The LORD called Moses and the elders of Israel to His mountain to confirm the covenant with His people. Although Aaron and his sons also ascended, only Moses was to approach the LORD. The next morning, Moses built an altar at the mountain’s foot and set up twelve stone pillars representing Israel’s twelve tribes. He then sent young Israelite men to offer burnt and fellowship sacrifices of young bulls to the LORD. Moses collected half of the blood in bowls and splashed the rest against the altar. He then read the Book of the Covenant to the people, who affirmed their commitment to obey its laws.
Moses then took the blood, sprinkled it on the people and said, “This is the blood of the covenant that the LORD has made with you in accordance with all these words.” – Exodus 24:8 (NIV)
While this may seem eerily similar to occult practices, it was actually a solemn covenant ceremony, a tradition found in many ancient civilizations where agreements were sealed with blood. Various cultures used blood rituals, such as hand-cutting and handshaking, to signify binding commitments and Moses was borrowing that ritual to make the Israelites realise the gravity of their commitments to the LORD. Blood also had deep symbolic meaning. On the altar, it represented God’s forgiveness (Leviticus 17:11), and on the people, it signified purification (Hebrews 9:13, 22). The act of shedding blood also instilled guilt and shame, reminding the Israelites of the cost of sin.
Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and seventy elders of Israel ascended and saw the God of Israel. Beneath Him was a brilliant pavement like lapis lazuli, shining as bright as the sky. Though they saw God and were not harmed; instead, they ate and drank in His presence. This raises the question: why did people fear seeing God while these men dined before Him?
Ever since mankind hastily ate the fruit of knowledge in the Garden, they have feared God and His presence. However before the fall, they communed with Him daily, face-to-face. It was the same intimate relationship that Moses experienced on the mountain of God as the LORD spoke to him directly.
The LORD called Moses to the mountain to receive the tablets of stone with the law and commandments. Moses, accompanied by his aide Joshua, went up the mountain and instructed the elders to wait with Aaron and Hur while they were gone. As Moses ascended the mountain, a cloud enveloped it, and the glory of the LORD settled on Mount Sinai. For six days, the cloud remained, and on the seventh day, the LORD called to Moses from within it.
To the Israelites, the glory of the LORD appeared like a consuming fire at the mountain’s peak. Moses then entered the cloud and remained on the mountain for forty days and nights. This awe-inspiring sight must have been terrifying for the Israelites, leading them to believe Moses had perished. In their fear and uncertainty, they sought to create their own gods to lead them.
The Offerings
On the mountain, the LORD instructed Moses to collect offerings from those who willingly gave. The offerings included gold, silver, bronze, fine fabrics, animal skins, acacia wood, olive oil, spices, and precious stones for the ephod and breastpiece. Acacia wood, abundant in the Sinai Desert, was ideal for the tabernacle due to its durability and resistance to insects. The LORD commanded the Israelites to build a sanctuary where He would dwell among them, following the exact pattern He provided.
God asked the Israelites to bring offerings not because He needed gold or silver, but as an act of willing devotion. The offerings symbolized their commitment and obedience, demonstrating that their hearts were truly dedicated to Him.
Throughout Scripture, prophets and Jesus emphasized that God desires sincere hearts rather than mere material offerings (1 Samuel 15:22; Hosea 6:6; Matthew 9:13). The true purpose of giving was not the wealth itself but the willingness to honor and obey God, aligning with biblical warnings that external rituals mean nothing without genuine love and faithfulness.
The Instructions
God instructed the Israelites to build the Ark of the Covenant from acacia wood, overlaid with pure gold inside and out. It was to be carried using gold-covered poles inserted into rings that were never to be removed. Inside the Ark, the tablets of the covenant law would be placed.
A pure gold atonement cover (mercy seat) was to be made, with two cherubim of hammered gold at each end. Their wings would be spread upward, overshadowing the cover, and they would face each other. God declared that He would meet with Moses above the cover, between the cherubim, to give His commands for the Israelites.
The Ark of the Covenant was not meant to be an idol but a sacred symbol of God’s presence among His people. It served as a portable sanctuary, representing His throne and a place where He would meet with Moses (Exodus 25:10–22). Inside, it held reminders of God’s faithfulness—the stone tablets of the law, a jar of manna, and Aaron’s staff that budded (Hebrews 9:4). On the Day of Atonement, the high priest sprinkled blood on its lid, the atonement cover, signifying God’s forgiveness (Exodus 25:17).
However, over time, the Israelites began to treat the Ark as a source of power rather than a symbol of God’s covenant, much like the golden calf. Instead of honoring God Himself, they placed their trust in the object, turning it into an idol.
The Artefacts
God instructed the Israelites to build a table of acacia wood, overlaid with gold, to hold the bread of the Presence as a continual offering before Him. It was designed with gold rings and poles for carrying.
The lampstand was to be made of pure gold, with a central shaft and six branches, each adorned with almond-shaped cups, buds, and blossoms. Seven lamps were to be placed on it to light the space. All elements, including wick trimmers and trays, were to be crafted from a single talent of gold, following the divine pattern given to Moses.
God’s instructed Moses regarding the construction of priestly garments, the consecration of the priests, and the sacred items used in worship. The breastpiece was to be made of gold, blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, featuring twelve precious stones representing the twelve tribes of Israel. It was attached to the ephod and contained the Urim and Thummim for decision-making before the Lord.
The Urim and Thummim were intended as sacred tools for seeking God’s guidance, yet over time, they risked becoming another form of idolatry for the Israelites. Instead of sincerely approaching God in prayer and seeking His will, people may have begun to use these objects as a convenient way to justify their own desires. This reflects a broader tendency in human nature—turning divine instruments into rituals that serve personal agendas rather than fostering true relationship with God. It serves as a warning that even God-given symbols can lose their meaning when they replace genuine faith and obedience.
The ordination of Aaron and his sons involved washing, dressing them in sacred garments, anointing with oil, and offering sacrifices, including a bull and two rams. Blood rituals and food offerings were part of the consecration process, which lasted seven days. Daily offerings of two lambs, along with grain and drink offerings, were required as a lasting covenant between God and Israel. A golden altar was to be made for burning incense before the Ark of the Covenant, with Aaron offering incense daily and making annual atonement with sacrificial blood.
Each Israelite over twenty was required to pay a half-shekel as atonement money during a census, with the funds used for the service of the Tent of Meeting. A bronze basin was placed between the altar and the tent for the priests to wash before ministering to avoid death. A sacred anointing oil was crafted from specific spices and used exclusively for consecrating the tabernacle, its furnishings, and the priests. Likewise, a holy incense blend was prepared for burning before the Lord, with strict prohibitions against personal use.
Finally, God appointed Bezalel from the tribe of Judah and Oholiab from Dan, filling them with His Spirit, wisdom, and craftsmanship to construct the tabernacle, its furnishings, priestly garments, and sacred items exactly as commanded. These instructions emphasized holiness, obedience, and the sacred role of the priests in mediating between God and the Israelites.
When the LORD finished speaking to Moses on Mount Sinai, he gave him the two tablets of the covenant law, the tablets of stone inscribed by the finger of God. – Exodus 31:18 (NIV)
Ironically, while God was giving these sacred instructions, the Israelites were melting the gold He had provided through the Egyptians to create an idol for themselves.
Discussion Questions
- Why were people in the ancient world afraid to see God’s face, while those who ascended the mountain not only saw Him but also dined in His presence?
- What was the purpose of God asking the Israelites to bring offerings of gold and silver?
- Did the ark run the risk of becoming an idol for the Israelites?
- Why did the Israelites rely on the Urim and Thummim to discern God’s will?
The Jordan Valley 
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