Sermon Title: Exodus 24:1–16

Passage

Exodus 24:1–16

Key Theme

God establishes His covenant with Israel through sacrifice and blood, foreshadowing the perfect covenant fulfilled in Christ. Leadership, humility, obedience, and submission to God’s authority are essential in walking faithfully before Him.

Summary

In Exodus 24, the people of Israel stand before Mount Sinai as God gives Moses His commands and directions. God invites Moses, Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu to come up the mountain, yet only Moses is permitted to approach closely. This distinction underscores Moses’ unique intimacy with God and the importance of humble, submissive leadership. True spiritual leadership walks in the Spirit, not the flesh, remaining under God’s authority rather than seeking personal exaltation.

The people respond to God’s covenant commands with fear and naivety, professing obedience yet continually failing. Moses acts as their mediator, writing down God’s words for the first time in Scripture and constructing an altar for sacrifice. This marks the establishment of the Old Covenant — a covenant sealed with blood to make humanity aware of its desperate need for salvation. Moses sprinkles the blood upon the altar and the people, signifying that the covenant could not be complete without the shedding of blood.

This vivid picture of atonement points forward to Christ, the spotless Lamb of God. As Hebrews 10:1–10 declares, Jesus fulfilled the old system by offering Himself once and for all. The same God who formed the Old Covenant is the God who completed it through Christ; His character and purpose have not changed.

When Moses and the elders go up, they behold God — Elohim — and experience His glory. The language reveals both Elohim and Jehovah interacting, displaying the divine mystery of the Trinity. Here, Christ’s pre-incarnate presence is seen, dwelling among a stiff-necked people and showing the same love and fellowship He would later demonstrate on earth.

Moses and Joshua ascend further into the mountain. The glory of the Lord appears as a consuming fire, and Moses remains there forty days and nights receiving the Ten Commandments. Joshua, learning under Moses’ faithful mentorship, is being prepared for future leadership — gleaning wisdom not only from Moses’ successes but also his failures.

Ultimately, the message calls believers to humility. Our strength is not found in ourselves but at the altar — in continual submission and gratitude for Christ’s finished work. Our boast is never in what we’ve accomplished but in Jesus, whose blood sealed the eternal covenant.

Key Points

1. Leadership and Submission (vv. 1–2) – God calls Moses, Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu to approach Him, but only Moses may come near. True leadership remains humble and submitted to God’s authority.
2. The Old Covenant Established (vv. 3–8) – Moses records God’s Word, builds an altar, and sacrifices for the people. The sprinkling of blood signifies the covenant’s dependence on atonement — a shadow of Christ’s coming sacrifice.
3. Meeting Their Salvation (vv. 9–12) – Moses and the elders encounter the divine presence. The distinction between “Elohim” and “Jehovah” reflects both the unity and complexity of God’s nature.
4. The Giving of the Law (vv. 13–16) – Moses and Joshua ascend together. The glory of the Lord appears as a consuming fire, and the Ten Commandments are given after forty days.
5. Our Boast in Christ – True strength and purpose come from remaining at the altar, in dependence on Christ’s love and His finished work on the cross.

Application

Believers are reminded that intimacy with God requires humility, obedience, and submission. Leadership is not self-exaltation but servanthood under divine authority. Just as the Israelites needed the blood of the covenant to cover their sin, we depend wholly on Christ’s blood for our salvation. The call is to stay close to the altar — in worship, gratitude, and dependence — recognizing that all we accomplish is only by Christ’s strength in us.

Scripture to Remember

Hebrews 10:10 – “By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”

Watch

Please watch the sermon on your own and take your own notes for additional detail and context. Enjoy listening to the Word of God!

Disclaimer:

These notes were taken based on the Sermon at Calvary Chapel Jacksonville, NC. These notes were compiled by ChatGPT using the bulleted notes I personally took during the sermon, combined with the Transcript of the YouTube video produced. Since the notes were ultimately compiled using AI, please verify their full validity using your Bible and the Word of God alone.