would not desire Canaan. He also promised to drive out these greedy neighbors and increase the size of the Israelites’ land.

In strong contrast to the elaborate ceremony for sealing the first covenant (Ex. 24), this covenant was renewed on Mt. Sinai between Moses, acting as covenant mediator, and God. The tangible sign that the covenant had been renewed was the new set of tablets to replace those that Moses broke in anger. The tablets were the written word of God and proof to the Israelites that God would be faithful to His covenant with His chosen people.

IMPLICATIONS
Our relationship with God today still comes with requirements. We have to accept Jesus as our ultimate sacrifice. We are called to submit to His lordship and to be obedient to His commands. We are to strive to live holy lives. We are required to love God with all our heart, soul, and mind. God gives us these requirements because He wants us to reap the fullest return from our relationship with Him. When we live in obedience to God we receive the greatest fulfillment from our relationship with Him. We are not required to celebrate the three feasts listed in this passage, but we are called to seek God’s will for our lives. Through the Holy Spirit, we can draw closer to God in a way the Israelites may not have been able. Have you thought about all that God calls us to? Are your students living in obedience?
God made these requirements for the Israelites so they would not forget the covenant He made with them. The requirements were not made because He is overbearing but because He is a loving God. He wants to have a close relationship with His children. He wants our lives to be a reflection of Him. Does your life reflect God’s standard of holiness? How can you lead your students to be more like Christ? How can you help your students understand the call to obey Christ out of love—and how that is different than legalism?

 

Bibliography >>

Proceed to Teaching Plans >>