Moses and the people of Israel use the life blood of animals to ratify their covenant between God and themselves. Sunday’s first reading describes this rite. Moses splashes half the blood from bulls killed for sacrifice on the altar. Then he reads the book of the covenant, which contains the ten commandments. When the people agree to keep this covenant agreement, he splashes the other half of the blood on them.
What does this sign mean? The blood symbolizes life and expresses the common life that flows between God and the people because of the covenant. At the same time, the blood rite is a way of swearing an oath — may our blood be spilled if we don’t keep this agreement. The Israelites agree to this covenant with their lives. At the last supper Jesus makes his own life blood the sign of a new covenant between God and humankind.
Israel ratifies their covenant with God.
Moses came and told the people all the words of the Lord and all the ordinances; and all the people answered with one voice, and said, “All the words that the Lord has spoken we will do.”
And Moses wrote down all the words of the Lord. He rose early in the morning, and built an altar at the foot of the mountain, and set up twelve pillars, corresponding to the twelve tribes of Israel. He sent young men of the people of Israel, who offered burnt offerings and sacrificed oxen as offerings of well-being to the Lord.
Moses took half of the blood and put it in basins, and half of the blood he dashed against the altar. Then he took the book of the covenant and read it in the hearing of the people; and they said, “All that the Lord has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient.”
Moses took the blood and dashed it on the people, and said, “See the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words.”
Exodus 24.3-8
- What likeness do you see between the Israelites swearing an oath with blood and JesusÕ action of making his blood the sign of the new covenant?