◄ Exodus 24:6 ►
Moses took half of the blood and put it in bowls, and the other half he sprinkled on the altar.
Study Bible
Moses took half of the blood
The act of Moses taking the blood signifies a deliberate and sacred action. In Hebrew, the word for "took" is "laqach," which implies receiving or acquiring with intention. Blood, in the ancient Near Eastern context, symbolizes life and covenant. The division of the blood into halves indicates a dual purpose, reflecting the seriousness of the covenant being established between God and Israel. This act underscores the role of Moses as a mediator, a precursor to the ultimate mediator, Jesus Christ, in the New Covenant.

and put it in basins
The use of basins, or "aggan" in Hebrew, suggests preparation and orderliness in the sacrificial process. Basins were common in ancient rituals, serving as vessels to hold sacred elements. This careful handling of the blood highlights the reverence and sanctity of the covenant ceremony. It also points to the necessity of preparation in worship, reminding believers of the importance of approaching God with a heart ready to receive His grace and truth.

and the other half he sprinkled on the altar
The act of sprinkling, "zaraq" in Hebrew, is a ritualistic action that signifies purification and consecration. The altar, representing God's presence and the place of sacrifice, is sanctified by the blood. This sprinkling is a foreshadowing of the ultimate sacrifice of Christ, whose blood would be shed for the purification of humanity. The altar, central to Israelite worship, becomes a symbol of divine-human interaction, where God meets His people. This act of sprinkling also emphasizes the necessity of atonement and the transformative power of sacrificial blood in establishing a covenant relationship with God.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Moses
The central figure in this passage, Moses is the leader of the Israelites and the mediator of the covenant between God and His people. He performs the ritual of blood sprinkling as part of the covenant ceremony.

2. The Altar
Represents the place of sacrifice and worship. In this context, it is where Moses sprinkles the blood, symbolizing the sealing of the covenant between God and Israel.

3. The Blood
Symbolizes life and is used in the covenant ceremony to signify purification and the binding agreement between God and the Israelites. The Hebrew word for blood, (dam), is often associated with life and sacrifice.

4. The Covenant Ceremony
This event marks the formal establishment of the covenant between God and Israel, with blood serving as a critical element in ratifying this sacred agreement.

5. The Israelites
The people of God who are entering into a covenant relationship with Him, represented by Moses in this ceremony.
Teaching Points
The Significance of Blood in Covenant
Blood is a powerful symbol of life and purification. In the context of the covenant, it signifies the seriousness and binding nature of the agreement between God and His people.

The Role of Mediation
Moses acts as a mediator between God and the Israelites, prefiguring Christ as the ultimate mediator of the new covenant. This highlights the need for a mediator in our relationship with God.

The Importance of Obedience and Commitment
The covenant ceremony underscores the importance of obedience and commitment to God’s commands. As believers, we are called to uphold our covenant relationship with God through faithful living.

The Continuity of God’s Plan
The use of blood in the Old Testament covenant points forward to the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ. This continuity shows God’s unchanging plan for redemption and relationship with His people.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the use of blood in Exodus 24:6 deepen your understanding of the seriousness of covenants in the Bible?

2. In what ways does Moses’ role as a mediator in this passage foreshadow the work of Jesus Christ in the New Testament?

3. How can the concept of covenant commitment in Exodus 24:6 be applied to our modern-day relationship with God?

4. What are some practical ways we can demonstrate our obedience and commitment to God’s covenant in our daily lives?

5. How does understanding the Old Testament use of blood in covenant ceremonies enhance your appreciation for the sacrifice of Jesus as described in the New Testament?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Hebrews 9:18-22
This passage in the New Testament explains the significance of blood in the establishment of covenants, drawing a direct connection to the practices described in Exodus 24.

Leviticus 17:11
Highlights the importance of blood in atonement, reinforcing the idea that life is in the blood and it is given on the altar to make atonement for souls.

Matthew 26:28
Jesus refers to His blood as the blood of the new covenant, drawing a parallel to the Old Testament covenant ceremonies and emphasizing the fulfillment of the law through His sacrifice.
Sermons
Belief and DisobedienceExodus 24:1-8
God's Covenant with IsraelJ. E. Twitchell.Exodus 24:1-8
The Blood of the CovenantJ. M. Sherwood, D. D.Exodus 24:1-8
The CovenantJ. W. Burn.Exodus 24:1-8
The Sealing of the CovenantH. T. RobjohnsExodus 24:1-8
The Sprinkling of BloodJ. Vaughan, M. A.Exodus 24:1-8
The Strictness of God's LawS. S. ChronicleExodus 24:1-8
The Covenant MadeH.T. Robjohns Exodus 24:1, 2, 9-11
The Vision of God for the Selected FewD. Young Exodus 24:1-2, 9-11
A Vision of GodJ. Orr Exodus 24:1, 2, 9-12
The Terms of the Covenant AcceptedD. Young Exodus 24:3-8
The Ratification of the CovenantJ. Orr Exodus 24:3-9
People
Aaron, Abihu, Hur, Israelites, Joshua, Moses, Nadab
Places
Mount Sinai
Topics
Altar, Basins, Basons, Blood, Bowls, Dashed, Draining, Half, Putteth, Sprinkled, Taketh, Threw
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Exodus 24:6

     1657   numbers, fractions
     5226   basin
     5445   potters and pottery
     7454   sprinkling

Exodus 24:1-8

     5467   promises, divine

Exodus 24:3-8

     1443   revelation, OT
     7135   Israel, people of God

Exodus 24:4-6

     7364   fellowship offering

Exodus 24:4-8

     1346   covenants, nature of
     7316   blood, OT sacrifices

Exodus 24:4-18

     4269   Sinai, Mount

Exodus 24:5-8

     1349   covenant, at Sinai

Library
Sin and Forgiveness
'... Forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty....'--EXODUS xxiv. 7. The former chapter tells us of the majesty of the divine revelation as it was made to Moses on 'the mount of God.' Let us notice that, whatever was the visible pomp of the external Theophany to the senses, the true revelation lay in the proclamation of the 'Name'; the revelation to the conscience and the heart; and such a revelation had never before fallen on mortal ears. It is remarkable …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

'The Love of Thine Espousals'
'And He said unto Moses, Come up unto the Lord, thou, and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel; and worship ye afar off. 2. And Moses alone shall come near the Lord; but they shall not come nigh, neither shall the people go up with him. 3. And Moses came and told the people all the words of the Lord, and all the judgments: and all the people answered with one voice, and said, All the words which the Lord hath said will we do. 4. And Moses wrote all the words of the Lord, and …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Blood of the Covenant
"Behold the blood of the covenant, which the Lord hath made with you."--EX. xxiv. 8; HEB. ix. 20. "This cup is the new covenant in My blood."--1 COR. xi. 25; MATT. xxvi. 28. "The blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified."--HEB. x. 29. "The blood of the everlasting covenant."--HEB. xiii.21. THE blood is one of the strangest, the deepest, the mightiest, and the most heavenly of the thoughts of God. It lies at the very root of both Covenants, but specially of the New Covenant. The difference …
Andrew Murray—The Two Covenants

The Blood of the Testament
BLOOD IS ALWAYS a terrible thing. It makes a sensitive mind shudder even to pronounce the word; but, to look upon the thing itself causes a thrill of horror. Although by familiarity men shake this off, for the seeing of the eye and the hearing of the ear can harden the heart, the instinct of a little child may teach you what is natural to us in referer to blood. How it will worry if its finger bleeds ever so little, shocked as the sight, actually there be no smart. I envy not the man whose pity would …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 58: 1912

The Blood of Sprinkling
Our apostle next tells us what we are come to. I suppose he speaks of all the saints after the death and resurrection of our Lord and the descent of the Holy Ghost. He refers to the whole church, in the midst of which the Holy Spirit now dwells. We are come to a more joyous sight than Sinai, and the mountain burning with fire. The Hebrew worshipper, apart from his sacrifices, lived continually beneath the shadow of the darkness of a broken law; he was startled often by the tremendous note of the …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 32: 1886

The Birth of Jesus Proclaimed by Angels to the Shepherds.
(Near Bethlehem, b.c. 5.) ^C Luke II. 8-20. ^c 8 And there were shepherds in the same country [they were in the same fields from which David had been called to tend God's Israel, or flock] abiding in the field, and keeping watch by night over their flock. [When the flock is too far from the village to lead it to the fold at night, these shepherds still so abide with it in the field, even in the dead of winter.] 9 And an angel of the Lord stood by them [He stood upon the earth at their side, and did …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

The Lord's Supper Instituted.
(Jerusalem. Evening Before the Crucifixion.) ^A Matt. XXVI. 26-29; ^B Mark XIV. 22-25; ^C Luke XXII. 19, 20; ^F I. Cor. XI. 23-26. ^a 26 And as they were eating, ^f the Lord Jesus in the night in which he was betrayed took bread; 24 and when he had given thanks, { ^b blessed,} ^f he brake it, ^a and he gave to the disciples, and said, ^b Take ye: ^a Take, eat; this is my body. ^f which is ^c given ^f for you: this do in remembrance of me. [As only unleavened bread was eaten during the paschal supper, …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Writings of St. Ambrose.
The extant writings of St. Ambrose may be divided under six heads. I. Dogmatic; II. Exegetic; III. Moral; IV. Sermons; V. Letters; VI. A few Hymns. I. Dogmatic and Controversial Works. 1. De Fide. The chief of these are the Five Books on the Faith, of which the two first were written in compliance with a request of the Emperor Gratian, a.d. 378. Books III.-V. were written in 379 or 380, and seem to have been worked up from addresses delivered to the people [V. prol. 9, 11; III. 143; IV. 119]. This …
St. Ambrose—Works and Letters of St. Ambrose

Things Pertaining to the Kingdom.
"Now is there solemn pause in earth and heaven; The Conqueror now His bonds hath riven, And Angels wonder why He stays below; Yet hath not man his lesson learned, How endless love should be returned." Hitherto our thoughts about "The Kingdom of Heaven" have been founded on the teaching of the King respecting His Kingdom recorded in the Gospels. But we must not forget to give attention to the very important time in the life of our Lord extending between His Resurrection and Ascension, during which …
Edward Burbidge—The Kingdom of Heaven; What is it?

The Last Supper
189. On Thursday Jesus and his disciples returned to Jerusalem for the last time. Knowing the temper of the leaders, and the danger of arrest at any time, Jesus was particularly eager to eat the Passover with his disciples (Luke xxii. 15), and he sent two of them--Luke names them as Peter and John--to prepare for the supper. In a way which would give no information to such a one as Judas, he directed them carefully how to find the house where a friend would provide them the upper room that was needed …
Rush Rhees—The Life of Jesus of Nazareth

Brief Outline of Ancient Jewish Theological Literature
The arrangements of the synagogue, as hitherto described, combined in a remarkable manner fixedness of order with liberty of the individual. Alike the seasons and the time of public services, their order, the prayers to be offered, and the portions of the law to be read were fixed. On the other hand, between the eighteen "benedictions" said on ordinary days, and the seven repeated on the Sabbaths, free prayer might be inserted; the selection from the prophets, with which the public reading concluded--the …
Alfred Edersheim—Sketches of Jewish Social Life

Jesus Calls Four Fishermen to Follow Him.
(Sea of Galilee, Near Capernaum.) ^A Matt. IV. 18-22; ^B Mark I. 16-20; ^C Luke V. 1-11. ^a 18 And walking ^b 16 And passing along by the sea of Galilee [This lake is a pear-shaped body of water, about twelve and a half miles long and about seven miles across at its widest place. It is 682 feet below sea level; its waters are fresh, clear and abounding in fish, and it is surrounded by hills and mountains, which rise from 600 to 1,000 feet above it. Its greatest depth is about 165 feet], he [Jesus] …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Appendix xii. The Baptism of Proselytes
ONLY those who have made study of it can have any idea how large, and sometimes bewildering, is the literature on the subject of Jewish Proselytes and their Baptism. Our present remarks will be confined to the Baptism of Proselytes. 1. Generally, as regards proselytes (Gerim) we have to distinguish between the Ger ha-Shaar (proselyte of the gate) and Ger Toshabh (sojourner,' settled among Israel), and again the Ger hatstsedeq (proselyte of righteousness) and Ger habberith (proselyte of the covenant). …
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

Exodus
The book of Exodus--so named in the Greek version from the march of Israel out of Egypt--opens upon a scene of oppression very different from the prosperity and triumph in which Genesis had closed. Israel is being cruelly crushed by the new dynasty which has arisen in Egypt (i.) and the story of the book is the story of her redemption. Ultimately it is Israel's God that is her redeemer, but He operates largely by human means; and the first step is the preparation of a deliverer, Moses, whose parentage, …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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