Question 1

What is happening in this passage where God makes a covenant again?

Accepted Answer

In this passage God is renewing His covenant with Israel after they had broken it by worshiping the golden calf. He promises to do wonders that no other nation has seen and to drive out the peoples living in the land they are going to. At the same time, He repeats and clarifies His commands: no idols, no covenants with the surrounding nations, and careful obedience in worship. Moses stays with God forty days and nights while these words are given and written, including the Ten Commandments.

Question 2

What does it mean that God is a jealous God in this passage?

Accepted Answer

When God says His name is Jealous, it means He demands exclusive love and worship from His people. He has rescued Israel and made them His own, so they must not share their worship with other gods. The passage shows this by warning against making covenants with other nations, joining their feasts, or marrying into families that serve idols. God’s jealousy is not petty; it is the right desire of a faithful husband who refuses to share His bride with false gods that will harm her.

Question 3

Why does God forbid covenants and intermarriage with the nations in the land?

Accepted Answer

God forbids covenants and intermarriage with the nations because these ties would pull Israel into idol worship. He warns that if they join in the sacrifices and feasts of other gods, or marry their daughters, they will be led to “go a whoring” after those gods. To prevent this, they must tear down altars, break images, and cut down sacred groves. The goal is not hatred of people, but protection from the worship practices that would trap them and break their relationship with the true God.

Question 4

Why are the feasts and firstfruits so important in this passage?

Accepted Answer

The feasts and firstfruits are reminders of God’s saving work and daily care. The feast of unleavened bread recalls how God brought Israel out of Egypt in the month Abib. The feast of weeks and the feast of ingathering mark the beginning and end of the harvest. Bringing the first of the firstfruits to God shows that the land, the crops, and their lives belong to Him. These set times of worship keep Israel’s focus on God’s grace, not on their own strength or success in the land.

Question 5

What does this passage teach about the Sabbath and work?

Accepted Answer

The passage repeats that Israel must work six days and rest on the seventh, even during plowing and harvest. This shows that God’s command to rest is not just for slow times, but even when work feels urgent. Sabbath rest points back to God as Creator and Provider. By stopping their work, they trust that He will care for them and their land. It also keeps them from turning work and harvest into idols, reminding them that their time and effort are under God’s rule.

Question 6

Why does God promise that no one will desire their land when they go up to worship?

Accepted Answer

God commands all the men of Israel to appear before Him three times a year for the main feasts. Naturally, they might fear that enemies would seize their land while they are away. God answers this by promising that He Himself will cast out the nations and that no one will even desire their land during those journeys. This shows that obedience in worship does not put them at risk; instead, God links their safety and the enlargement of their borders to their faithfulness in coming before Him.

Question 7

What is the meaning of the rules about firstborn and redeeming them?

Accepted Answer

God says that all who open the womb belong to Him, both people and animals. Firstborn sons must be redeemed, and unclean animals like donkeys must either be redeemed with a lamb or have their neck broken. This teaches that life belongs to God and must be acknowledged as His. It also reminds Israel of how God spared their firstborn in Egypt. By redeeming their firstborn, they keep that rescue in mind and confess that their children and their flocks are gifts from God, not their own possession.

Question 8

Why is the command against molten gods repeated here?

Accepted Answer

The command, “Thou shalt make thee no molten gods,” is repeated right after the golden calf incident to drive the point home. God forbids making any image, whether of Him or of other gods, out of metal or any material. Such images pull people away from worshiping the invisible, living God and turn their hearts to things they can control and see. By banning molten gods, God guards Israel from sliding back into the kind of worship that had just nearly destroyed them.

Question 9

Why was Moses with the LORD forty days and forty nights without food or water?

Accepted Answer

Moses stays with God forty days and nights as the covenant is renewed and the words are written on the stone tablets. His going without food and water is a miracle that shows God’s special presence and support during this time. It underlines how serious and weighty this moment is for Israel’s future. This is not a model for normal life, but a sign that God Himself is giving His law and restoring the broken relationship with His people through Moses as their mediator.

Question 10

How can this passage about covenant and idols apply to believers today?

Accepted Answer

This passage calls believers to give God undivided loyalty. While most people today do not bow to carved statues, there are many things that can act like idols, such as money, success, or relationships that pull the heart away from God. The warnings about close ties that lead to false worship still matter. The pattern of setting aside time, giving the first and best to God, and trusting Him with protection and provision helps believers remember that their lives, work, and families belong to Him.

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.

The LORD Renews the Covenant

The Covenant Renewed

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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.

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The LORD Renews the Covenant

The Covenant Renewed

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