We are not interested in 601 pernickity, sawdust-spotting, hair-splitting, Scribal tradition additions! Nor are we enamored with a mere cessation of physical activity on the Redeemer’s Day of Rest, which Christ’s blood sanctifies to us! What we crave, surely, is exquisite, spiritual delight in the marrow and manna of Christ – which Jesus purchased at the Cross! For one whole seventh part of our lives we are engaged in hot-pursuit, by grace, of joyful festivity and divine peace on this market-day of the soul!

As I pen this post I am about to preach the closing case-law-commandment section from Exodus 23:10-19.

I’ll be re-stressing to the church how we should properly view these texts: they are part of a wider section that scholars (and maybe Moses, 23:7) denote ‘The Book of the Covenant’: they are elaborations, expansions, expositions and applications of the abiding, eternal, principles of the foundational bedrock of the Decalogue.

Covenant-Making Context
Israel, redeemed from Egypt, stands on the brink of nationalization of the Covenant of Grace: Exodus 24 is nothing less than an historical fulfillment and outworking of precious, prior, Patriarchal, Gospel promises – Moses made this crystal clear from the start of the book, in Exodus 2:23-25. She is ready for marriage to Yahweh. In the near-volcanic vision, assembled at Horeb, they hear and tremble at their loving Husband’s thundering voice.

On Mount Sinai the LORD had declared His moral character in the mirror-like Ten Commandments: He had selected, summoned and saved His saints to bear His preceptive image. Now they must be holy as Yahweh is Holy. In order to do this, on-the-move, for-the-wilderness, non-exhaustive, model applications are given to Israel. These have a very definite thrust. In guarding these judgments, in obeying these statutes, God’s Angel will go before them to possess their inheritance. Exodus 23:20-33 drives this truth home to God’s Church:

“But if you carefully obey his voice and do all that I say, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries …when my Angel goes before you …and I blot them out, you shall not bow down to their gods nor serve them …You shall serve the LORD your God, and He will bless …I will send my terror before you and will throw into confusion all the people against whom you come, and I will make all your enemies turn their backs to you …Little by little I will drive them out from before you, until you have increased and possess the land …You shall make no covenant with them and their gods …for if you serve their gods it will surely be a snare to you.”

Decoding Covenant
Now, there are many things, both general and specific, that we could comment on in the ‘Book of the Covenant’: the section runs from 20:22-23:33. However, my aim in this piece is much more limited. I simply want to provide one clear reason, given by Moses, for the fundamental importance of 4th commandment observance. On this matter Gospel life, healthy churches, and Christian holiness depend. That being the case, let me draw your attention to the structure of this section.

Structures have Significance
You may not be familiar with the structure of Hebrew literature. Please don’t dismiss stylistic features as irrelevant to truth. Structural devices are part and parcel of communication of truth throughout Scripture. Of course we need to be cautious – an apparent structure that goes against the grain of context or content is weightless. If, however, passage context and content (or later biblical history or teaching), bear the structural observation out, then, under the guidance of the Spirit, we are warranted in believing that the writer used this device to impress his point upon us.

Important Observations
What observations then can we note from the neatly-symmetrical arrangement of the text above – is there any significance in how the Spirit has laid out the whole of the Sinaitic Covenant-Making section? The ‘Book of Covenant’ material is bookended by our duty to God – the ban of idolatry (20:22-26) and importance of Israel’s liturgy (23:10-19)…The ‘Book of the Covenant’ starts with a prohibition of false worship. The ‘Book of the Covenant’ ends with Mosaic instructions concerning true worship. Commandments 1-4 bracket the contents of the bookshelf of Israelite duties to each other (21:12-22:19) …Essentially, commands 1-4… top and tail the middle-section which details applications of commands 5-10.

Of course there is overlap – it is not as tightly structured as a scientist might like – nevertheless, the point seems fairly transparent: Israel can only function as a peaceful, moral, grace-inspired, covenant community, as false worship is expunged and true worship is maintained. The linchpin of their life, as a nation, is the Sabbath (perhaps this is why another warning against idolatry appears in the liturgy section).

Message of Moses
Let me reiterate that. Fundamental to this sanctified national life of divine, corporate, image-bearers is devoted Sabbath Day observance. What this means for Israel, in its particular historical, pre-Christ, context, is fleshed out in 4th commandment ceremonial, time-limited, applications. She must observe Sabbatical days, feasts and years.

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