The Covenant Renewed

Exodus 34:10–26
» View this passage in NIV (Bible Gateway)

This passage gives an introduction to the terms of the covenant (vv. 10-26) It starts out with the Lord promising to perform miracles that have never been seen before (vv. 10-11). He promises to display many wonders so that the people will see His power. These wonders include His driving out the people living in Palestine. However, this conquest was conditional on Israel’s obedience to God. All of these conditions were essentially given previously in chapters 21-23.

One of the major purposes of the rules and regulations of this covenant was to keep Israel from idolatry (vv. 12-14). Making a treaty with idolaters would lead to involvement in sacrificial meals (v. 15), intermarrying of their daughters to Canaanite men (v. 16) and even to making molten images (v. 17). Tragically Israel did not head these warnings as we read about in (Joshua 9:1-7). Ultimately this led to Israel being exiled. This is also a great warning for us today. Religious compromise is always a downward progression. The questioning of one generation often become the doctrines of the next and the dabbling in sin today can become a habitual practice tomorrow.

The remaining verses in this passage present a series of miscellaneous duties which the Lord required of Israel. This included the feast of unleavened bread (v. 18), the redemption of the firstborn (vv. 19-20), the Sabbath (v. 21), the feast of weeks and ingathering (vv. 22-24), prohibitions concerning the offering of leaven (v. 25) and finally God’s claims upon all the first-fruits of the land which included that a young goat was not to be boiled in its mothers milk (v. 26).

Application

I must be careful to not compromise in my home, so that it will possibly have an effect on the next generation. An example would be that of watching things on the internet that do not edify the Lord.