出埃及记24:8-18

恩惠、平安从父神和救主耶稣基督归于你们时常听主话语的人。阿们。

今天这个主日在教会年历中是登山变像主日，从福音经文的宣读中我们可以知道这一幕。我们今天的信息更多的是基于旧约经文出埃及记24章的部分，因为这段经文呼应了福音经文，登山变像。我们也可以看出，新约和旧约都是一致的，说的都是同一个人，就是主耶稣基督和祂十字架的救赎。福音经文中虽然大部分在讲山上的荣耀和主耶稣的大荣光，但最后主耶稣吩咐门徒说的话，特别提到了祂的死亡，“人子还没有从死里复活，你们不要将所看见的告诉人。”（太17:9）

出埃及记24章是神带领以色列人出了埃及地，走在旷野还没多久，他们停留在西乃山，领受神赐下摩西之约。神在西乃山藉着摩西赐下的主要有大家所熟悉的十条诫命或者说两块法版，这会让我们误以为神所立的旧约就是律法，是行为之约，与新约的恩典相反，好些人会引用约翰福音的经文来证明，“律法本是藉着摩西传的，恩典和真理都是由耶稣基督来的。”（约1:17）其实，旧约也是以恩典和怜悯著称。我们看今天这段经文的一开头，就给出了这个旧约的本质：“摩西将血洒在百姓身上，说：‘你看！这是立约的血，是耶和华按这一切话与你们立约的凭据。’”（出24:8）

前两周我们讲到我们的信仰核心就是耶稣基督钉十字架，对于旧约的以色列人来说，他们的信仰跟我们一样，也是仰望主立约的血。这“立约的血”我们是很熟悉的，因为在我们的圣餐礼中，每次我们都会宣读设立圣餐的经文，里面提到，“立约的血”。我们就听马太福音中的经文：“主耶稣拿起杯来，祝谢了，递给他们，说：‘你们都喝这个；因为这是我立约的血，为多人流出来，使罪得赦。’”（太26:27-28）以色列人正是因着主的怜悯，被立约的血所遮盖（这燔祭牲牛、羊的血，指向的就是将来主耶稣基督十字架上流出的血），就可以拥有罪得赦免和平安，可以凭着信心坦然无惧地亲近神，跟我们新约基督徒一样。

摩西是怎么洒血在百姓身上呢？我们特别看下这个细节，在我们今天旧约经文的前面几节，“摩西将（燔祭）的血一半盛在盆里，一半洒在坛上。”（出24:6）而且不是按照自己的意思做的，乃是“按照耶和华的一切话”。这约是神与自己的百姓所立的。一半洒在祭坛是为了赎罪，一半洒在百姓身上是为了让他们得到这个赦免恩典。尽管西乃山神的荣耀显现，是天崩地裂般的情形，但我们知道神用这立约的血赐下赦免和平安，让百姓可以亲近祂。我们从出埃及记19章知道，“山上有雷轰、闪电和密云……西乃山全山冒烟，因为耶和华在火中降于山上，山的烟气上腾，如烧窑一般，遍山大大震动。”（出19:16，18）但我们从今天的经文又知道，在立约的血洒在他们身上之后，“他们观看神；他们又吃又喝”，而且都是在神面前做的。

弟兄姐妹们，我们明白这一重要的新旧约关联吗？因为耶稣基督赎罪的血，在圣餐礼中赐给我们，遮盖我们的罪，医治我们的灵魂，清洁我们的良心，我们才有资格、才可以坦然无惧地来敬拜神。但同时我们也要记得，神是轻慢不得的，不能随随便便地来到神面前，而是带着敬畏和信靠的心，来亲近祂，求告祂的名。

就像福音经文主耶稣在山上大显荣耀一样，西乃山上主耶和华也是大显荣耀。“摩西上山，有云彩把山遮盖。耶和华的荣耀停于西乃山；云彩遮盖山……耶和华的荣耀在山顶上，在以色列人眼前，形状如烈火。”（出24:16-17）这里有一个很重要的教导，那就是耶稣基督的身份。福音经文告诉我们，“（耶稣）就在他们面前变了形象，脸面明亮如日头，衣裳洁白如光。”（太17:2）耶稣就是主耶和华，那山上的荣耀就是祂自己的荣耀，这荣耀是从祂里面发出，显现在耶稣的面容上，让门徒们看见。

这立约的血不再是牛羊燔祭牲的血，而是祂自己的血。你可以想象这一点吗？基督是人又是神，是耶和华，是主，所以祂立约的血也被称为神的血；当然，神按照自己的本性是没有血的，因为祂是个灵。但我们看使徒行传的一节经文：“圣灵立你们作全群的监督……牧养神的教会，就是他用自己的血所买来的。”（徒20:28）这荣耀是祂自己的荣耀，这立约的血是祂自己的血，这云彩曾经遮盖西乃山，如今在登山变像时遮盖门徒，“说话之间，忽然有一朵光明的云彩遮盖他们。”（太17:5）这云彩指的是什么？是主耶稣基督的肉身，而遮盖的对象就是全人类。我们都是因着耶稣的十字架和宝血而得了怜悯和恩惠，凭着信心和应许可以亲近神。这是神赐给世人的应许，也是我们所信、所宣扬的福音，好消息。

虽然我们没有摩西在西乃山的经历，虽然我们没有三位门徒登山变像的见证，但我们有这锡安山，有这新耶路撒冷，就是基督的新约教会，众圣徒一同聚集朝见神的面，每个主日，我们在这里一起敬拜神，“观看神”，不是凭着肉眼，而是凭着信心，藉着聆听主的话语，聆听祂的声音。因为那云彩里圣父上帝的声音说的再清楚不过了，“这是我的爱子，我所喜悦的，你们要听他！”（太17:5）

在主耶稣的话语当中，有律法定我们的罪，鞭打我们里面的老亚当，不断地治死罪性，有时候会让我们害怕来到神面前。但我们不要忘记，主的话语中更有美好的安慰话语，就是福音和应许。主耶稣在登山变像时看到门徒们害怕——因为他们敬拜得还是不清楚，要敬拜摩西和以利亚，就“近前来，摸他们，说：  ‘起来，不要害怕！’”（太17:6-7）希伯来书说，基督已经藉着圣灵，将自己献给神作为赎罪祭，祂的血已经洗净我们的良心，让我们可以坦然来到祂面前侍奉祂，敬拜祂，求告祂（来9:14）。你能够想象吗？我们的罪都被一笔勾销了，我们作为重生新造的人，来到神面前，不需要、也不应该再觉得有罪了，“礼拜的人，良心既被洁净，就不再觉得有罪了。”（来10:2）

但我们也需要知道，神也吩咐我们仍然要心存敬畏，甚至恐惧战兢，因为我们还活在肉体当中，仍然有老亚当的纠缠，有魔鬼的试探引诱，有世界的物欲横流的撕扯，我们有很多需要对付的东西，免得失去我们得来的恩典。所以我们不要害怕“敬畏、惧怕”神，因为这是与我们有益，让我们不偏行左右，而是忠心服事神，紧紧跟随主。就像以色列人从西乃山继续起行，带着神的约和应许继续走旷野，去往应许之地那样，我们也常常纪念主的血所立的新约，时常得能力和安慰，走完地上的路程，平安抵达天家，到时候，与主面对面交谈，享受祂的完全同在。

最后，用玛拉基书的一段经文再次提醒大家，包括我自己，“我曾与他立生命和平安的约，我将这两样赐给他，使他存敬畏的心；他就敬畏我，惧怕我的名。”（玛2:5）奉主耶稣的名。阿们。

Text: Exodus 24:8–18

Grace and peace from God our Father and our Savior Jesus Christ to you all who constantly hear the words of the Lord. Amen.

Today, in the Church Calendar, is Transfiguration Sunday. We know this scene well from the reading of the Gospel text. Our message today is based more on the Old Testament passage from Exodus 24, because this text echoes the Gospel account of the Transfiguration. We can see that the New Testament and the Old Testament are consistent; they speak of the same Person—the Lord Jesus Christ and His redemption on the cross. Although the Gospel text focuses largely on the glory on the mountain and the great radiance of the Lord Jesus, the words Jesus spoke to His disciples at the end specifically mention His death: "And as they were coming down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, 'Tell no one the vision, until the Son of Man is raised from the dead'" (Matthew 17:9).

Exodus 24 takes place not long after God led the Israelites out of Egypt. As they journeyed through the wilderness, they stopped at Mount Sinai to receive the Mosaic Covenant. Through Moses, God gave the Ten Commandments (the two tablets of testimony). This often leads to the misunderstanding that the Old Covenant is purely Law—a covenant of works—contradicting the grace of the New Covenant. Many quote John’s Gospel to prove this: "For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ" (John 1:17). In truth, the Old Testament is also characterized by grace and mercy. Look at the beginning of today’s text, which reveals the essence of this covenant: "And Moses took the blood and threw it on the people and said, 'Behold the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words'" (Exodus 24:8).

In recent weeks, we spoke about how the center of our faith is Jesus Christ crucified. For the Israelites of the Old Testament, their faith was the same as ours: looking forward to the Lord’s blood of the covenant. We are very familiar with this phrase because, in our celebration of the Holy Supper, we recite the Words of Institution: "Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins" (Matthew 26:27–28). It was precisely because of the Lord’s mercy that the Israelites were covered by the blood of the covenant. The blood of those burnt offerings—the oxen and goats—pointed toward the blood that would later flow from Jesus Christ on the cross. Because of this, they possessed forgiveness and peace, and by faith, they could approach God boldly, just like us New Testament Christians.

How did Moses sprinkle the blood on the people? Note the detail in the verses preceding our text: "And Moses took half of the blood and put it in basins, and half of the blood he threw against the altar" (Exodus 24:6). He did not do this according to his own will, but "in accordance with all the words of the LORD." This covenant was established by God with His people. Half was thrown against the altar for atonement; half was sprinkled on the people so they might receive this grace of forgiveness. Although the manifestation of God’s glory on Sinai was earth-shaking, we know God used this blood of the covenant to grant peace, allowing the people to draw near. We know from Exodus 19 that "there were thunders and lightnings and a thick cloud... Mount Sinai was wrapped in smoke because the Lord had descended on it in fire" (Exodus 19:16, 18). Yet today’s text tells us that after the blood was sprinkled, "they beheld God, and ate and drank"—and they did so in His presence.

Brothers and sisters, do we understand this vital connection between the Testaments? Because the atoning blood of Jesus Christ is given to us in the Sacrament, covering our sins, healing our souls, and cleansing our consciences, we are made worthy to worship God boldly. Yet, we must remember that God is not to be mocked. We do not come into His presence flippantly, but with hearts of reverence and trust, calling upon His name.

Just as the Lord Jesus manifested His glory on the mountain, the Lord manifested His glory on Sinai. "Moses went up on the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain. The glory of the Lord dwelt on Mount Sinai... Now the appearance of the glory of the Lord was like a devouring fire on the top of the mountain in the sight of the people of Israel" (Exodus 24:15–17). There is a crucial teaching here regarding the identity of Jesus. The Gospel tells us, "[Jesus] was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light" (Matthew 17:2). Jesus is the Lord. The glory on that mountain was His own glory, radiating from within Him, revealed to the disciples.

The blood of the covenant is no longer the blood of bulls or goats, but His own blood. Can you imagine this? Christ is both man and God—He is God, the Lord—therefore His blood is called the blood of God. Of course, God in His divine nature has no blood, for He is spirit. But look at Acts 20:28: "Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood." This glory is His glory; this blood is His blood. The cloud that once covered Sinai covered the disciples at the Transfiguration: "He was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them" (Matthew 17:5). What does this cloud signify? It points to the humanity of Jesus Christ, which "covers" all mankind. We all receive mercy through His cross and precious blood, drawing near to God by faith and promise. This is the Gospel—the Good News.

Though we did not experience Sinai with Moses, and we were not there as witnesses with the three disciples, we have this Mount Zion, this New Jerusalem—the New Covenant Church of Christ. Here, the saints gather to see God’s face. Every Lord's Day, we worship Him and "behold God," not with physical eyes, but by faith through hearing His Word. The voice of God the Father from that cloud said it clearly: "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him" (Matthew 17:5).

In the words of Jesus, there is the Law that convicts us of sin, striking down the "Old Adam" within us to put our sinful nature to death. Sometimes this makes us afraid to come before God. But never forget that in His words, there is also the beautiful comfort of the Gospel. When Jesus saw the disciples' fear at the Transfiguration—because they did not yet understand whom to worship, wanting to honor Moses and Elijah alongside Him—He "came and touched them, saying, 'Rise, and have no fear'" (Matthew 17:7). Hebrews says that Christ, through the eternal Spirit, offered Himself to God, and His blood has purified our conscience so that we may serve, worship, and call upon Him (Hebrews 9:14). Can you imagine? Our sins are wiped clean. As born-again new creations, we come before God and should no longer feel the weight of guilt: "the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have any consciousness of sins" (Hebrews 10:2).

Yet we must also know that God commands us to remain reverent, even to work out our salvation with "fear and trembling." We still live in the flesh; we still face the struggles of the Old Adam, the temptations of the devil, and the distractions of the world. We must deal with these things so as not to lose the grace we have received. Do not fear "fearing" God, for this reverence is for our benefit. It keeps us from wandering and helps us serve Him faithfully. Just as the Israelites journeyed from Sinai toward the Promised Land carrying God’s covenant, we also remember the New Covenant in His blood. We receive strength and comfort to finish our earthly journey and arrive safely at our heavenly home. There, we shall speak with the Lord face to face and enjoy His perfect presence.

Finally, let the words of Malachi remind us all: "My covenant with him was one of life and peace, and I gave them to him. It was a covenant of fear, and he feared me. He stood in awe of my name" (Malachi 2:5).

In the name of Jesus. Amen.