Charles Spurgeon Commentary Exodus 24:1-2

"And he said unto Moses, Come up unto Jehovah, thou, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel; and worship ye afar off: and Moses alone shall come near unto Jehovah; but they shall not come near; neither shall the people go up with him." — Exodus 24:1-2 (ASV)

Nearer to God than the people were allowed to come, but still at a distance from him. It was a covenant of distance. Bounds were set about the mount so that the people would not come too near. Yet they were near to God as compared with the heathen, but far off as compared with those who now, by the teaching of the Spirit of God, have been brought near to God through the precious blood of Jesus.

Moses alone could come near to Jehovah on Mount Sinai; the people could not go up with him, nor even with the man who was their mediator with God, for that is what Moses was. But you and I, beloved, can go up with him who is far greater than Moses—with him who is the one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, for God hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.