After performing signs and wonders to lead His people out of Egypt, God takes them to Mount Horeb—or Mount Sinai. There, the Israelites begin a covenant with God, and God gives instructions and laws to His people. Mount Horeb is a holy place where God ministers His presence to Moses, allows the Israelites to behold His glory in the form of burning fire, and begins to set apart the Israelites as a nation for His own pleasure.
Are Mount Sinai and Mount Horeb the Same Place?
Mount Sinai and Mount Horeb refer to the same geographical location. Primarily, Mount Horeb is used in the book of Deuteronomy as well as other select places throughout the Old Testament (see 1 Kings 8:9; 19:8; 2 Chronicles 5:10; Psalm 106:19; Malachi 4:41). Mount Horeb is the place where Moses originally receives the burning bush theophany of Yahweh; where the ten commandments are given to Moses; where Elijah encounters God in not wind, earthquake, or fire, but in a small whisper; and where Elijah receives a vision which includes him selecting Elisha as his replacement.
What Happens When Moses Meets God on Mount Horeb?
Exodus 19 through 34 are primary texts that relay the meeting between Moses and Yahweh on Mount Horeb.
First, Moses is to tell the people of Israel that He has made them His very own special possession. He carried the “on eagles’ wings” (Exodus 19:4) out of slavery and oppression in Egypt. God brought Israel to Himself. He tells Moses that if Israel obeys God fully, they will be to Him a treasured possession out of all the nations of the earth. They would be a kingdom of priests—a kingdom representing God to the whole world.
God comes to Moses in a thick cloud with a loud trumpet blast. Smoke is everywhere, covering the mountain due to the fire with which God descended upon the mountain. The mountain shakes with the presence of the Lord at Moses’ encounter with God. It is at this time that God gives the 10 commandments to Moses, as well as other instructions.
After receiving the 10 commandments and the instructions of the Lord, according to Exodus 24, Moses relays what he heard to the people. Moses recorded what the Lord said. The next morning, he confirms the covenant:
“He got up early the next morning and built an altar at the foot of the mountain and set up twelve stone pillars representing the twelve tribes of Israel. Then he sent young Israelite men, and they offered burnt offerings and sacrificed young bulls as fellowship offerings to the Lord. Moses took half of the blood and put it in bowls, and the other half he splashed against the altar. Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it to the people. They responded, ‘We will do everything the Lord has said; we will obey.’” (Exodus 14:4-7)
Moses then receives from the Lord tablets with the law and commandments for the training and teaching of Israel. These are “inscribed by the finger of God” (Exodus 31:18).
Then, the glory of the Lord comes upon Mount Horeb—which appears as a consuming fire to all of the people. Moses goes into the clouds and stays on the mountain for forty days and forty nights. Then, the Lord gives Moses instructions for the Tabernacle—the way God would minister His presence to His people while leading them to the promised land flowing with milk and honey. Instructions for the priests are also given to Moses.
What Happens When Moses Brings the Israelites to Mount Horeb?
While at Mount Horeb, the Israelites are part of Moses’ encounter with Yahweh. They receive the words of God from Moses. They pledge to obey the Lord (Exodus 19:8). The people also prepare for God to descend upon the mountain in a dense cloud. They are not to touch the mountain and are to consecrate themselves. They stand at the foot of the mountain while Moses meets with God. They may not approach the mountain to see the Lord because God sets it apart as holy.
When the ten commandments are given to Moses, the people shake with fear because of the trumpet sound and the smoke that is to be seen. After Moses relays to the people what he heard from the Lord, he sprinkles blood from the sacrifices on the people, saying: “This is the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you in accordance with these words” (Exodus 24:8).
Unfortunately, when the Israelites are waiting on Moses—while Moses is receiving the instructions on Mount Horeb about the Tabernacle and priests—they itch with the desire to make gods they can bow down to. They are not patient, waiting for Moses. And they are not obedient as they said they would be. They commit idolatry, making a golden calf as a god for themselves. They bow and sacrifice to this idol. God intends to destroy the people due to their grievous idolatry and sin. However, Moses stands between the Lord and the people, seeking God’s favor for Israel. After Moses’ pleading, God decides not to destroy the people.
Does the New Testament Ever Mention Mount Horeb?
Though the New Testament never uses the title Mount Horeb, Mount Sinai is seen in Acts 7:30, 38, and Galatians 4:21-26.
In the first reference, Stephen is giving a speech in front of the Sanhedrin and references Mount Sinai when giving a history of Israel. Almost seeming to recall the Moses encounter at Sinai, Stephen—after his speech—“gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God” (Acts 7:55).
The second reference in Galatians uses Mount Sinai to refer to Jewish people’s interpretation of the law—an interpretation that enslaves. Correctly understood, the law points to Christ, who is its fulfillment by whom righteousness has come apart from the law (Romans 3:21). Following the law without looking to Christ enslaves because people must be made righteous by faith, even as Abraham was (Romans 4:3). By the law, we are made aware of sin. Through faith in Christ, we are saved from our sin. In Galatians, Mount Sinai stood as a term for the law, as it was commonly known as the place where the law was originally given.
Throughout Scripture, Mount Horeb is where God meets with His people—particularly Moses and Elijah. It is later in Scripture when these two servants—the two spokespeople for God who encountered God in special ways at Mount Sinai—are the two servants who appear with Jesus at His transfiguration (Matthew 17:3).
Mount Sinai reminds us that God has taken extraordinary means to meet with His people. His presence should be attended with awe and reverence, just as the people of God had for Him when the trumpet blew, and the glory of fire appeared at the famous mountain. In these latter times, we know that God has ministered His presence to us in Jesus Christ, the mighty rock of our salvation (Psalm 62:6), who has given the new covenant of blood by which we are covered.
Photo Credit: Unsplash/Daniel Leone
Lianna Davis is author of Keeping the Faith: A Study in Jude and Made for a Different Land: Eternal Hope for Baby Loss. She is also a contributor to We Evangelicals and Our Mission with Cascade Books. Lianna is a graduate of Moody Bible Institute and a student at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. She lives in Illinois with her husband and daughter. You can learn more about her writing at her website.
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