提要
以色列人既然領受了許多良法，他們就要誠實、正確的將這些法律實踐出來。審判必須公正，不受謊言、群眾壓力、或任何偏見的影響。耶穌所教導的一項原則也在舊約的此處出現（23：4、5）：「要愛你們的仇敵」（太5：44；參箴25：21、22；羅12：20），其中便是聖經中的金律的觀念──你們願意人怎樣待你們，你們也要怎樣待人（太7：12）。這些態度都與世人的態度相反，是一種敬虔、與世界分別、討上帝喜悅的態度。如果以色列人遵守這些律法，他們就會與周圍的異教國家有別。我們的行為和態度本身都在向別人見證那存在我們心中的上帝的愛。 守安息日和各樣的節期不僅是以色列人的責任，也是他們享受的權利。那些節期是以色列人社交生活的焦點，安息年使窮人有機會得飽足，也是出於上帝的智慧，使土地有一段休養生息的時間。守安息日不僅有宗教上的意義，也表現了人道主義精神，讓所有的人都能得到更新。上帝在第六天賜下加倍的嗎哪，所以以色列人應信任上帝會在第六年也供應豐富的出產，使他們在第七年的休耕年中不至餓肚皮。
以色列人慶祝節期的目的是使他們紀念蒙救贖（藉著吃無酵餅），及上帝持續不斷的祝福和供應。祂是一切美善恩賜的源頭和賜予者；節期也給以色列人一個機會用禮物表達他們對上帝的感激（23：15、17）。迦南人有一種迷信的宗教儀式，就是用山羊羔母的奶煮羊羔，以期帶來好收成。以色列人要知道，豐收是上帝的祝福，榮耀也應都歸上帝。上帝不斷的提醒他們切勿仿效異教徒的習俗（23：24、32、33）。我們也必須小心，不要受這個世界迷信的影響，而要遠離那些不討上帝喜悅的事。
上帝的約以應許和警告作終。上帝差遣在以色列前面的使者一定就是耶穌基督道成肉身之前的先顯。上帝提到祂時說：「祂是奉我名來的」，意指上帝透過祂啟示自己。祂要住在上帝的百姓中間；現在，那位道成肉身者也住在我們中間（約1：14）。祂從不離開我們，而要帶領被贖的信徒穿過曠野的重重困難以及敵人的境界，到祂為真以色列人預備的應許的產業（約14：2）。上帝按著祂的智慧和時間，會逐漸使迦南地的居民離開（23：28，可以是真正的蜂災，也可能是一種恐懼的感覺），讓以色列人的數目增長，最後完全佔領那塊應許之地。
上帝叫摩西、所有的長老、亞倫和他的兩個兒子上西乃山，但只有摩西能進到上帝面前聽取更進一步的指示，並將上帝的指示都寫下來（這證明了摩西的權柄，24：4）。所有百姓都同意遵守此約的條例。在百姓能與上帝有更親密的關係之前，他們必須先獻祭，因為人的罪已使他喪失了上帝的歡心。灑在祭壇上的血象徵他們被贖的生命現在獻給上帝作活祭，與祂有親密、不可分割的團契。將血灑在百姓身上（很可能是灑在代表以色列十二支派的十二根柱子上）則是上帝接受和悅納的記號。這個約就藉著血確立了。
同樣的，作新約中保的耶穌基督也將自己獻在十架上作活祭，祂所流的血為我們灑在祭壇上（來9：12），也灑在教會──信徒的身體──身上，使我們被上帝接納。耶穌在最後晚餐所說的話似乎就是暗指這段經文（24：8）：「這杯是用我血所立的新約，是為你們流出來的」（路22：20；參來9：19、20）。
在接下來的儀式中，上帝准許亞倫、亞倫的兒子、和眾長老一窺祂的榮耀；對他們而言，這一定是個使他們信心得建造的偉大經驗。然後，摩西第五度上西乃山與上帝相處一段更長的時間。上帝與以色列民的約既已確立，以色列民就需要有一些具體的事物來協助他們敬拜上帝。所以這次上帝在西乃山上指示摩西有關建造會幕的細節，上帝並親手將十誡寫在石版上。像摩西一樣，我們也需要花足夠的時間與上帝同在，如此才能知道祂的旨意，照祂所指示我們的去行，並使我們的信心得堅固。上帝已將祂的聖言和聖靈賜給我們，幫助我們來敬拜祂。
|
Overview
Now that the Israelites were given many good civil laws, care must be taken that they be carried out honestly and justly. Justice and judgment must not be perverted by falsehood, mob pressure, or any form of bias. A principle that Jesus taught was also taught here in the Old Covenant (23:4, 4): “do good to those who hate you” (Matthew 5:44; cf. Proverbs 25:21, 22; Romans 12:20), and there is the idea of the golden rule – do unto others as you would have them do unto you (Matthew 7:12). These are contrary to the attitude of the world and express a godliness and separation which is pleasing to God. If the Israelites followed these rules, they would be different from the surrounding heathen nations. Our actions and attitudes are in themselves a witness to others of the love of god in our hearts. The celebrations of the Sabbaths and feasts were not only duties of the covenant people, but were privileges for their enjoyment. They were the focal points of the Israelite social life. The sabbatical year served to provide for the poor, and, in the wisdom of God, it provided a time to the soil to be replenished. The observance of the Sabbath day, along with being a religious observance, is here presented as humanitarian as it provided a time for all to be refreshed. As God doubled the manna on the sixth day, so they were to trust Him to provide an abundance in the sixth year so that in the seventh year of untoiled soil they would not go hungry.The feasts were to serve as a remembrance of their redemption (by eating only unleavened bread) and of God’s continual blessings and provision. He is the giver and source of all good things and the feasts gave the Israelites opportunity to show their appreciation by bringing Him gifts (23:15, 17), The Canaanites had the superstitious religious rite of boiling a young goat in its mother’s milk to bring a good harvest. The Israelites were to learn that harvest came as a blessing from the Lord and He was to receive the glory for it. God constantly reminded them not to become involved in heathen practices (23:24, 32, 33). We must take care not to be influenced by the superstitions of the world and to remain separate from things which displease God.
The covenant concluded with promises and warnings. The angel that God set before Israel was surely a preincarnate manifestation of Jesus Christ. God said of Him, “My name is in Him”, meaning God revealed Himself through Him. He dwelt among God’s people, and now He who became flesh dwells among us (John 1:14). He never leaves, but rather leads His redeemed believers through difficulties in wilderness places and though enemy territory to the promised inheritance where He has prepared a place for His spiritual Israel (John 14:2). In God’s wisdom and timing, He would gradually cause the inhabitants of the land to leave (23:28, could be a plague of literal hornets, or the sting of hear) so the Israelites could grow in number and fully occupy the Promised Land.
God called Moses, all the elders, Aaron and his two oldest sons to come before Him on mount Sinai, but Moses alone went up closer to ear from Him further instructions and to write them down (attests to the Mosaic authorship, 24:4). All the people agreed to obey the rulings of the covenant. Sacrifice was necessary before the close relationship with God was possible, since mankind’s sinful condition forfeits the favor of God. The blood that was sprinkled upon the altar signified that their Lord as a living sacrifice in a close most likely, on the 12 pillars (representing the 12 tribes) was done as a sign of God’s acceptance and favor. Thus the covenant was ratified through blood.
In the same manner, Jesus Christ, the Mediator of the New Covenant, offered up Himself as a sacrifice on the cross and His shed blood was sprinkled on the altar in intercession on our behalf (Hebrews 9:12) and sprinkled on His Church, the body of believers, to be made acceptable before God. Jesus seemed to allude to this portion of scripture (24:8) in words at the Last Supper: “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you (Luke 22:20; cf. Hebrews 9:19, 20).
In the ceremony that followed, God allowed Aaron, his sons and the elders to have a glimpse of His glory which must have been a tremendous faith-building experience. Then, for the fifth time, Moses ascended Mount Sinai to spend a longer time with God. Now that the covenant had been sealed they needed something concrete to aid them in their worship, so this time on the Mount, God instructed Moses about the Tabernacle and He Himself wrote down the ten commandments on the tablets of stone. Like Moses, we need to spend quality time with God so we may know His will, do as He instructs us and have our faith strengthened, He has given us His Holy Word and His Holy Spirit to aid us in worshipping Him. |
