Folia Theologica et Canonica 10. 32/24 (2021)
Sacra theologia
1 AM WITH YOU EVERY DAY... (GOD’S PROMISES ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURES) 43 ledge me to be your God of salvation and of covenant with you; and if you do not acknowledge me to be your God, you are no longer one of my elect.’ At the heart of all sin is a definite rejection of God’s law, the inevitable consequence of which is that one finds oneself outside the covenant way of life, i.e., forfeiting the promised inheritance. Thus, the Decalogue proclaimed at Mount Sinai can be seen as the constitution of the covenant way of life. The culmination of the Sinai tradition is found in chapter 24 of the Book of Exodus (Ex 24:1-11).12 Here we have the covenant-making ceremony, which was performed according to the symbolism of the blood of the sacrificial bulls: “Moses took half the blood, poured it into a bowl, and sprinkled the other half of the blood on the altar”. He then “took the Book of the Covenant (sefer ha ’bérit) and read it before the people. They said, ‘We will obediently do all that the Lord has commanded’.” What could the book of the covenant be if not the Ten Commandments that Moses received on the mountain? Then the account continues „Then Moses took the blood, sprinkled it on the people, and said, ‘This is the blood of the covenant (dam ha ’bérit) which the Lord has made with you according to all these words.’” Yes, he sprinkled part of the blood of the sacrificial animal on the altar representing God present, and then sprinkled the other part of the same blood on the people, who, in response to the reading of the Decalogue, responded in unison, “We will do all that the Lord has said, and we will obey!” (Ex 24:7). So, in this covenant-binding rite, too, it is clearly observable that the human response to God’s initiating love is nothing other than obedience by faith, expressed in concrete acts.13 VII. The promises of the Messiah and their fulfilment The prophets, God’s representatives among the chosen people, not only threaten punishment if the people do not keep their covenant commitments to God, but also communicate God’s promises. The Lord promises His people the coming Messiah, who will appear in His name and on His behalf among His chosen people. In the virgin-bom Emmanuel, Isaiah sees a sign of blessing for the people (Isa 7:14), and foretells the future privileges of this child bom of the tribe of David: “prince of peace” (9:5f), “righteous king” (11:11). Accord-12 Observing the words and gestures of Moses is also important because Jesus used their symbolism at the Last Supper to illuminate the salvific effect of his own sacrifice. 13 To crown and seal their experience of God, the theophany recipients “eat and drink” in the presence of God (Ex 24:11). Although the latter verses do not contain the word bérit, it is part of the covenant-binding rite. In nomadic cultures, the more prestigious and powerful family, at the end of the covenant, welcomes the stranger into their home. Since the wording of Ex 24:9-11 reflects Israel’s nomadic situation, the parallel seems justified: just as the Bedouin’s tent is a place and hospitality for the stranger, so is the case with Israel’s representatives: the Lord takes Israel under his protection.
