Exodus 23-24  The Lord is preparing the people of Israel for the land He has promised, so that they can be the nation that He desires them to be.   He has given them the Laws and some ordinances.  He is making a covenant with them... promises that He will keep if they will obey.  23:20-33 gives a list of God's promises to Israel:
"But if you will truly obey His voice and do all that I say, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries." v22
"My angel will go before you..... and I will completely destroy them."( the wicked who occupy the land)
"... and He will bless your bread and your water; and I will remove sickness from your midst." v25
"There shall be no one miscarrying or barren"  and " I will fulfill the number of your days."  v26
" I will send My terror ahead of you..."
" I will... drive out the Hivites, the Canaanites, and the Hittites before you.." v 29
" I will drive them out before you little by little, until you become fruitful and take possession of the land." v30


The promises to Israel were conditional.  They had to agree to God's terms.   They had to " obey His voice; do not be rebellious toward Him... truly obey... serve the Lord your God... make no covenant with them ( the enemy)"  ( verses21, 22, 25, and 32)  Most importantly they needed to have nothing to do with the idols, but to get rid of them completely. ( v24, 33)

This covenant was agreed upon by all Israel.   " All that the Lord has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient." ( 24:7)  This was sealed by the blood of sacrifices - half sprinkled on the altar and half sprinkled on the people. 
God allowed Moses, Aaron and his sons ( the priests), and 70 elders to come close enough to see Him,  " and they saw the God of Israel; and under His feet there appeared to be a pavement of sapphire, as clear as the sky itself.  Yet He did not stretch out His hand against the nobles of the sons of Israel; and they beheld God and they ate and drank."

Moses went up further on the mountain after that, alone.  God's glory rested on the Mount and covered it for 6 days.  On the 7th day He called to Moses.  The top of Mount Sinai appeared like a fire to the people.  Moses stayed there 40 days and nights.

This is what Israel was supposed to be - a kingdom of peace and prosperity, a place of purity and justice and compassion and faith that was daily lived out in relationship with the Lord God.  They had to obey His commands and He would do all the rest.  They had every opportunity to succeed.  But, we know that they couldn't do it, they failed over and over and over again.  Thankfully, our God has not given up on His people.  He prepared a New Covenant.  He sealed it in the blood of His Only Begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.   The New Covenant was prophesied by Jeremiah and fulfilled in Christ.  Hebrews 8 :10-12 " For this is the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel. After those days, says the Lord; I will put My Laws into their minds, and I will write them upon their hearts. And I will be their God and they shall be My people. And they shall not teach everyone his fellow citizen, and everyone his brother, saying 'Know the Lord', for all shall know Me, from the least to the greatest of them. For I will be merciful to their iniquities and I will remember their sins no more."
The New Covenant, sealed in the blood of Jesus,  had better promises - redemption, forgiveness of sins,  cleansed consciences,  " a new and living way",  a better and abiding possession, an "unshakable Kingdom".
This New Covenant is not limited to Israel.  It is a covenant for any and all who believe in Jesus Christ and live in relationship to Him.  It is for us.  We must only agree to the terms and obey.  He has done all the rest! What marvelous grace!

"Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His Name."

Amen