I am sending three questions from the Old Testament
Steve
Question #1. In Exodus 24, we are told that Moses and Aaron and sons, along with 70 elders saw and had a meal with God? But when Moses saw God he had to cover his face from then on. Why did these people not get the same outcome after seeing and eating with God?
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Answer #1. Several times in the Bible we are told of men seeing God, when what really took place is that they were in God’s presence, and were so overcome with the experience that they felt that they had seen Him. Two examples come to mind:
In Genesis 32, after wrestling with an angel all night, Jacob said, “I have seen God face to face” – but he had not seen God at all.
Then we have Isaiah (6:1), who said, “I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up,” and Amos, too, said, “I saw the Lord” (Amos 9:1), but neither of them looked upon the face of God, for God told Moses when he asked to see God, “You cannot see my face. For no man can see me and live” (Ex. 33:20).
So, while those men in Exodus 24 certainly had an amazing experience, they did not see God, as we think of seeing someone today. They were just in the presence of God, and were no doubt amazed at it.
Question #2. If only the high priest could enter the Most Holy Place, how were they to take it down and put it up? Someone would of had to go and disassemble it.
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Answer #2: The Kohathites were chosen by God and anointed to carry the furniture of the tabernacle when the camp moved. But before the Kohathites could enter the tabernacle to pick the furniture up, the high priest had to go in and cover the furniture with a large blue cloth (Num. 4:59).
Question #3. How did they put Aaron’s budded rod in the ark, or lift the lid of it if they couldn’t touch the ark?
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Answer #3: God commanded Moses to put Aaron’s rod inside the ark of the covenant, and he had the authority to do that. Moses was allowed to enter the holy place, and it appears that he could go into the most holy place, too (Num. 7:89). The rule concerning who could and could not go into the tabernacle did not apply to Moses.
I hope that helps.
Pastor John