Praise the Lord Jesus Christ, please study this chapter and then answer all 65 questions at the end of this chapter.

Exodus Chapter 34

Exodus 34:1 “And the LORD said unto Moses, Hew thee two tables of stone like unto the first: and I will write upon [these] tables the words that were in the first tables, which thou brakest.”

“Hew … two tables of stone”: Renewal of the covenant meant replacement of the broken original tables on which God had personally written the Ten Commandments (32:19).

We spoke in the last lesson that the Lord had forgiven the people for their sins. The covenant He had made with these people had to do with them keeping the law. Moses had broken the first two tables of stone when he saw the sins of the people. God had the first two stones ready for Moses. Even the stones were provided by the Lord the first time. We see that the Lord required Moses to hew these stones, because he broke the others. The Lord would write on the stones that Moses provided. The words would be the same as the first stones.

Verses 2-28: Moses’ second period of 40 days and nights on Mt. Sinai (Chapters 25-32).

Exodus 34:2 “And be ready in the morning, and come up in the morning unto mount Sinai, and present thyself there to me in the top of the mount.”

It was necessary to allow an interval for the hewing of the stones.

“In the top of the mount”: I.e., in the same place as before (compare Exodus 19:20; 24:12; 24:18).

The Lord told Moses to have the stones ready the next morning. Moses, once again, was to go to the top of Mount Sinai and commune with the Lord.

Exodus 34:3 “And no man shall come up with thee, neither let any man be seen throughout all the mount; neither let the flocks nor herds feed before that mount.”

These stringent commands were new. On the previous occasion, Aaron, Hur, and the elders had ascended the mount part of the way (Exodus 24:9-11). And Joshua had accompanied his master almost to the summit (Exodus 24:13), and had apparently remained in some part of the mountain during the whole time of Moses’ stay (Exodus 32:17). Now Moses was to be quite alone, and no one was to be seen in any part of the mount. The stringency of the new orders must be connected with the promised revelation to Moses of God’s glory (Exodus 33:21-23).

“Neither let the flocks nor herds feed before that mount”: Or over against it, or rather “near” it. Which was ordered, not so much on the account of the flocks themselves, who were not capable of any moral guilt; nor that they might not come to any hurt, since they were to be stoned or thrust through with a dart if they touched it, which order it is highly probable was in force as before. But on the account of their shepherds, that there might be none of them on the spot, or near, to observe what passed. And chiefly this was said to command fear and reverence in the minds of the people, while this solemn affair was transacting between God and Moses, and to check all curiosity in them.

This whole mountain had been made a very holy place because of the presence of God. This was why the restriction was made not to allow anyone, or any animals to touch the mountain. Had they touched the mountain, they would die. Moses was the only one who could go to the top of the mountain.

Exodus 34:4 “And he hewed two tables of stone like unto the first; and Moses rose up early in the morning, and went up unto mount Sinai, as the LORD had commanded him, and took in his hand the two tables of stone.”

Moses obeys all the directions given him to the letter. Hews, or causes to be hewn, the two tables, making them as like as he can to the former ones. He rises early, and ascends the mountain to the appointed spot, and takes with him the tables, for God to perform his promise of writing the commandments upon them (verse 1).

We see that Moses obeyed to the letter. He lost no time heading up the mountain the next morning. Moses carried the two tables to the Lord to be written on.

Exodus 34:5 “And the LORD descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the LORD.”

In this stunning self-revelation, Yahweh doubled the word “LORD” to say, “This is who I Am”. “Merciful” and “gracious” go together, He is extensively gracious. “Longsuffering” is a comic term in Hebrew; it means “long of nose” in the sense that it takes a great deal to make the Lord angry.

The Lord left the tent “tabernacle” after meeting with Moses and went out of sight of the people. When Moses went up the mountain, the presence of God came down. Just as the Lord had promised, He revealed the Lord’s name to Moses.

Verses 6-7: Here is one of the testimonies to the character of God.

Exodus 34:6 “And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth,”

The most import phrase is “abundant in goodness and truth”: These words in Greek describe Jesus (in John 1:14), as “full of grace and truth.” Parallel descriptions of the Lord are found throughout Scripture (Neh. 9:17; Psalms 86:15; 100:5; 103:8; 117:2; Joel 2;13; Johan 4:2).

Exodus 34:7 “Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear [the guilty]; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s children, unto the third and to the fourth [generation].”

In his own heart, in his purposes and decrees, in his counsels and covenant, in his Son, with whom he keeps it for ever, and for all in him (Psalm 89:28). And they are many who are ordained to eternal life, for whom Christ gave his life a ransom, and for whom his blood was shed for the remission of their sins.

“Iniquity, and transgression, and sin”: Sins of all sorts and sizes, secret or open, infirmities or presumptions, against God or men, as the heap of various words here put together signifies.

“That will by no means clear the guilty”: This is commonly esteemed a title of justice or vengeance, which is here added by way of correction lest men should mistake or abuse God’s mercy. God is most gracious indeed, but so as he is also just. And will not pity nor spare impudent and impenitent transgressors, but will severely punish them.

He is so gracious, that though he will severely punish the iniquity of the fathers, and especially their idolatry, upon themselves, and upon their children, as he hath said (Exodus 20:5). Yet in judgment he will remember mercy, and will not utterly destroy his people for their sins.

“Visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s children, unto the third and to the fourth generation” (see note on Exodus 20:5-6).

Here we see the personality of God. All goodness, all grace, all truth, all mercy and even long-suffering in all of this. At the very same time that we see all of this goodness, we also see justice. The Lord is the Judge of all the world. They had known God until this time as Jehovah. The Self-Existent One. This name “Jehovah” had shown the power and greatness of God. Now we see the Lord revealing to Moses more of Himself in His dealings with man. We are told by Jesus that He is the Truth, the Word and the Light.

The name that tells all about God is the one that I believe He revealed Himself to Moses here. This name is not to be spoken or written by mere man. We will not know this name until we hear it in heaven. Most people want the Lord to be all the good things and want to forget that He is also, the Judge and that He is just. Forgiveness is the only way to get to heaven. Jesus is the door we must go through. There is no other way. Without Jesus’ shed blood, we would be judged and found guilty as charged. We have been pardoned and justified; just as if we had never sinned.

Exodus 34:8 “And Moses made haste, and bowed his head toward the earth, and worshipped.”

As the Divine glory passed before him, Moses bowed his head in adoration, worshipping God, and not daring to look until the glory had gone by. It is thus seen that with his ardent desire to look into the things of God he combined the highest and deepest reverence.

Moses, even though he was God’s friend, knew that God is the Lord. Moses bowed and worshipped. Moses knew better than anyone else what reverence should be shown. Moses knew that he was not equal with God. He knew that he was the servant and he knew to let God alone be God.

Exodus 34:9 “And he said, If now I have found grace in thy sight, O Lord, let my Lord, I pray thee, go among us; for it [is] a stiffnecked people; and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for thine inheritance.”

The Lord’s ways (Exodus 33:13), and character having now been disclosed to Moses, he again entreats the Lord, who is ready to forgive (verse 7a). To pardon His people’s sin, and give proof that He has again received them into His favor, by going personally with them to Canaan (Exodus 33:14).

“Stiffnecked”: This character of the people (Exodus 32:9, 33:3; 33:5), is here made the motive for its being treated with favor and forgiven.

“For thine inheritance”: The thought of Israel being Jehovah’s inheritance occurs (in Deut. 4:20; 9:26; 9:29, and in the Song, Exodus 32:9). But nowhere in the earlier books of the Pentateuch.

Moses repeated the prayer of the previous day and asked God afresh to forgive His people, even though they did not deserve it. Moses feels sure at this point that he had found favor (“grace”), with the Lord. God had said the day before that He would do this, so we know that Moses prayed more than once. Sometimes it is difficult to believe that God has answered our prayer. I believe this was the case here.

Verses 10-28: In this renewed covenant, the Hebrew people were not to intermarry with the unbelieving peoples of the land or make alliances with them. To align with them would mean to eventually act like them, turning the children of Israel to idolatry (Hosea 4:13-14).

Exodus 34:10 “And he said, Behold, I make a covenant: before all thy people I will do marvels, such as have not been done in all the earth, nor in any nation: and all the people among which thou [art] shall see the work of the LORD: for it [is] a terrible thing that I will do with thee.”

I.e., “I lay down afresh the terms of the covenant which I am content to make with Israel. I will go with them, and drive out the nations before them (Exodus 34:11). And work miracles on their behalf (Exodus 34:10), and enlarge their borders (Exodus 34:24), and prevent their enemies from desiring their land at the festival seasons (Exodus 34:24).

They, on their part, must ‘observe that which I command them this day. The “command” given included the moral law, as laid down in the Ten Commandments (Exodus 34:28). And a summary of the chief points contained in the “Book of the Covenant,” which must be regarded as a re-publication and re-authorization of that book.

“Marvels, such as have not been done in all the earth”: Such as the drying up of Jordan (Josh. 3:16-17), the falling down of the walls of Jericho (Josh. 6:20), the destruction of the army of the five kings by hailstones (Josh. 10:11), and the like.

“A terrible thing” (compare Deut. 10:21; Psalms 106:22; 145:6).

God is “terrible” to the enemies of His people. It is better to understand it of the ministry of Moses, and of the awful things that God would do by him. Or rather of the people of Israel, among whom, and for whose sake, God would do such things as should cause a panic among the nations all around them. Particularly what he did for them to Og king of Bashan, and Sihon king of the Amorites. Because which terror fell, as on the king of Moab, so on the inhabitants of Canaan (see Num. 21:33; Josh. 2:9).

We had already seen some miracles, but in this, He was speaking of miracles like the walls of Jericho which would fall down before them and crossing the Jordan on dry land. Just the fact that they walked forty years in the wilderness and never wore their shoes out is a fantastic miracle in itself. I really believe that the most unbelievable miracle of all was that God forgave them over and over and truly did lead them to the land of promise. We see in all of this (speaking of the terrible things), these were not terrible for the children of Israel who God brought through victoriously, but terrible for their enemies. The surrounding people would greatly fear and would avoid any trouble at all, because God would remove everyone who got in the way of His people.

Exodus 34:11 “Observe thou that which I command thee this day: behold, I drive out before thee the Amorite, and the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite.”

The same six nations are particularized (in Exodus 3:8; 3:17; 23:23, also in 33:2).

In (Deut. 7:1; and Josh. 3:10; 24:11), the Girgashites are added, and the number of the nations made seven (see note on 3:8).

God promised to move all these people out so that the children of Israel could inhabit the land with no problems. God would do this, if the Israelites followed His commands.

Verses 12-17 (see note on 23:32). This time the admonition on international treaties included a warning of how idolatry could easily ensnare them by seemingly innocent invitations to join the festivities like a good neighbor or by intermarriage. Because these events would require recognition of the contracting parties’ deities. Their future history demonstrated the urgency of such instruction and the disaster of disobeying it.

Exodus 34:12 “Take heed to thyself, lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land whither thou goest, lest it be for a snare in the midst of thee:”

This is said not to Moses, but to the people of Israel, as a caution to them when they should enter the land of Canaan, and possess it.

“Lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land whither thou goest”: Enter into a league and alliance, to live friendly and amicably, and support and assist each other against the common enemy. Whereby they were to smite the seven nations and destroy them, showing them no mercy (Deut. 7:1).

“Lest it be for a snare in the midst of thee”: Be the means of drawing them into the same sinful practices with themselves. Especially into idolatrous ones, and so of bringing ruin and destruction on them.

Exodus 34:13 “But ye shall destroy their altars, break their images, and cut down their groves:”

The Israelites are commanded to destroy every monument of idolatry, however curious or costly. They were to refuse all alliance, friendship, or marriage with idolaters, and all idolatrous feasts. And they were reminded not to repeat the crime of making molten images. Jealously is called the rage of a man (Prov. 6:34). But in God, it is His holy and just displeasure. Those cannot worship God rightly, who do not worship him only.

“And cut down their groves”: Which were clusters of trees, where they had their temples and their idols, and did service to them. And where, besides idolatry, many impurities were committed. Such places were originally used by good men for devotion, being shady and solitary, but when abused to superstitious and idolatrous uses, were forbidden. It is said, the word for “grove” is general, and includes every tree they serve, or plant, for an idol.

Exodus 34:14 “For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name [is] Jealous, [is] a jealous God:”

Than the Lord their God, the one only living and true God, which was the first command given to the people of Israel, and binding upon all men.

“For the Lord whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God”: His name and nature answer to one another. He admits of no rival or competitor in worship; he will not give his glory to another god, or one so called, or his praise to graven images. And in this he is distinguished from all nominal and fictitious gods, who have many joined with them, and are rivals of them, which give them no concern, being insensible. But it is otherwise with the Lord, who knows the dishonor done him, and resents it, and is as jealous of any worship being given to another. As the husband is of the honor of his marriage bed; for idolatry is spiritual adultery, as is suggested in the next verse.

The believers are warned all through the Bible not to be yoked with those of unbelief. Compromise is not in God’s plan. God wants our 100% devotion.

2 Corinthians 6:14 “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?” “And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?”

God will not allow His people to worship with those who worship false Gods. In fact (in verses 12-13), we see that these Israelites were to destroy the altars of these false gods and break their images. They were to aggressively destroy these items of false worship. Agreements with these people would include tolerance of their false religion which God would not allow. This was the reason God told them not to make a covenant with them. God would remove His blessings, so this would certainly be a snare to these people. These altars, images and groves were all used in false religion. We find that God is not only jealous, but that one of His names is Jealous. This is the first of the Ten Commandments as well. God will not under any circumstance allow the worship of other gods.

Exodus 34:15 “Lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and they go a whoring after their gods, and do sacrifice unto their gods, and [one] call thee, and thou eat of his sacrifice;”

If a covenant were made with the idolatrous nations of Canaan, and they were allowed to dwell in the land together with the Israelites (Exodus 23:33), the danger would be, in the first place, that Israel would be induced to partake in the idol-feasts. Secondly, that intermarriage would take place; and thirdly, such Israelites as married idolatrous wives would be persuaded by them to join in their worship, and would thus be seduced into actual idolatry. Solomon’s example shows the reality of the peril (see 1 Kings 11:1-8).

“And thou eat of his sacrifice”: Invite to eat of what remained, that was offered to the idol. Hence it appears, that having feasts at sacrifices, and eating things offered to idols in a festival way, are very ancient practices (see 1 Cor. 10:27).

Exodus 34:16 “And thou take of their daughters unto thy sons, and their daughters go a whoring after their gods, and make thy sons go a whoring after their gods.”

That is, marry them to them, explaining what is meant by making a covenant with them. Entering into such a near relation, and joining families, and thus intermixing with one another.

“And their daughters go a whoring after their gods”: The worship of which they have been trained up in from their infancy, and therefore hanker after them, and commit whoredom in a spiritual sense with them.

“And make thy sons go a whoring after their gods”: By the means of tempting and drawing them into idolatrous practices, as the wives of Solomon were a snare to him.

God has always called unfaithfulness to Him “going a-whoring”. The Christians are the bride of Christ. The book of Hosea actually deals with Israel being unfaithful to God. Hosea’s wife, who is spoken of as a “whore”, is symbolic of the church that is not faithful to God. This whoredom, spoken of above, is spiritual adultery. God does not want His people to fellowship with those who worship other gods. He has commanded His people to be faithful to Him alone. This intermarriage of those of different faiths is a real problem in our society today. God will not permit His people to worship or even attend church in false religions.

Exodus 34:17 “Thou shalt make thee no molten gods.”

Made of a melted liquid, whether gold, or silver, or brass, poured into a mold. And though graven images are not mentioned, they are included, a part being put for the whole, as appears not only from the injunction to break images in general, whether graven or molten (Exodus 34:13). But from the second command, which expressly forbids the making and worshipping of them. But “molten” ones are particularly mentioned, because it is probable they were chiefly such the Canaanites worshipped. And especially, because the calf the Israelites had lately made and worshipped was a molten one.

This is a terrible blight on our society today. Many people have Buddha’s, totem poles and other items associated with false religion in their homes. God is Jealous. He will not allow this. “Molten gods” fall into the category of the created and should not be in any Christian’s possession. God will not overlook this spiritual adultery.

Exodus 34:18 “The feast of unleavened bread shalt thou keep. Seven days thou shalt eat unleavened bread, as I commanded thee, in the time of the month Abib: for in the month Abib thou camest out from Egypt.”

This was instituted at the time of their coming out of Egypt, and on that account; and then observed (Exodus 12:15). And afterwards repeated, and the month expressed in which they were to keep it, and the reason of it, as it here follows (see notes on Exodus 12:14; 13:15).

We dealt with the feast of unleavened bread more than once before. This was the feast in April (“Abib”) that closely coincided with the Passover. This eating of unleavened bread symbolized the body of Jesus Christ which was completely free of sin. The eating of unleavened bread for these Israelites was in remembrance of the flight from Egypt and of God delivering them, Himself.

Exodus 34:19 “All that openeth the matrix [is] mine; and every firstling among thy cattle, [whether] ox or sheep, [that is male].”

Or “the womb”: And therefore to be sanctified and set apart for His use. This also was declared, and the law concerning it was given, at the time of their coming out of Egypt, and here repeated (see notes on Exodus 13:2, 13:12).

Whatsoever”: To wit, of the male kind, including both ox and sheep.

In this verse above “matrix” means womb. We see by this that all people belong to God. We are all alive because of the breath of life He breathed into our bodies. The firstborn son of people was to be the Lord’s. As we said before, God purchased them with the blood of the lamb over the doorpost, when the firstborn of Egypt were killed as the tenth plague. We see here, that the firstborn of the animals were to be sacrificed to God.

Exodus 34:20 “But the firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb: and if thou redeem [him] not, then shalt thou break his neck. All the firstborn of thy sons thou shalt redeem. And none shall appear before me empty.”

This goes along with the former (see notes on Exodus 13:2; 13:13).

“And none shall appear before me empty”: At the grand festivals, the Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles (see note on Exodus 13:15).

We will find that the child was to be purchased back from God with silver (redemption). The amount established later was five shekels of the sanctuary. The “ass” was never one of the sacrificial animals and would not have been suitable for sacrifice, so it had to be redeemed with a substitute acceptable unto God. The lamb was the substitute.

Exodus 34:21 “Six days thou shalt work, but on the seventh day thou shalt rest: in earing time and in harvest thou shalt rest.”

This is repeated from the “Book of the Covenant” (Exodus 23:12), but with a remarkable addition; “in earing time and in harvest thou shalt rest”.

“Earing time”: is “ploughing time”. To “ear” being to “plough” in Old English. And the command to rest both then and at harvest time is a command not to break the Sabbath rest at the seasons when it might seem most necessary so to do. The temptation to “save the harvest” is readily intelligible to Englishmen. To appreciate the other temptation, we are required to know the peculiar circumstances of the East. It is necessary there to complete the ploughing before the spring rains are over which last but a short time. And when they are once past, no rain can be looked for till the autumn.

This was a further explanation of the “Sabbath of rest”. Just because it was time to harvest or earing, was no excuse to work on the Sabbath. God established this Sabbath of rest for mankind. “Earing” means ploughing. So it was forbidden to plough or harvest on the Sabbath (See note on 20:8).

Exodus 34:22 “And thou shalt observe the feast of weeks, of the firstfruits of wheat harvest, and the feast of ingathering at the year’s end.”

Called (in Exodus 23:16), “the feast of harvest,” and in the New Testament “the day of Pentecost”. Seven weeks after the first day of unleavened bread (see note on Exodus 23:16). The special offering to be made at the feast consisted of “two wave loaves of fine flour, baked with leaven” (Lev. 23:17), which were “the first-fruits of the wheat harvest.”

“And the feast of ingathering”: Called also “the feast of tabernacles” (Lev. 23:34; Deut. 16:13; 16:16; 31:10). On account of the command to “dwell in booths seven days” during its continuance (Lev. 23:42). On the character of the festival (see note on Exodus 23:16).

We discussed these celebrations earlier in this series of lessons. Firstfruits occur in the early spring around April on our calendar and ingathering occurs at the end of the summer somewhere around October first on our calendar. This did not mean a 365 day year but rather was speaking of the crop year.

Exodus 34:23 “Thrice in the year shall all your men children appear before the Lord GOD, the God of Israel.”

At the three above mentioned feasts (see Exodus 23:17).

“The God of Israel”: Who had chosen them to be his special people, had redeemed them out of Egypt, and done great things for them since. He had made a covenant with them, and had now renewed that covenant with them, and was their covenant God, and they his people. And so were under great obligations to present themselves unto him at the times appointed by him.

These were the three celebrations that could not be overlooked by the men in the family. We dealt with this in chapter 23:17.

Exodus 34:24 “For I will cast out the nations before thee, and enlarge thy borders: neither shall any man desire thy land, when thou shalt go up to appear before the LORD thy God thrice in the year.”

Who are particularly mentioned (Exodus 34:11), and therefore they need not be in any fear of them. When they should go up to the appointed place, and appear before the Lord. For to this they were not obliged, until they were come into the land of Canaan, and the inhabitants driven out before them.

“And enlarge thy borders”: So that as they should have no enemies within them, to hinder and molest them, or discourage and deter them from attendance on the Lord at such set times. So they would be set at a great distance from them, that they should have nothing to fear from them. And should it be objected that at such times, when only women and children were left at home, and their borders were defenseless. It would be a proper opportunity for their enemies to invade them, it is further promised.

“Neither, shall any man desire thy land”: Though it is a desirable land. And their neighbors, and especially the old inhabitants of it, envied the happiness of the Israelites, and could not but wish it was in their possession. Yet God, who has the hearts of all men in his hands, and can direct their thoughts, and turn the inclinations of their minds, and influence their affections, and engage them with other objects. Promises that they should not think of an invasion of them. Or have their minds, and the desires and affections of their hearts, in the least turned that way at these seasons, whatever they might have at other times.

“When thou shall go up to appear before the Lord thy God thrice in a year”: This would be at the feasts before mentioned, which was a most wonderful display of the power and providence of God.

We read throughout the Bible, that if we follow the Lord in all His ways, God will cause even our enemies to be at peace with us. God fights our battles for us. We see that not only Canaan would be theirs as originally promised, but the land between the Nile and the Euphrates as well. We see that the people would not try to come against them and take their land. They knew that God was with them.

Exodus 34:25 “Thou shalt not offer the blood of my sacrifice with leaven; neither shall the sacrifice of the feast of the passover be left unto the morning.”

That is, not kill the passover, while there was any leaven in their houses; so the Targum of Jonathan (see note on Exodus 23:18).

“Neither shall the sacrifice of the feast of passover be left unto the morning”: Neither any of the flesh, nor of the fat of the passover lamb: if any were left, it was to be burnt (see Exodus 12:10).

Exodus 34:26 “The first of the firstfruits of thy land thou shalt bring unto the house of the LORD thy God. Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his mother’s milk.”

Thou shalt not delay to do this, but shalt bring the very first of them. Or, the first-fruits, even the first-fruits of thy land. Which limitation seems here conveniently added, because they were not bound to bring thither all their first-fruits, to wit, those of their own bodies, their children.

This and another law in this verse, concerning not seething a kid in his mother’s milk, are repeated (see note on Exodus 23:19).

This was just a repetition of what was given and explained (in Chapters 18 and 19), of this study. I believe the repeating of this, just shows how very important God felt this was.

Exodus 34:27 “And the LORD said unto Moses, Write thou these words: for after the tenor of these words I have made a covenant with thee and with Israel.”

Write for thee these words, meaning to put them in writing for thine own use and the use of thy people. This express command accounts for the assignment of so much space to what is mainly repetition. The requirement of the repetition can only be explained by the importance of the laws laid down under the circumstances of the Hebrew nation, and the power of repetition to enforce upon the conscience what is pressed upon it by reiteration.

“After the tenor of these words”: The summary of positive laws contained in this chapter (Exodus 34:12-26), was not intended to supersede the “Book of the Covenant,” but rather to confirm and reinforce it. The covenant was renewed not upon these words only, but “after the tenor,” i.e., after their general aspect or bearing.

Moses was instructed to write these instructions for God’s people down for all time, just as this statement was made. The agreement with Israel was conditional. It was good if they followed the ways of the Lord. The covenant that God had made sounded like a very good deal but was only as good as it sounded, if Israel kept their part of the bargain.

Exodus 34:28 “And he was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink water. And he wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the ten commandments.”

As on his former ascent in (Exodus 24:18). The long time is, at first sight, surprising, since there were now no instructions to be given. But we learn from Deuteronomy (Exodus 9:18-19), that it was required for an earnest and prolonged intercession by Moses on behalf of his nation, which ultimately prevailed with God, and induced Him to put away His “anger and hot displeasure.”

“He did neither eat bread, nor drink water”: A similar fast had been kept on the previous occasion (Deut. 9:9), though it is not mentioned in Exodus. Fasts of this extraordinary duration are only recorded of Moses, Elijah (1 Kings 19:8), and of our Lord (Matt. 4:2). They are absolutely miraculous, and modern attempts to rival them are viewed by scientific men as deriving such apparent success as may have attended them from imposture.

“He wrote upon the tables”: It has been concluded from this statement that Moses engraved the words upon the second tables; and the passage, if it stood alone, would certainly admit, and, indeed, naturally suggest, this meaning. But the Hebrew idiom allows us to regard Jehovah as the nominative to the verb “wrote;” and it is necessary so to do in order to bring the passage into agreement with (Exodus 34:1, and with Deut. 10:2; 10:4). Thus the second tables are to be viewed as “written with the finger of God” no less than the first (Exodus 31:18; 32:16).

We see here, very different tables of stones. The first two stones were provided by God. Moses made these. “Forty”, as I have said so many times in these teachings, is a time of testing. These forty days that Moses was away from the children of Israel would certainly test them. The first time that Moses was gone for an extended time, they fell into idolatry. This time they must not fail this test. This time they did not decide Moses was not coming back.

We see here, that Moses went forty days and nights without food and water. Only Moses, Elijah and Jesus accomplished this length of fasting. The Lord is the Bread and Water of life and Moses was in His presence. We can see that he (Moses), was miraculously sustained, because he was in His presence. Jesus had told the disciples “I have bread you know not of”. The Bible (Word of God), is spoken of as Bread as well. Whatever was the case, we know that God was fully able to take care of Moses.

This “he wrote upon the tables” is a little deceiving. In (verse 1), we read that the Lord said He would write upon them. I believe there is a definite break between the “he did neither eat” and the “he that wrote the commandments on the stones”. We see a verification that the Lord wrote on the second stones (in Deut. 10:2). The Ten Commandments were also called the Decalogue and the covenant.

Verses 29-35: The experience of the Holy had so transformed Moses that he wore a veil so no one could look upon him. In one sense, when we spend time communing with God, we too “shine” with His glory (2 Cor. 3:7, 18).

The first time on the mount (24:12-32:14), unlike the second, had not left Moses with a face which was reflecting some radiance associated with being in the presence of the Lord for an extended period of time. On the first occasion, mere mention was made of Moses being gone 40 days and nights (24:18). On the second, mention was made of the 40 day and night absence but adding that Moses had been there with the Lord, neither eating nor drinking (verse 28), appears to draw attention to the different nature of the second visit. It, in comparison with the first, was not interrupted by the Lord’s sending Moses away because of sin in the camp (32:7-10).

A compliant and not defiant people feared the evidence of God’s presence. When not speaking to the Lord or authoritatively on His behalf to the people, Moses veiled his face. The Apostle Paul advised that the veil prevented the people from seeing a fading glory and related it to the inadequacy of the old covenant and the blindness of the Jews in his day (see notes on 2 Cor. 3:7-18).

Exodus 34:29 “And it came to pass, when Moses came down from mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony in Moses’ hand, when he came down from the mount, that Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him.”

Compare (Exodus 31:18).

“The skin of his face shone”: Compare (Matthew 17:2). The brightness of the Eternal Glory, though Moses had witnessed it only in a modified manner (Exodus 33:22-23), was so reflected in his face, that Aaron and the people were stricken with awe. And feared to approach him until he gave them words of encouragement.

The word translated “shine” is closely connected with a word translated “horn”. And hence, the Latin version and others have rendered the verb “to be horned.” From this rendering of the word has arisen the popular representation of Moses with horns on his forehead; e. g. in Michelangelo’s statue at Rome.

Jesus said that He was the Light of the world. In our lessons on Genesis, we dealt with Jesus being the source of all light.

John 1:9: “That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.”

You see, Moses had been in the presence of the source of all Light for forty days and nights. The belief that Moses wrote Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy makes me believe that Moses’ head was filled with the knowledge to write those books, while he was in the Lord’s presence. Moses would bring the tables of stone down with him and this time he would not break them.

Exodus 34:30 “And when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone; and they were afraid to come nigh him.”

This would certainly be frightening to see. This had to be so bright that they perhaps thought that this wasn’t Moses, but his spirit. When a person gets a really good dose of Christianity, you can see a shine in his face. This is just a small version of what Moses had. Moses had spent a great deal of time in the very near presence of God and the glory of God was shining in Moses’ face.

Exodus 34:31 “And Moses called unto them; and Aaron and all the rulers of the congregation returned unto him: and Moses talked with them.”

Who, as it appears by what follows, on sight of him were so terrified, that they did not proceed on to meet him, but went back, and therefore he called unto them to return and come forward.

“And Aaron and all the rulers of the congregation returned unto him”: Knowing him by his voice, and encouraged by his call of them, who before might take him to be something more than human. Some glorious form, one of the heavenly angels appearing in this manner.

“And Moses talked with them”: After he had put a vail on his face, of which there is an account in the following verses. He talked with them friendly, and told them all that had happened to him in the mount. What a glorious sight he had been indulged with. What a proclamation of the grace and goodness of God had been made to him; and what laws and ordinances God had enjoined him and them the observance of.

When Moses called out to them, they recognized his voice and realized it was really Moses. He reassured them that they should not fear him and that he was still a man. Aaron and these rulers had known before that Moses had something special with God. God had not allowed them to come as close to Him as He had Moses. It seems as though even Aaron and the rulers had feared Moses, but after he called out to them, they came close to him and Moses talked with them.

Exodus 34:32 “And afterward all the children of Israel came nigh: and he gave them in commandment all that the LORD had spoken with him in mount Sinai.”

That is, after Aaron and the rulers had had a conversation with Moses, then the whole body of the people by turns was admitted to come before him, and hear the laws of God from him.

“And he gave them in commandment all that the Lord had spoken with him on Mount Sinai”: Besides the two tables of stone, and the testimony written on them, he gave them all the other commands he was ordered to write in a book, and which are recorded in this chapter. He kept back nothing from them, but enjoined them to keep all the Lord had commanded.

This was not just the Ten Commandments, but also, the rules for living that God expected of them. Especially about the Sabbath and the three feasts that God expected them to observe each year. This certainly was not all that God had given Moses in these forty days, but was the messages that directly pertained to them.

Exodus 34:33 “And [till] Moses had done speaking with them, he put a veil on his face.”

“And till Moses had done speaking with them, he put a veil on his face”: From this time onward the veil became part of his ordinary dress. Only two occasions were exceptions:

(1) When he was alone with God, and

(2) When he had a message for the people from God.

According (to Paul in 2 Cor. 3:13), the reason for this veil was so that the Israelites could not see “the end of that which is abolished,” or “the end of what was passing away.” Three important truths are taught by the veil:

(1) The veil typified the veiled glory of the Old Covenant in contrast to the unveiled and abiding glory of the New Covenant. The full and majestic revelation of God’s glory was to be witnessed in the New Testament period (2 Cor. 3:13).

(2) It represented the veil that was on the heart of the Hebrews of his day, symbolizing their spiritual blindness (2 Cor. 3:14-16).

(3) The final reference to the veil is found (in 2 Cor. 3:18), and applies to the unveiled vision given to the believer by the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Every believer is in the process of being changed into the image of his Lord as a result of the new life within him.

This “veil” was so they would not be so overwhelmed by the light of Moses’ face.

2 Corinthians 3:13-16 “And not as Moses, [which] put a veil over his face, that the children of Israel could not steadfastly look to the end of that which is abolished:” “But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same veil untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which [veil] is done away in Christ.” “But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the veil is upon their heart.” “Nevertheless, when it shall turn to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away.”

All of this bears out the fact that the Lord Jesus is the source of all light, knowledge and understanding.

Exodus 34:34 “But when Moses went in before the LORD to speak with him, he took the veil off, until he came out. And he came out, and spake unto the children of Israel [that] which he was commanded.”

Went into the tabernacle to converse with him, to pray unto him, and inquire about any matter of difficulty respecting the people of Israel he was concerned for, which he often did.

“He put a veil on his face”: That veil was with the greatest propriety removed when speaking with the Lord, for every one appears unveiled to the eye of Omniscience. But it was replaced on returning to the people, and this was emblematic of the dark and shadowy character of that dispensation (2 Cor. 3:13-14).

“And he came out, and spake unto the children of Israel that which he was commanded”: This respects not the present time of his coming down from the mount, or out of the tabernacle with the law and commands now given, for these he had already declared. But after times and all such times, when he went in to the Lord to inquire of him regarding his mind and will concerning certain things. In which the people wanted information, when, upon his return, he acquainted them with whatsoever the Lord ordered to be done.

When Moses went back into the presence of the Lord, God took the veil off, so that Moses might see and understand clearly everything the Lord gave him for the people.

Exodus 34:35 “And the children of Israel saw the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses’ face shone: and Moses put the veil upon his face again, until he went in to speak with him.”

That is, not only when he came down from the mount, but whenever he came out of the tabernacle, where he had been inquiring of God, and conversing with him.

“And Moses put the veil upon his face again, until he went in to speak with him”: This he did from time to time, when he came out from the Lord he put on his veil, and when he went in again, he put it off. How long this brightness on his countenance remained, cannot be said with any certainty. Saadiah Gaon says, it did not remove from him to the day of his death. Hence it is said, “his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated” (Deut. 34:7). And Aben Ezra seems to approve of it; and it is the opinion of many great and learned men, that it continued as long as he lived.

The message that God gave Moses was not veiled to Moses, but it was partly veiled from Moses to the people, until the fullness of the Lord was revealed at the cross.

Exodus 34: Questions