What is the meaning of Exodus 24:10? they saw the God of Israel • Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and the seventy elders are granted an extraordinary, literal vision (Exodus 24:9–11). • Scripture normally stresses that “no one can see Me and live” (Exodus 33:20; 1 Timothy 6:16), yet here God graciously reveals Himself in a theophany, veiling His glory enough for them to survive, much like Isaiah’s temple vision (Isaiah 6:1) or Abraham’s encounter at Mamre (Genesis 18:1). • The event confirms the covenant just ratified with blood (Exodus 24:8), assuring Israel’s leaders that the One who gave the Law is personally present and trustworthy. under His feet was a work • The phrase locates God above a visible platform, underscoring His sovereign transcendence while still drawing near. • “Heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool” (Isaiah 66:1) echoes this picture: God reigns, yet sits close enough for His people to witness. • In Ezekiel’s inaugural vision, creatures and wheels support a platform beneath God’s throne (Ezekiel 1:22–23). The Sinai scene reveals a similar heavenly architecture, now intersecting the mountain. like a pavement made of sapphire • Sapphire—deep blue and precious—conveys majesty, beauty, and permanence. The high priest later bears a sapphire stone on his breastplate (Exodus 28:18), linking worship on earth to the heavenly reality. • Ezekiel also sees “something like sapphire” beneath God’s throne (Ezekiel 1:26), tying the prophets’ visions together into one consistent revelation. • Revelation 21:19 places sapphire among the foundations of the New Jerusalem, hinting that what the elders saw is a foretaste of the eternal city. as clear as the sky itself • Transparency stresses purity: nothing obscures God’s holiness. Compare the “sea of glass, like crystal” before the throne (Revelation 4:6). • The sky’s clarity echoes Psalm 19:1, where the heavens declare God’s glory; on Sinai, that glory touches the mountain in tangible form. • Job 37:18 speaks of the heavens “hard as a mirror of cast bronze,” reinforcing the idea of a flawless, polished expanse beneath His feet. summary Exodus 24:10 records a real, historical moment when Israel’s leaders were invited into God’s presence, witnessing His glory on a sapphire-like platform as clear as the sky. The scene affirms God’s covenant faithfulness, displays His sovereign majesty, and offers a preview of the heavenly throne room later described by prophets and apostles. God both transcends creation and draws near, revealing Himself in purity, beauty, and unshakable authority. |
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