Exodus 24:12-18New International Version (NIV)
12 The Lord said to Moses, “Come up to me on the mountain and stay here, and I will give you the tablets of stone with the law and commandments I have written for their instruction.”
13 Then Moses set out with Joshua his aide, and Moses went up on the mountain of God. 14 He said to the elders, “Wait here for us until we come back to you. Aaron and Hur are with you, and anyone involved in a dispute can go to them.”
15 When Moses went up on the mountain, the cloud covered it, 16 and the gloryof the Lord settled on Mount Sinai. For six days the cloud covered the mountain, and on the seventh day the Lord called to Moses from within the cloud. 17 To the Israelites the glory of the Lord looked like a consuming fire on top of the mountain. 18 Then Moses entered the cloud as he went on up the mountain. And he stayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights.
I think I must be quite a literal person. And a visual one. Whenever I read the Bible I ' see' what is happening in my mind's eye and I try to imagine what is really going on - reading between the lines and putting myself into the words to try to understand. There is alot to figure out in this passage.
Firstly God spoke to Moses. We dont know how He did that. Was it an audible voice, a dream, a hunch , a feeling that just wouldnt go away that he had to go up the mountain because God had something for him?
Moses didnt go alone. He took Joshua . Good choice. Although as far as we know God didnt tell him to bring anyone with him so.... anyhow, Moses makes some provision for the care of his people ( not terribly good provision as it turns out) and off he goes in obedience to the mountain.
When he gets there he finds himself in clouds Was it cold? Ive been on a few climbs where the sun has disappeared halfway up and you are suddenly wrapped in damp swirling mists. Temperature drops and visibility is next to zero. Its not much fun. Moses gets some way up, we presume, and then sits down to wait and see what happens next.
Nothing happens next
We presume Moses might have taken some sandwiches with him. A flask of tea. He eats and drinks and waits. Nothing happens. Its cold. Its night time. He wonders if he heard the Lord right. Yes, he is pretty sure he did so he finds a bit of shelter in a rock and settles down to a very uncomfortable night's sleep. The next day nothing happens either. Cloud. Silence. He's run out of food already. Hmmmmm. Did God really say......?
Six days. SIX. Think about it. How long would you have spent before you gave up and came down the mountain again? Id have probably lasted three days then given up! Moses perseveres and finally on day seven God shows up. Why did God make him wait for so long? I'm supposing it was something to do with testing Moses's perseverence and faith. But I cant help wonder if there isnt something else going on here. Im not exactly sure what - answers on a postcard? :-)
God then speaks to Moses. And He doesnt give Him any great revelation. He just tells him to climb higher! Moses is an old man. Sinai is a big mountain. Its 2,200m high (7,500 feet) and is the second highest peak in Egypt. It takes a fit person around 2.5 hours to get to the summit. Thats quite a challenge for your average pensioner. It possibly took him quite a bit longer as the whole of the mountain was covered in cloud. He might not have eaten for five or six days. But up he goes anyway.
Does it ever strike you that God is like one of those personal fitness guys you see on ' fat people' telly programmes ? :-) Come on Moses, no slacking. Up you come, you can do it! You have to reach the top - no moaning about your aches and pains or being hungry and cold. Bless him. You have to take your hat off to Moses. He was some guy.
What happens next is a mystery. All we know is that Moses spends forty days and nights up that mountain. Forty days and nights are so significant in scripture. The flood, the commandments, the wilderness. It's not a coincidence. Why 40 days? Well interestingly doctors agree that most healthy people can survive for eight weeks without food but after six weeks the body is starting th
e irreversible processes of starving to death. So really God is taking it to the max. Of course God could be feeding Moses whilst the two of them are closeted away in conference on the top of Sinai - but I doubt it somehow. It doesnt fit with the way God does things. :-) Moses lays himself down for the sake of receiving the commandments. Nothing is more important to him than obeying the God who delivered him from Egypt. The God of miraculous intervention. The God of his salvation.
How committed am I to that same God? Can I give up food for one day never mind 40 days? Can I wait and keep on waiting in the cold darkness and still believe He is coming? Can I keep on climbing even when Im exhausted and doubtful and have no idea whats going to happen next?
Mountains are a challenge. If you are half way up one at the moment - keep going. Cos at the top there is going to be something that makes it all worthwhile.
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