The Covenant Renewed
March 16, 2020
Commentary
This passage introduces the renewal of the covenant and its terms (vv. 10–26). It begins with the LORD promising to perform miracles never seen before (vv. 10–11). He assures Moses that His power will be displayed through mighty acts as the Israelites enter Canaan. These miracles included driving out the nations that lived there. However, this promise was condi-tional upon Israel’s obedience. Most covenant conditions had already been given earlier in chapters 21–23.
One major purpose of the LORD’s commands was to keep Israel from idolatry (vv. 12–14). Making treaties with idol-worshipers would lead to join-ing their sacrificial feasts (v. 15), intermarrying with their daughters (v. 16), and eventually crafting molten images (v. 17). Sadly, Israel ignored these warnings, as seen later in (JOS 9:1–7), and this compromise led to their exile. The same danger faces believers today. Spiritual compromise rarely begins with rebellion but with small choices. What one generation questions, the next often accepts; what we tolerate today can become tomorrow’s downfall.
The final section of this passage lists specific commands the LORD re-quired of His people. These included observing the Feast of Unleavened Bread (v. 18), redeeming the firstborn (vv. 19–20), resting on the Sabbath (v. 21), and celebrating the Feasts of Weeks and Ingathering (vv. 22–24). The LORD also reminded them not to offer leaven with sacrifices (v. 25) and to bring the firstfruits of the land to His house, ending with the command not to boil a young goat in its mother’s milk (v. 26). Each law reminded Israel that they were a holy, separated people belonging to the LORD.
Application
When God renews His covenant with me, He calls me to fresh obedience. Am I guarding my heart from small compromises that pull me from devotion? Do I treat worship, rest, and giving as reminders that I belong to Him? Today, how can I show that my love and loyalty are for the Lord alone, not mixed with worldly influences?
Exodus 34:10–26 (NET)
10 He said, “See, I am going to make a covenant before all your people. I will do wonders such as have not been done in all the earth, nor in any nation. All the people among whom you live will see the work of the Lord, for it is a fearful thing that I am doing with you.
11 “Obey what I am commanding you this day. I am going to drive out before you the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite. 12 Be careful not to make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land where you are going, lest it become a snare among you. 13 Rather you must destroy their altars, smash their images, and cut down their Asherah poles. 14 For you must not worship any other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God. 15 Be careful not to make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, for when they prostitute themselves to their gods and sacrifice to their gods, and someone invites you, you will eat from his sacrifice; 16 and you then take his daughters for your sons, and when his daughters prostitute themselves to their gods, they will make your sons prostitute themselves to their gods as well. 17 You must not make yourselves molten gods.
18 “You must keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread. For seven days you must eat bread made without yeast, as I commanded you; do this at the appointed time of the month Abib, for in the month Abib you came out of Egypt.
19 “Every firstborn of the womb belongs to me, even every firstborn of your cattle that is a male, whether ox or sheep. 20 Now the firstling of a donkey you may redeem with a lamb, but if you do not redeem it, then break its neck. You must redeem all the firstborn of your sons. “No one will appear before me empty-handed.
21 “On six days you may labor, but on the seventh day you must rest; even at the time of plowing and of harvest you are to rest.
22 “You must observe the Feast of Weeks—the firstfruits of the harvest of wheat—and the Feast of Ingathering at the end of the year. 23 At three times in the year all your men must appear before the Sovereign Lord, the God of Israel. 24 For I will drive out the nations before you and enlarge your borders; no one will covet your land when you go up to appear before the Lord your God three times in the year.
25 “You must not offer the blood of my sacrifice with yeast; the sacrifice from the Feast of Passover must not remain until the following morning.
26 “The first of the firstfruits of your soil you must bring to the house of the Lord your God. “You must not cook a young goat in its mother’s milk.”
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