Mt. Sinai: A Holy Place

Exodus 19

Number 8. Mount Sinai in the Sinai Peninsula

On the first day of the third month after the Israelites left Egypt, they came to the Desert of Sinai. They camped in front of the mountain.

The Lord called to Moses from the mountain and told him to remind the people of Israel:

‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.” (Ex. 19:4-6)

Moses went back and summoned the elders and explained all the words to them. They replied, “We will do everything the Lord has said.” So Moses took their answer back to the Lord.

Then the Lord explained how he would come to Moses in a dense cloud and communicate to Moses through the cloud audibly so the people would hear God speaking to Moses and they would trust Moses.

They were instructed to go make themselves clean because God would appear in three days. They needed to consecrate themselves by washing their clothes and practicing abstinence. They were also warned to not approach the mountain. If they got too close to the mountain, they would be stoned or shot with arrows. Only when the ram’s horn was sounded would they be allowed to approach the mountain.

On the morning of the third day, there was thunder and lightning, with a thick cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast. Everyone in the camp trembled. Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, because the Lord descended on it in fire. The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace, and the whole mountain trembled violently. As the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and the voice of God answered him. (Ex. 19:16-19)

The Lord descended to the top of Mount Sinai and called Moses to come to the top of the mountain with Aaron. The others were warned to put limits around the mountain and set it apart as holy, and to not ascend it, or the Lord “will break out against them.”

Observations:

1. When the Lord declared Mt. Sinai “holy,” then He warned the people to not defile it with anything “unholy” or it would bring on the wrath of God. This included priests, or religious ministers, who were supposed to have consecrated themselves unto the Lord.

For Christians, this means all of us. We are “a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that [we] may declare the praises of him who called [us] out of darkness into his wonderful light.” (1 Peter 2:9) Although the God of the Old Testament sounds unapproachable, He became approachable through the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus. As Messiah, Jesus bridged the gap between mankind and the Holy of Holies.

2. God came to the people with thunder, lightning, a thick cloud, and a loud trumpet blast. In the New Testament, it is said that when the Lord returns to the earth (the Second Coming), He will appear with a loud command and with the trumpet call of God, “and the dead in Christ will rise first.” (1 Thessalonians 4:16).