Some of these laws are astonishing to us. What do they reveal about God? If a command seems unjust to you, or harsh, how do you reconcile that with God’s claim that He is just and gracious? We cannot determine from such a seeming contradiction that God is a liar, for He tells us that He cannot lie. We must accept that our understanding of Him is limited not simply by what is or is not revealed to us, but also by our incapability to comprehend Him fully. He is so much higher than us in every respect, including His thoughts and ways. Ponder prayerfully what He wants to reveal to you about the commands that stand out to you. Just as He promised to protect the helpless orphan and widow from injustice only if they cry out to Him, He will reveal Himself to us, as much as He wants to, only if we ask. Presenting our doubts to Him gives Him the opportunity to reveal Himself in a way that is much more meaningful and powerful than if someone else teaches us about Him. So take this opportunity to seek Him!
The people agreed to enter into the covenant with God having heard what He required of them, so Moses, God’s chosen intermediary, formalized the covenant with a covenant ceremony.
The nobles of Israel saw God. Note the description offered: the only aspect that they could describe was what appeared to be under His feet.
God called Moses up to the mountain, and Moses was there six days before God spoke to him. What do you suppose that was about? Would you wait six days for God? Further, he was on the mountain for forty days. If you read the commands that were given, even if you write out the commands, that doesn’t take nearly forty days. What went on in that time? It’s worth considering, for the sake of our own intimacy with God. Intimacy apparently isn’t developed in a cursory exchange of information or in the shortest possible time period. Forty days in which Moses didn’t take time to eat….
Moses probably had no idea how long he would be on the mountain, and likely didn’t imagine it would be forty days, but he prepared the people for his lengthy absence, giving them instructions for resolving disputes while he was gone. That is important when you find out what went on at the foot of the mountain while he was gone.