Contemplative Bible Reading

Exodus 24:9-11 (New Living Translation)

9 Then Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and the seventy elders of Israel climbed up the mountain. 10 There they saw the God of Israel. Under his feet there seemed to be a surface of brilliant blue lapis lazuli, as clear as the sky itself. 11 And though these nobles of Israel gazed upon God, he did not destroy them. In fact, they ate a covenant meal, eating and drinking in his presence!

Perhaps I take this passage too literally. There are other passages that state that a person who sees God dies or has some other somewhat horrible thing happen to them. This passage, however, gives a different experience.

These people, who climbed the mountain to God, “gazed upon God” and were not destroyed. They even ate and drank in His presence.

Hmmm. Perhaps these were special circumstances. Nevertheless, this is what we are told of the event. I find this to be an example of “both…and.” Both this and that can be true when they seem to contradict one another.