Well, the last time we chatted about Harman’s book Learning about the Old Testament we discussed The Exodus. Today we will look at the covenant at Sinai.
Mount Sinai is located in the Sinai peninsula. The mount is traditionally seen in being smack in the triangle between the dead and red sea.
Explanation of Sinai Covenant
Anyways, the Sinai covenant is the first time that God went from having individual covenants with people to having one with the whole nation. God made this covenant in a manner they were familiar with (Hittite covenant style).
God also called Israel his son (Ex.4:22-23),not only his son but his FIRST-born son. That position has authority and expectations with it. As such God expected Israel as a nation to act in a manner befitting that relationship. They were to be holy, a treasured possession, a people who worshipped and served him. In 1 Peter 2:9 we find those expectation repeated for the Christian church. They are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God that (they) might declare the praises of him who called (them) out of darkness into his marvellous light.
The Importance
THIS is the importance of the Sinai covenant. Learning who God’s people are. HIS sons! First-born none-the-less!
But issues
God has set up this covenant and now it time to set the terms. He meets with Israel’s representative and gives out the ten commandments. We aren’t told how they were written down, just that they were on stone tablets. As a people chosen it was expected they would live in a particular way. The Decalogue would help them know how to live.
The people sinned. Moses intervened. The tablets were broken to show that the covenant had been broken and it was remade.
Beyond the 10 Commandments God issued other commands to help the people retain their differences from the nations around them. How they dressed, ate, and worshipped needed to show their uniqueness.
He also showed his uniqueness by dwelling among them in the “tent of meeting”. God lived in a tent just as they did…foreshadowing how Christ would dwell among people…becoming man himself.
He taught all the important elements of worship
- Sacrifice is a part of worship
- meeting together in a place of his choosing
- The need for a humble and contrite heart
- and the symbolism of the goat, sheep and bull blood. It didn’t remove sin, it was just a sign of God’s action and encouragement to look forward to the completion that would come.
My Reflection
You know I haven’t really thought about how the covenants of the Old Testament showed us things in the New. Like I have understood the concept up until this point but never truly stopped to THINK on it.
Like God dwelling with his people. The tent of meeting being a foreshadowing of Christ. I just never connected those ideas. It’s a powerful one if you really stop to think on it.
I also have to ponder on.. how do I show my uniqueness to the world around me? How do other people see my faith? Or don’t they? I don’t always know. I’m often tired, and I like to do things my own way, and I don’t know if that shows Christ’s love. Doubt is something I live with.
Sometimes I think it might be easier to live like the old-order Mennonites. Having my unique dress and standoffishness from the world show my faith, but I don’t truly think that’s the answer. Is my relationship with the Lord readily apparent?
I love that verse in Peter eh? When I die.. I want a GOOD sermon preached on that text. It’s the verse that reminds me of who I am in Christ. Chosen, wanted, desired, with a PURPOSE…to glorify God. I just … I don’t know. Struggle with the execution I suppose. Or at least thinking I execute at all in the showing of God’s glory.
Lori says
Decalogue – is the a word for the 10 Commandments?
And, a follow up to the other post related to this where I mentioned the taking away of sin versus a reminder of that sin, you wrote it differently here so maybe I just misunderstood that other post. 🙂
Annette1 says
yes, it is another name for it.
And maybe, I’d have to go back and look. 🙂