They Saw God

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They saw the God of Israel: and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness.

Exodus 24:10

This text describes a pivotal moment in the biblical narrative where Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and the seventy elders of Israel ascend Mount Sinai to meet with God.

Moses – Led Israel out of Egypt. God chose Aaron, through Moses, to be the first High Priest. Exodus 28 details how God instructed Moses to consecrate Aaron and his sons. Later, God killed Nadab and Abihu, sons of Aaron, because they brought strange fire before the Lord.

So, in our text, we have 74 people who saw God.

Seeing God is, by itself, an incredible experience. Let’s look at the significance of our text and what it means to you and me.

First, we see…

  1. The Vision of God:
    • The phrase “they saw the God of Israel” has historically been a point of theological debate. Some interpretations suggest this was not a direct seeing of God’s essence, which would align with other biblical texts like Exodus 33:20 where it’s stated that no one can see God’s face and live. Instead, what they saw might have been a theophany or a representation of God’s presence. This interpretation is supported by various commentators who suggest it was a “similitude” or form (Numbers 12:8; Ezekiel 1:26; Isaiah 6:1) rather than God in His entirety.
    • They saw God, but they didn’t see His face.
  2. Sapphire Pavement:
    • The description of the pavement under God’s feet as sapphire or lapis lazuli conveys divine majesty and purity. Sapphire in biblical times was considered one of the most precious stones, often associated with divine or royal splendor (cf. Ezekiel 1:26). The brightness of this sapphire-like pavement is likened to “the very heaven for clearness,” emphasizing an otherworldly, celestial quality to this vision.
  3. Symbolism and Context:
    • This vision occurs after the covenant has been ratified with sacrifices (Exodus 24:4-8), symbolizing a new relationship between God and Israel. The vision of God here serves several purposes:
      • Confirmation: It confirms the covenant as a divine initiative, visible to the leaders of Israel, thus reinforcing their commitment to obey God’s laws.
      • Divine Presence: It underscores the actual presence of God among His people, not just in abstract terms but in a visually spectacular form that would leave an indelible impression.
      • Holiness and Majesty: The use of sapphire and the comparison to the heavens highlight God’s holiness, transcendence, and the divine nature of the covenant.
  4. Theological Implications:
    • This vision might imply a level of intimacy and direct revelation that God grants to His chosen leaders, yet it also maintains an aspect of divine mystery and separation, as they do not see God in His full essence.
    • It sets a precedent for theophanies in the Old Testament, where God reveals Himself in ways that are comprehensible to human senses but still uphold His transcendent nature.
  5. Interpretative Challenges:
    • Different traditions and scholars might interpret “seeing God” differently. Jewish commentators like Maimonides argue for a form of intellectual vision or perception rather than a physical sight, aligning with the idea that God’s essence cannot be seen. Christian interpretations might see this as a foreshadowing of the fuller revelation in Christ, where God is seen through the incarnate Son.

This passage, therefore, not only recounts a significant event in the narrative of Israel’s relationship with God but also provides rich material for discussions on the nature of divine-human encounters, the representation of God’s holiness, and the covenantal relationship between God and His people.

What does this mean to me?

In our text, 74 chosen people got to see God. Now, everyone can see God:

Matthew 5:8

Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

I want you to know that God has chosen you. To see God, however, you need a pure heart. Today, pray the prayer of the Psalmist and you will get to see God.

Psalm 51:10

Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

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