We are in chapter twenty-four of Exodus with our word for today which is actually a phrase. לֻחֹ֣ת הָאֶ֗בֶן the tablets of stone. It is used 5 times in the Old Testament. Let’s start with our chapter since it is the first time it is used in the Bible. Exodus 24:12 The Lord said to Moses, “Come up to me on the mountain and wait there, that I may give you לֻחֹ֣ת הָאֶ֗בֶן the tablets of stone, with the law and the commandment, which I have written for their instruction.” The irony about God writing who he is in stone, we will see in the coming days, is that the people were acting unfaithfully. Our next three uses are of Moses looking back on this event. Deuteronomy 9:9-11 When I went up on the mountain to receive לוּחֹ֤ת הָֽאֲבָנִים֙ the tablets of stone, the tablets of the covenant that the Lord had made with you, I stayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights; I ate no bread and drank no water. The Lord gave me two לוּחֹ֣ת הָֽאֲבָנִ֔ים stone tablets inscribed by the finger of God. On them were all the commandments the Lord proclaimed to you on the mountain out of the fire, on the day of the assembly. At the end of the forty days and forty nights, the Lord gave me the two לֻחֹ֥ת הָאֲבָנִ֖ים stone tablets, the tablets of the covenant. Our last use is a reference to the contents of the ark of the covenant. 1 Kings 8:9 There was nothing in the ark except the two לֻח֣וֹת הָאֲבָנִ֔ים stone tablets that Moses had placed in it at Horeb, where the Lord made a covenant with the Israelites after they came out of Egypt. There are two big things of significance around this idea of stone tablets. The very fact that God wrote it directly this idea of the finger of God. We know God doesn’t have fingers like a human, so this is an amorphism where God uses human images to make a point. The idea is that God directly produced this. This is a huge deal. This speaks to revelation, inspiration and inerrancy which we will look at as we go through the Bible looking at our words. 2 Timothy 3:15-17 you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness. So that we have what God wanted written. Also, the very fact that God wrote it in stone is a huge deal. It speaks to God’s word being immutable that is unchanging or permanent. This is where we get the phrase it’s written in stone meaning it is impossible or very hard to change it. Whereas our phrase it is not written in stone which we mean it is easy to change. Also, I’ll close with these great passages about God’s immutability. Malachi 3:6 I the Lord do not change. James 1:17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. Psalm 102:25-27 In the beginning you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment. Like clothing you will change them and they will be discarded. But you remain the same, and your years will never end. Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. 1 Samuel 15:29 He who is the Glory of Israel does not lie or change his mind; for he is not a human being, that he should change his mind.” Hebrews 6:17-20 Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. Psalm 90:1-2 Lord, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations. Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.
