Exodus Chapter 24 Verses 9-11 

:9 “Then went up Moses, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel: 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. 11 And upon the nobles of the children of Israel he laid not his hand: also they saw God, and did eat and drink.” 

“Then went up Moses, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel:”  It could be argued that this was the first Sanhedrin court as there were seventy elders of the people.  These were approved and appointed of God to be able to come to the point that they did.  The rest of the people were not allowed to come there.  These were permitted to see things that were amazing.  They were allowed to see the God of Israel and they were allowed to see his dwelling place.  As we have before read, only Moses was allowed to go up unto the Mount.  However, this in no way lessons the great blessing these seventy elders, Aaron and his two oldest sons were permitted to see.  Moreover, God laid not a hand upon the nobles 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.”  Moreover, concerning the sapphire, we read that the throne of God is also compared to a sapphire stone: Ezek. 10:1 “Then I looked, and, behold, in the firmament that was above the head of the cherubims there appeared over them as it were a sapphire stone, as the appearance of the likeness of a throne.”  The sapphire stone alluded to in the scripture is of great value: Job 28:16 “It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, or the sapphire.”  Thus, the dwelling place of God and his throne is of great value and precious.  Additionally, clearness speaks to us of purity.  Everything about God is perfectly pure.   

“Also they saw God, and did eat and drink.”  Eating and drinking throughout the scriptures is a sign of fellowship.  This teaches us that the ones who went up were allowed to fellowship with God.  What an amazing blessing we have today that we can have fellowship with God by eating and drinking of the gospel truths of God’s word. 

Verses 12-18

:12 “And the LORD said unto Moses, Come up to me into the mount, and be there: and I will give thee tables of stone, and a law, and commandments which I have written; that thou mayest teach them. 13 And Moses rose up, and his minister Joshua: and Moses went up into the mount of God. 14 And he said unto the elders, Tarry ye here for us, until we come again unto you: and, behold, Aaron and Hur are with you: if any man have any matters to do, let him come unto them. 15 And Moses went up into the mount, and a cloud covered the mount. 16 And the glory of the LORD abode upon mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days: and the seventh day he called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud. 17 And the sight of the glory of the LORD was like devouring fire on the top of the mount in the eyes of the children of Israel. 18 And Moses went into the midst of the cloud, and gat him up into the mount: and Moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights.” 

“And the LORD said unto Moses, Come up to me into the mount, and be there: and I will give thee tables of stone, and a law, and commandments which I have written; that thou mayest teach them.’  Anytime we go into the presence of the LORD we must come up and this is what the LORD told Moses to come up to him into the mount.  The LORD promised Moses to give unto him tables of stone (on these the Ten Commandments were written.)  He also promised to Moses that He would given unto him a law and commandments which the LORD had written.  Sometimes men make the mistake of saying that the bible is just a collection of the writings of men.  This, presumes that men were simply writing a historical account of events as they witnessed them or heard the accounts from others.  However, II Tim. 3:16 tells us “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:” The scripture is given by God.  The scriptures are not originated with men but God is the author of the scriptures and men are the pen by which God wrote the scriptures.  Obviously what Moses was to receive was not authored or originated by Moses. 

With what God promised to give Moses came also a responsibility given to Moses.  He was to teach the people what the LORD had given to him.   

“And Moses rose up, and his minister Joshua: and Moses went up into the mount of God.”  Previously we had read about Joshua as he led the children of Israel in battle against the Amelekites.  Now we see Joshua serving or ministering to Moses.  Before a man can be a good leader, he must first learn to be a good minister and serve others.  Joshua would later have a very important and prominent role in leading the children of Israel in battle against their enemies as they drove out the inhabitants of the land of Canaan.  He would be a captain unto them.   

“And he said unto the elders, Tarry ye here for us, until we come again unto you: and, behold, Aaron and Hur are with you: if any man have any matters to do, let him come unto them.”  When a good leader must temporarily vacate some responsibilities for a while as he attends to other business, he will always look to see that those vacated responsibilities are taken care.  By appointing Aaron and Hur to serve as counselors and judges for the people in his absence, Moses was seeing that those responsibilities that he had previously taken care of are still taken care of in his absence.   

“And Moses went up into the mount, and a cloud covered the mount. 16 And the glory of the LORD abode upon mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days: and the seventh day he called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud. 17 And the sight of the glory of the LORD was like devouring fire on the top of the mount in the eyes of the children of Israel.”  Throughout the scriptures a cloud is associated with the glory of the LORD and a devouring fire is associated with the judgment of the LORD.  We see these principles being illustrated in this passage of scripture.  Please remember that the LORD had appeared in the midst of a cloud that lead the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt and the scriptures told us that the glory of the LORD was n the cloud.   

Also, in the LORD’s glory is also his judgment.  The LORD judges his people and particularly the sins of his people.  Those sins must be atoned for based on God’s judgment of his broken laws.  To the people below the sight must have been both awesome and awful at the same time.   

It was on the seventh day that the LORD called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud.  Seven is the bible number of completion and the LORD is calling upon Moses out of his glory.  This in type points us to the completed work of Jesus Christ who having suffered the wrath of God on our behalf at the cross of Calvary and having completed the work of redemption, manifested to us his glory in his resurrection from the dead. 

“And Moses went into the midst of the cloud, and gat him up into the mount: and Moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights.”  What a tremendous experience this servant of the LORD was permitted to see and experience.  He was permitted to dwell in the midst of the glory of God and in the mount of God’s judgment for forty days and forty nights.