20:22–26  Exodus 20 continues with Moses’ conversation with God. It serves as a transition to the lengthy legal corpus called “the Book of the Covenant” in 24:7. These verses function as a preamble to the law code, reminding the people that the Lord was not a created god, but had spoken to you from heaven.

The description of the Creator’s altar answered the implied question, “If the Lord is not a created god, how will our liturgical worship be similar to and different from the worship of created gods?” The beginning of the answer to this is found in the altar requirements. “Make an altar of earth for me.” After they left the wilderness the people built altars from whatever material was available, earth or stone (e.g., Judg. 6:24; 1 Sam. 14:35). If they made an altar of stone, they were not …