Single lesson
Israel Makes a Covenant with God
Exodus 24:1–18; Exodus 31:18
In this lesson, children trace how the people answered Yahweh’s words, how Moses went up the mountain, and what Yahweh gave him. They will practise ordering the account and identifying choices and outcomes in the passage.
Before you teach
Yahweh calls Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and seventy elders to worship, with Moses alone coming near. Moses tells the people Yahweh’s words and ordinances, and they answer together. Moses writes the words, reads the book of the covenant, and later goes up the mountain to receive the tablets.
Students will be able to sequence the passage and explain that the people chose to answer and obey Yahweh’s words, and Yahweh made the covenant with them and gave Moses the tablets.
Welcome: Listen for the people’s answer and God’s gift
5 minSay: “Today we are listening for two things: what the people promise, and what Yahweh gives.” Read Exodus 24:3 aloud first, then tell children to listen for the repeated promise when more verses are read. Explain that this passage speaks about Yahweh making a covenant with the people concerning these words and later giving Moses the tablets of the covenant.
Exodus 24:3, Exodus 24:7, Exodus 24:8, Exodus 31:18
Read and explain: The people answer Yahweh’s words
8 minRead Exodus 24:1-8 in short parts. Point out the order from the text: Moses tells the people Yahweh’s words and ordinances, the people answer, Moses writes all Yahweh’s words, builds an altar and twelve pillars, the book of the covenant is read, and Moses sprinkles the blood on the people while speaking about the covenant.
Exodus 24:1, Exodus 24:2, Exodus 24:3, Exodus 24:4, Exodus 24:5, Exodus 24:6, Exodus 24:7, Exodus 24:8
Discuss: Choices and outcomes in the covenant
5 minAsk children to name the people’s choice in this passage. They answer with one voice that they will do Yahweh’s words and be obedient. Then show the outcome named in the passage: Yahweh made the covenant with them concerning these words, and Yahweh said he would give Moses the stone tablets for teaching.
Exodus 24:3, Exodus 24:7, Exodus 24:8, Exodus 24:12
Make and respond: Sequence the mountain account
8 minChildren make simple sequence cards and place them in order: the people answer, Moses writes, the covenant is read, leaders go up, the cloud covers the mountain, Moses enters the cloud, the tablets are given. As they arrange the cards, ask them to match each step with words from the passage and retell the choices and outcomes.
Exodus 24:3, Exodus 24:4, Exodus 24:7, Exodus 24:9, Exodus 24:15, Exodus 24:16, Exodus 24:18, Exodus 31:18
Closing: Yahweh gives the tablets
4 minRead Exodus 24:15-18 and Exodus 31:18. Emphasise that the cloud covered the mountain, Yahweh called to Moses, Moses entered the cloud, and Yahweh gave him the two tablets of the covenant, written with God’s finger. Review the lesson goal by asking what the people chose and what Yahweh gave.
Exodus 24:15, Exodus 24:16, Exodus 24:17, Exodus 24:18, Exodus 31:18
Questions to explore
What did the people say after Moses told them Yahweh’s words and ordinances?
Look for the people’s spoken answer in Exodus 24:3, and notice that a similar promise is repeated in Exodus 24:7.
Exodus 24:3, Exodus 24:7
What choice did the people make, and what happened after that in the covenant account?
First identify their promise in Exodus 24:3 and Exodus 24:7, then connect it with Moses’ words about the covenant in Exodus 24:8 and Yahweh’s promise to give the tablets in Exodus 24:12.
Exodus 24:3, Exodus 24:7, Exodus 24:8, Exodus 24:12
What did Yahweh give Moses on the mountain, and why?
Listen for both the object given and its purpose in Exodus 24:12, then connect it with the fuller description in Exodus 31:18.
Exodus 24:12, Exodus 31:18
Make, think or respond
Covenant Sequence Cards
What you’ll need
- plain paper or scrap card
- pencils or textas
- Bible
- scissors
- optional tape or blu-tack
Try it together
- Write or draw seven moments from the passage on separate cards: people answer, Moses writes, book is read, leaders go up, cloud covers mountain, Moses enters cloud, tablets are given.
- Mix the cards and have children place them in the order they happen in the passage.
- Read the verses again and let children check and adjust their order.
- Invite each child or pair to explain one card using words from the passage.
This activity helps children follow the sequence in Exodus 24:3, Exodus 24:4, Exodus 24:7, Exodus 24:9, Exodus 24:15, Exodus 24:16, Exodus 24:18, and Exodus 31:18, and notice the people’s choice to obey and Yahweh’s gift of the tablets.
Adapt for your group
- For younger children, prepare the card labels in advance and let them focus on ordering pictures or simple phrases from the passage.
- For older or confident readers, ask them to add the verse reference to each card and explain how that moment shows either a choice or an outcome in the passage.
An optional closing prayer
“God, thank you for speaking and for giving your words to your people. Help us listen carefully to what you say. Amen.”
Read the Bible passage World English Bible Classic
Exodus 24
1 He said to Moses, “Come up to Yahweh, you, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel; and worship from a distance.
2 Moses alone shall come near to Yahweh, but they shall not come near. The people shall not go up with him.”
3 Moses came and told the people all Yahweh’s words, and all the ordinances; and all the people answered with one voice, and said, “All the words which Yahweh has spoken we will do.”
4 Moses wrote all Yahweh’s words, then rose up early in the morning and built an altar at the base of the mountain, with twelve pillars for the twelve tribes of Israel.
5 He sent young men of the children of Israel, who offered burnt offerings and sacrificed peace offerings of cattle to Yahweh.
6 Moses took half of the blood and put it in basins, and half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar.
7 He took the book of the covenant and read it in the hearing of the people, and they said, “We will do all that Yahweh has said, and be obedient.”
8 Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, “Look, this is the blood of the covenant, which Yahweh has made with you concerning all these words.”
9 Then Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel went up.
10 They saw the God of Israel. Under his feet was like a paved work of sapphire stone, like the skies for clearness.
11 He didn’t lay his hand on the nobles of the children of Israel. They saw God, and ate and drank.
12 Yahweh said to Moses, “Come up to me on the mountain, and stay here, and I will give you the stone tablets with the law and the commands that I have written, that you may teach them.”
13 Moses rose up with Joshua, his servant, and Moses went up onto God’s Mountain.
14 He said to the elders, “Wait here for us, until we come again to you. Behold, Aaron and Hur are with you. Whoever is involved in a dispute can go to them.”
15 Moses went up on the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain.
16 Yahweh’s glory settled on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days. The seventh day he called to Moses out of the middle of the cloud.
17 The appearance of Yahweh’s glory was like devouring fire on the top of the mountain in the eyes of the children of Israel.
18 Moses entered into the middle of the cloud, and went up on the mountain; and Moses was on the mountain forty days and forty nights.
Exodus 31
18 When he finished speaking with him on Mount Sinai, he gave Moses the two tablets of the covenant, stone tablets, written with God’s finger.
World English Bible Classic. Public domain.