Exodus 24: The Gory Glory of God

Synopsis:

God tells Moses to go and gather 70 elders plus his lieutenants because he wants to speak to them. So Moses builds an altar of stone and 12 pillars to represent the 12 tribes of Israel. Young men offered burnt offerings and peace offerings of oxen. Moses took half of the blood and put it in basis. The other half he sprinkled on the altar. He read the covenant to the assembled and said, this we shall obey. And he sprinkled the rest of the blood on the people and said, “behold, the blood of the covenant.”  Then the 70 elders, Moses and a few others went up to meet god. Under God’s feet was a paved work of sapphire stone so clear it looked like heaven.  He did not smite the 70, and everyone ate and drank and had a good time. Then the elders went back. Aaron and Hur were put in charge of them. God, Moses and Joshua go up the mount. God surrounds himself with clouds so he can put together stone tablets with the law and commandments. On the 7^th day the mount is covered in fire and God calls to Moses to join him. Moses sat on the mount with God for forty days and forty nights.

In other words:

This cult of Moses turns out to be a blood cult. After pouring blood on everyone, Moses goes to commune with God on a mountain for 40 days.

My response to this chapter:

No wonder Moses was adamant that if the Egyptians saw how they gave sacrifice to their God they would be horrified and would attack them and that was the reason why they had to go to the mountains to do it.  It’s bloody. And they are pouring blood all over themselves! And normal people viewing this would have been shocked and horrified and yeah, would have thought them mentally deranged and therefore dangerous.  This is a cult! In the worst sense of cult.

Favorite bit:

That 70 elders got to see God and the saphhire pavement he walked upon. That would be cool (Exodus 24: 10)

Least favorite bit:

Exodus 24:8 – where Moses sprinkles ox blood over all the assembled. I had a very bad visceral reaction to this and seriously, makes me think that these folks were crazy.

Moral Lesson learned:

Cults have always existed. Be careful who you hang out with (exodus 24)