Exodus 24:10

_AND THEY SAW THE GOD OF ISRAEL: AND THERE WAS UNDER HIS FEET AS IT WERE A PAVED WORK OF A SAPPHIRE STONE, AND AS IT WERE THE BODY OF HEAVEN IN HIS CLEARNESS._ Saw the God of Israel. (The Samaritan text has, 'they worshipped the God of Israel.') It cannot be supposed that the invisible God Himself was actually seen with the bodily eye, or in a literal sense (John 1:18); and though a strong mental perception of His immediate presence would be sufficient, according to Hebrew usage, to warrant the expression of seeing Him-for who does not know that internal seeing is frequently spoken of in the Scriptures? (Numbers 24:3; Numbers 24:16; Ma

9-11 The elders saw the God of Israel; they had some glimpse of his glory, though whatever they saw, it was something of which no image or picture could be made, yet enough to satisfy them that God was with them of a truth. Nothing is described but what was under his feet. The sapphires are the pavement under his feet; let us put all the wealth of this world under our feet, and not in our hearts. Thus the believer sees in the face of Jesus Christ, far clearer discoveries of the glorious justice and holiness of God, than ever he saw under terrifying convictions; and through the Saviour, holds communion with a holy God....

Verse Exodus 24:10. _THEY SAW THE GOD OF ISRAEL_] The seventy elders, who were representatives of the whole congregation, were chosen to witness the manifestation of God, that they might be satisfied of the truth of the revelation which he had made of _himself_ and of his _will_; and on this occasion it was necessary that the people also should be favoured with a sight of the glory of God; see Exodus 20:18. Thus the certainty of the revelation was established by many witnesses, and by those especially of the most _competent_ kind. _A PAVED WORK OF A SAPPHIRE STONE_] Or _sapphire brick-work_. I suppose that something of the _Musive_ or _Mosaic_ pavement is here intended; floors most curiously inlaid with variously coloured stones or small square

AND THEY SAW THE GOD OF ISRAEL - As they ate the sacrificial feast, the presence of Yahweh was manifested to them with special distinctness. In the act of solemn worship, they perceived that He was present with them, as their Lord and their Deliverer. It is idle to speculate on the mode of this revelation. That no visible form was presented to their bodily eyes, we are expressly informed, Deuteronomy 4:12; see Exodus 33:20; compare Isaiah 6:1. The latter part of this verse may be read: “under His feet, it was like a work of bright sapphire stone, and like the heaven itself in clearness.” On the sapphire, see Exodus

EXPOSITION THE SACRIFICIAL FEAST AND THE VISION OF GOD. After the covenant had been ratified by the unanimous voice of the people, Moses proceeded to carry out the injunctions with respect to Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and the elders, which he had received while still in the mount (see the comment on Exodus 24:1, Exodus 24:2). Taking them with him, he ascended Sinai once more to a certain height, but clearly not to the summit, which he alone was privileged to visit (Exodus 24:2 and Exodus 24:12). The object

AND THEY SAW THE GOD OF ISRAEL,.... The Targum of Jonathan restrains this to Nadab and Abihu whereas it is doubtless true of Moses and Aaron, and the seventy elders, who all saw him, and who were witnesses to the people that it was a divine Person that spoke to Moses, and delivered the laws unto him, to be observed by them; which seems to be the reason of their being called up, and favoured with this sight which must not be understood as of anything criminal in them, as if they curiously looked and pried to see something they should not, for which they deserved some sort of punishment, as the Targum intimates; but of a privilege, and a very high one they were favoured with: and this sight they had was not by a vision of prophecy, or with the eyes of their understanding, but corporeally; they saw the Son of God, the God of Israel, in an human form, as a pledge and presage of his future in...

Exodus 24:1. _And he said unto Moses, Come up unto the LORD, thou, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel; and worship ye afar off. And Moses alone shall come near the LORD: but they shall not come nigh; neither shall the people go up with him._ Nearer to God than the people were allowed to come, but still at a distance from him. It was a covenant of distance, bounds were set about the mount lest the people should come too near. Yet they were near unto God as compared with the heathen, but far off as compared with those who now, by the teaching of the Spirit of God, have been brought near to God through the precious blood of Jesus. Moses alone could come near to Jehovah on mount Sinai, the people could not go up with him, nor even with the man who was their mediator with God, for such Moses was; but you and I, beloved, can go up with him who is far greater

CHAPTER 24 THE RATIFICATION OF THE COVENANT AND THE GLORY OF JEHOVAH _ 1. Moses called into Jehovah's presence (Exodus 24:1)_ 2. The covenant ratified and the sprinkling with blood (Exodus 24:3) 3. in the presence of God and Jehovah's glory (Exodus 24:9) This chapter is a fitting conclusion of this second section of the second part. It begins with the giving of the law and ends with the glory of the Lord. Moses alone was to come near to Jehovah; Aaron, Nadab and Abihu with the seventy elders of Israel, had to worship afar. Moses is a type of Christ in his exclusive privilege and attitude. Twice the people make the promise to keep the covenant, not realizing what they were doing. Then the blood was

EXODUS 24. VISION AND COVENANT. Exodus 24:1 f. J, Exodus 24:3 E, Exodus 24:9 J, Exodus 24:12 a E, Exodus 24:15 b - Exodus 24:18 a P, Exodus 24:18 b E. Taking the J elements first, it must be noted that they must have followed the giving of the code now transposed to Exodus 34:17 (see...

_and they saw_, &c. LXX., to avoid its being supposed that God could be -seen" (cf. on Exo Exodus 23:15 b, Exodus 33:20), paraphrase by -and they saw the place where the God of Israel stood." _and there was under his feet_, &c. The idea appears to be that they saw the Divine glory, not directly, but as they looked up at it from below, through what seemed to be a transparent blue sapphire pavement, comparable only to the sky in its clearness. Cf. the sapphire throne upon which, in his vision, Ezekiel sees the Divine form (Ezekiel 1:26). On what is meant by -sapphire," see on Exodus 28:18. _paved work_ lit. brick