Good Morning.
And the Lord said to Moses, “Cut two tablets of stone like the first ones, and I will write on these tablets the words that were on the first tablets which you broke.” (Exodus 34:1)
Because the original stones were broken by Moses, he was instructed to hew the second pair of tablets from stone himself. It is these tablets that were placed into the Ark of the Covenant. Of course, Moses had broken the first set of tablets in an act symbolizing what Israel had done when they looked to a Golden Calf to lead them — they had broken the covenant. Had it not been for Moses stepping in and interceding for them, the nation would have been lost. Because of his intercession, and God’s infinite mercy, the nation was saved and the Covenant was renewed.
Rabbinical commentators take note of the fact that the first set of tablets were given among “pomp and upheaval” and then destroyed. In other words, the giving and then the breaking of the Covenant was in the midst of very dramatic circumstances. When the second set of tablets were given — which is to say, when the Covenant was renewed — it was done in relative silence. The nation was saved because one man stood before God in the stead of the people, equating himself with them ready to take their punishment.
In this way, Moses typified what the Messiah would do for all of mankind — He equated Himself with those He had created and worked “quietly” to bring about redemption. He did not parade around announcing His Messiahship but did the work the Father had sent Him to do, thus demonstrating that He was the Messiah and Redeemer. The Covenant that had been broken was renewed because of His love for people. He sacrificed Himself that we all might be saved. Consequently, no dramatic demonstration is required for us to come into the family of God; it requires only that we acknowledge our need for mercy and then to accept the forgiveness that comes with belief in Yeshua as our Redeemer.
Blessings and Shalom,
Bill
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