This week we are looking deeper at Exodus 32: 7:-14. This is one of the more interesting passages in scripture, one that’s long been one that I’ve thought about and prayed over. Today we’ll be looking at the world behind the text, what is happening on the page.

Where we are in this passage is one of the most pivotal parts of all scripture. Moses is up on Mt. Sinai, receiving the law from God. He’s already received the Ten Commandments, and now will be getting much of the rest of the Law that will define the relationship between God and His people for centuries to come.

Part of what we need to understand about the Law is the concept of covenant. Yes, the Law had to it great portions of morality, of what you should and should not do. But much of the law was about this – how the people will live together. Together with God and together with each other. This covenant is seen in the sign of the covenant, circumcision.

So, what is a covenant? The people will live together under a shared agreement of laws, governing their religious and moral life. The how is the law, that shows what community is to look like. And the marking is circumcision, this showed that the people were part of the community.

For us as Christians, we have a similar thing. We too have a community, the church. We have an agreement, the Gospel and scripture. And we have a marking, our baptism. Covenant is so important for us to understand. God is is God of covenant and He calls us to be a people of the covenant.

That is what is happening, while the people are below, making a golden cafe. We’ll talk more about what happens next tomorrow.

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