Some moments in Scripture feel like the sky itself is opening. Exodus 24 is one of those moments. It’s only a short chapter, but it carries the weight of heaven touching earth. God calls Moses and the leaders to come near. The people hear God’s words and say, “We will do everything the Lord has told us.” The covenant is sealed. The leaders see God’s glory and eat in His presence. Then Moses steps into the cloud, into the fire, into the place where God’s glory rests. Can you imagine? Mose’s was blessed. It’s not loud like a storm. It’s not destructive like a flood. It’s awe, pure, holy, breathtaking awe. Oh to of been there. Sometimes when I look at the sky and see those streaked clouds, the ones that look like God brushed His fingers across the heavens, I think of this chapter. I imagine what it would be like if God showed Himself in a way no one could ignore, not to scare us, but to wake us up, straighten us out, and remind us who He is. But maybe He already does. Maybe the streaked sky is His whisper. Maybe the quiet beauty is His reminder. Maybe the awe we long for is already here if we slow down long enough to look up. Exodus 24 shows us a God who draws near, not to destroy, but to covenant, to speak, to invite, to reveal His glory in ways that change us.

It reads in Exodus 24:1-18 Easy: Then God said to Moses, ‘Come up to me, the Lord. Come with Aaron, Nadab, Abihu and 70 of the leaders of Israel. Worship me, but do not come near. Only Moses can come near to me, but not the others. The people must not come up the mountain with him.’ Moses went and he told the people all the Lord’s commands and his teaching. The people answered together, ‘We will do everything that the Lord has told us.’ Then Moses wrote down everything that the Lord had said. Early the next morning, Moses built an altar at the bottom of the mountain. Then he put up 12 stone pillars. Each pillar stood there for one of Israel’s 12 tribes. Moses sent young Israelite men to burn animals there, as offerings to the Lord. They also killed young bulls as friendship offerings to the Lord. Moses took half of the blood of these animals, and he put it into some bowls. He splashed the other half of the blood over the altar. Then he took the Book of God’s Covenant, and he read it to the people. They replied, ‘We will do everything that the Lord has told us. We will obey his commands.’ Then Moses used the blood in the bowls to splash on the people. He said, ‘This blood shows that you accept the covenant that the Lord has made with you. You agree to obey the rules of his covenant.’ Then Moses and Aaron, Nadab, Abihu and the 70 Israelite leaders went up the mountain. They saw the God of Israel there. Under his feet was something like a jewel called sapphire. It was as bright as a clear blue sky. God did not hurt those Israelite leaders. They saw God. They ate a meal and they drank together. The Lord said to Moses, ‘Come up to me on the mountain. Stay here. I will give you the flat stones with my Law on them. I have written on them my Law and my commands, so that you can teach them to the people.’ So, Moses went up the mountain of God. His servant Joshua went with him. Moses said to the leaders, ‘Wait here for us. We will come back to you. Aaron and Hur are here with you. If you have any arguments, they can decide who is right. ’When Moses went up the mountain, the cloud covered it. The Lord’s bright glory appeared on Sinai Mountain. The cloud covered the mountain for six days. On the seventh day, the Lord called out to Moses from inside the cloud. The people could see the Lord’s bright glory. To them, it looked like a fire that was burning the top of the mountain. Moses went up the mountain, and he went into the cloud. He stayed on the mountain for 40 days and 40 nights.

Father God, as we have read Exodus 24 and when we look at the sky, remind us that You are still the same God, the One who calls us near, the One who speaks covenant words, the One whose glory rests like fire on the mountain. Teach us to pause long enough to notice the whispers of Your presence. Teach us to look up when life pulls us down. Teach us to recognize Your beauty in quiet places, not just the dramatic ones. Let the streaked clouds remind us that You are close. Let the stillness remind us that You are faithful. Let the awe settle into our hearts in a way that changes how we live. Draw us higher, Lord. Draw us closer. Let Your glory rest on us the way it rested on Moses, steady, holy, unmistakable. Love You, thank You, praise You and give You all the honor and glory in Jesus Precious Name amen.