1 In the third month, when the children of Israel were gone up out of the land of Egypt, the same day came they into the wilderness of Sinai.
It’s been three months since the last plague. This makes it AM2513 (1533BC) still.
The wilderness of Sinai is generally placed on the Sinai Peninsula, as would seem logical. But biblical evidence says otherwise. Since it is increasingly apparent that the Red Sea Crossing took place at the Gulf of Aqaba, not the Gulf of Suez (both part of the Red Sea) The Wilderness of Sinai and Mount Sinai must be east of Aqaba, on the Arabian Peninsula.
Besides, it wouldn’t have taken three months to get to the Sinai Peninsula.
Biblically, we know Midian is on the Arabian Peninsula (Acts 7:29, 30), well out of Egyptian control. Archeology says the same thing. That is where Moses fled from Pharaoh and where he saw the burning bush on mount Horeb. God told him he would worship Him on that same mountain after leading Israel out of slavery.
Locals in Arabia still claim Moses’ Father-in-law was from the town of Al Bad, which is still labeled “Jethro” on some maps. This is just fifteen miles from Jebel El Lawz (Mountain of The Law) in Saudi Arabia.
They will camp here for nearly a year; not on the mountain, but by it, probably a few miles away, where they could easily see the whole thing.
2 For they were departed from Rephidim, and were come to the desert of Sinai, and had pitched their tents in the wilderness; and there Israel camped before the mount.
Jebel al Lawz has a place just southeast of it that is plenty big enough for this sized crowd. A large number of artifacts (bowls, vases, pitchers, etc) has been found here, and there are carvings on the surrounding rocks of bulls and other things you would expect Israel to record, including a Menorah.
3 And Moses went up unto God, and the I AM called to him out of the mountain, saying, “This is what thou will say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel;
4 “’Ye have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you to Myself.
5 “’Now therefore, if ye will obey My voice completely, and keep My covenant, then ye shall be a special treasure to Me above all people: for all the earth is Mine:
Note that this is a conditional contract. Each party has an obligation. IF Israel will keep God’s covenant, THEN God will keep them as a special people. Unfortunately, Israel could never seem to keep their part of the deal more than one generation.
If one party of a contract breaks their part of the deal the other party has no obligation to continue to keep their part. This is why God “divorced” (broke contract with) Israel and established a New Covenant with the Christian Church.
6 “’And ye will be to Me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation.’ These are the words which thou will speak to the children of Israel.”
God did not say that Israel would be the only people who would be saved. If they obeyed God, they would be the leaders in His kingdom.
7 And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and told them all these words which the I Am commanded him.
8 And all the people answered together, and said, “All that the I AM has spoken we will do.” And Moses repeated the words of the people to the I AM.
God is a gentleman. The people were not forced into this covenant. God gave them a choice. They said they wanted to serve Him.
In the same way, God never forces us to have a relationship with Him. He certainly could if He wanted to, but He has chosen to give us free will in whether to serve Him or not.
9 And the I AM said to Moses, “Look, I come to thee in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with thee, and believe thee forever.” And Moses told the words of the people to the I AM.
God intends to appear to all the people and speak to them personally.
10 And the I AM said to Moses, “Go to the people, and purify them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their clothes,
11 “And be ready for the third day. For the third day the I AM will come down in the sight of all the people on mount Sinai.
12 “And thou will set boundaries for the people round about, saying, ‘Be careful that ye go not up into the mount, or touch the border of it. Whoever touches the mount shall be surely put to death:
They were to put some sort of marker or barrier around the mountain so people and animals couldn’t get on the mountain itself.
13 “’There shall not an hand touch it, but he will surely be stoned, or shot through, whether it be beast or man, it shall not live. When the trumpet sounds long, then they shall come up to the mount.’”
The mountain was to be set apart until a trumpet sounded. Then all the people were to come up to it.
14 And Moses went down from the mount to the people, and purified them, and they washed their clothes.
They got ready.
15 And he said to the people, “Be ready for the third day. Don't have sex with your wives.”
Abstinence, so their thoughts and energies were focused on God, not physical pleasure, was commanded. This is one of the very few times God commanded abstinence in the Bible. Generally, “Marital Communication” was very much encouraged.
16 And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet that was exceeding loud, so that all the people that was in the camp trembled with fear.
Not only was there apparently a bad thunder storm, but the miraculous sounding of a trumpet came from the mountain. This scared the people.
17 And Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the edges of the mount.
The people came to the foot of the mountain.
18 And Mount Sinai was completely covered in smoke, because the I AM descended on it in fire. And the smoke of it rose like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly.
Apparently, along with the thunder, lightning, trumpet sounds, and thick cloud, there was an earthquake, fire and a great deal of smoke.
Jebel al Lawz in Arabia has a burned top. Anywhere else in the world erosion would have long ago worn this away if it did date from Moses’ time (1533 BC). But there is no rain to cause such erosion in Arabia. Totally possible for burned rock to have lasted 3500 years with little or no change.
19 And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and got louder and louder, Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice.
Now the people see Moses talking to the mountain…And It’s Talking Back!
20 And the I AM came down upon Mount Sinai, on the top of the mount. And the I AM called Moses up to the top of the mount, and Moses went up.
Moses goes up the mountain to talk to God.
21 And the I AM said to Moses, “Go down, charge the people, lest they break through to the I AM to gaze, and many of them perish.
God warns that He doesn’t want the people to come up, just Moses at this point.
22 “And let the priests also, which come near to the I AM purify themselves, or else the I Am will kill them.”
23 And Moses said to the I AM, “The people cannot come up to Mount Sinai, because Thou commanded us, saying, ‘Set boundaries around the mount, and purify it.’”
24 And the I AM said to him, “Go down and thou will come back up bringing Aaron with thee, but don't let the priests and the people come up to the I AM, of He will kill them.’”
He is to bring Aaron up now. God will gradually add more people, and I believe it was ultimately His desire to bring the entire nation of Israel up, but they didn’t want to, as we will read.
25 So Moses went down to the people, and spoke to them.