Exodus 31:18
When the LORD had finished speaking with Moses on Mount Sinai, He gave him the two tablets of the Testimony, tablets of stone inscribed by the finger of God.
When He had finished speaking
This phrase marks the conclusion of a divine communication between God and Moses. The Hebrew root for "finished" is "kalah," which implies completion or fulfillment. This signifies that God had imparted all necessary instructions and laws to Moses, emphasizing the completeness and sufficiency of God's revelation. In a broader theological context, it underscores the idea that God's word is perfect and lacks nothing, a concept echoed throughout Scripture.

with him
The "him" refers to Moses, the chosen leader and mediator between God and the Israelites. Moses' unique role as a prophet is highlighted here, as he is the one privileged to receive direct communication from God. This personal interaction underscores the intimate relationship God desires with His chosen leaders and, by extension, with His people.

on Mount Sinai
Mount Sinai is a significant location in biblical history, serving as the setting for the giving of the Law. Archaeologically, while the exact location of Mount Sinai is debated, it is traditionally identified with Jebel Musa in the Sinai Peninsula. Historically, this mountain represents a place of divine encounter and covenant, where God establishes His laws and expectations for His people, setting them apart as a holy nation.

He gave Moses
The act of giving here is significant, as it denotes a transfer of divine authority and responsibility. The Hebrew word "natan" is used, which means to give or bestow. This act signifies God's trust in Moses to faithfully convey His commandments to the Israelites, highlighting the importance of stewardship in leadership.

the two tablets of the Testimony
The "two tablets" refer to the stone tablets on which the Ten Commandments were inscribed. The term "Testimony" (Hebrew: "edut") indicates that these tablets serve as a witness to the covenant between God and Israel. They are not merely legal documents but are sacred symbols of the relationship and agreement established at Sinai.

tablets of stone
The use of stone tablets signifies permanence and durability, indicating that God's laws are unchanging and eternal. In ancient Near Eastern cultures, important decrees were often inscribed on stone to ensure their preservation. This choice of medium underscores the enduring nature of God's commandments.

inscribed by the finger of God
This phrase is profoundly significant, as it emphasizes the divine origin of the commandments. The "finger of God" is a metaphorical expression indicating direct divine action. In Hebrew, the word "kathab" means to write or inscribe, suggesting that these laws are not of human origin but are directly authored by God Himself. This divine authorship underscores the authority and sanctity of the commandments, reminding believers of the holiness and sovereignty of God.

Persons / Places / Events
1. God
The divine author of the Law, who inscribed the tablets with His own finger, signifying divine authority and the sacredness of the Law.

2. Moses
The chosen leader of the Israelites, who received the tablets on Mount Sinai, acting as a mediator between God and His people.

3. Mount Sinai
The holy mountain where God communicated with Moses, a place of divine revelation and covenant establishment.

4. Two Tablets of the Testimony
Stone tablets inscribed by God, representing the covenant and the moral law given to the Israelites.

5. The Finger of God
A metaphorical expression indicating the direct action and authority of God in inscribing the tablets.
Teaching Points
Divine Authority of Scripture
The fact that the tablets were inscribed by the finger of God underscores the divine authority and inerrancy of Scripture. Believers are called to respect and adhere to God's Word as the ultimate guide for life.

The Role of Mediators
Moses acted as a mediator between God and the Israelites. In the New Testament, Jesus is our ultimate mediator, bridging the gap between humanity and God.

The Permanence of God's Law
The use of stone tablets signifies the enduring nature of God's commandments. Believers are encouraged to view God's moral law as timeless and applicable to all generations.

The Heart of the Law
While the Law was given on stone tablets, the New Covenant emphasizes the importance of having God's law written on our hearts, leading to genuine transformation and obedience.

Reverence for Sacred Spaces
Mount Sinai was a place of divine encounter. Believers are reminded to approach sacred spaces and moments with reverence and openness to God's voice.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the fact that the tablets were inscribed by the "finger of God" influence your view of the authority of Scripture?

2. In what ways can we see Jesus as a mediator similar to Moses, and how does this impact our relationship with God?

3. How can we ensure that God's law is written on our hearts, as described in 2 Corinthians 3:3 and Hebrews 8:10?

4. What are some practical ways to demonstrate reverence for God's Word and sacred spaces in our daily lives?

5. How do the teachings of Jesus in the New Testament fulfill and expand upon the laws given on Mount Sinai?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Deuteronomy 9:10
This verse reiterates that the tablets were inscribed by the finger of God, emphasizing the divine origin of the Law.

Matthew 5:17-18
Jesus speaks about the fulfillment of the Law, connecting the Old Testament Law to His teachings and mission.

2 Corinthians 3:3
Paul contrasts the tablets of stone with the new covenant written on human hearts, highlighting the transformative work of the Spirit.

Hebrews 8:10
This verse speaks of God's law being written on the hearts of believers, echoing the internalization of God's commandments.
God's WritingJ. CummingExodus 31:18
The SabbathJ. Orr Exodus 31:12-18
People
Aaron, Ahisamach, Aholiab, Bezaleel, Dan, Hur, Israelites, Moses, Uri
Places
Mount Sinai
Topics
Communing, Ended, Finger, Finished, Finisheth, Giveth, God's, Inscribed, Law, Mount, Sinai, Speaking, Stone, Stones, Tables, Tablets, Talk, Testimony, Writing, Written
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Exodus 31:18

     1260   finger of God
     1651   numbers, 1-2
     4254   mountains
     4366   stones
     5102   Moses, life of
     5352   inscriptions
     5574   tablet
     5638   writing

Library
The Flood-Tide of Power.
God's Highest Ideal. A flood-tide is a rising tide. It flows in and fills up and spreads out. Wherever it goes it cleanses and fertilizes and beautifies. For untold centuries Egypt has depended for its very life upon the yearly flood-tide of the Nile. The rich bottom lands of the Connecticut Valley are refertilized every spring by that river's flood-tide. The green beauty and rich fruitage of some parts of the Sacramento Valley, whose soil is flooded by the artificial irrigation-rivers, are in sharp
S.D. Gordon—Quiet Talks on Power

The True Manner of Keeping Holy the Lord's Day.
Now the sanctifying of the Sabbath consists in two things--First, In resting from all servile and common business pertaining to our natural life; Secondly, In consecrating that rest wholly to the service of God, and the use of those holy means which belong to our spiritual life. For the First. 1. The servile and common works from which we are to cease are, generally, all civil works, from the least to the greatest (Exod. xxxi. 12, 13, 15, &c.) More particularly-- First, From all the works of our
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety

Appendix viii. Rabbinic Traditions About Elijah, the Forerunner of the Messiah
To complete the evidence, presented in the text, as to the essential difference between the teaching of the ancient Synagogue about the Forerunner of the Messiah' and the history and mission of John the Baptist, as described in the New Testaments, we subjoin a full, though condensed, account of the earlier Rabbinic traditions about Elijah. Opinions differ as to the descent and birthplace of Elijah. According to some, he was from the land of Gilead (Bemid. R. 14), and of the tribe of Gad (Tanch. on
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

Gifts and Talents.
"And the Spirit of the Lord came upon him."--Judges iii. 10. We now consider the Holy Spirit's work in bestowing gifts, talents, and abilities upon artisans and professional men. Scripture declares that the special animation and qualification of persons for work assigned to them by God proceed from the Holy Spirit. The construction of the tabernacle required capable workmen, skilful carpenters, goldsmiths, and silversmiths, and masters in the arts of weaving and embroidering. Who will furnish Moses
Abraham Kuyper—The Work of the Holy Spirit

Thy Name: My Name
'I have called thee by thy name.'--ISAIAH xliii. 1. 'Every one that is called by My name.'--ISAIAH xliii. 7. Great stress is laid on names in Scripture. These two parallel and antithetic clauses bring out striking complementary relations between God and the collective Israel. But they are as applicable to each individual member of the true Israel of God. I. What does God's calling a man by his name imply? 1. Intimate knowledge. Adam naming the creatures. Christ naming His disciples. 2. Loving friendship.
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Work of the Holy Spirit in Prophets and Apostles.
The work of the Holy Spirit in apostles and prophets is an entirely distinctive work. He imparts to apostles and prophets an especial gift for an especial purpose. We read in 1 Cor. xii. 4, 8-11, 28, 29, R. V., "Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.... For to one is given through the Spirit wisdom; and to another the word of knowledge, according to the same Spirit; to another faith, in the same Spirit; and to another gifts of healings, in the one Spirit; and to another workings
R. A. Torrey—The Person and Work of The Holy Spirit

Hiram, the Inspired Artificer
BY REV. W. J. TOWNSEND, D.D. The Temple of Solomon was the crown of art in the old world. There were temples on a larger scale, and of more massive construction, but the enormous masses of masonry of the oldest nations were not comparable with the artistic grace, the luxurious adornments, and the harmonious proportions of this glorious House of God. David had laid up money and material for the great work, but he was not permitted to carry it out. He was a man of war, and blood-stained hands were
George Milligan—Men of the Bible; Some Lesser-Known

That Whereas the City of Jerusalem had Been Five Times Taken Formerly, this was the Second Time of Its Desolation. A Brief Account of Its History.
1. And thus was Jerusalem taken, in the second year of the reign of Vespasian, on the eighth day of the month Gorpeius [Elul]. It had been taken five [34] times before, though this was the second time of its desolation; for Shishak, the king of Egypt, and after him Antiochus, and after him Pompey, and after them Sosius and Herod, took the city, but still preserved it; but before all these, the king of Babylon conquered it, and made it desolate, one thousand four hundred and sixty-eight years and
Flavius Josephus—The Wars of the Jews or History of the Destruction of Jerusalem

Questions About the Nature and Perpetuity of the Seventh-Day Sabbath.
AND PROOF, THAT THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK IS THE TRUE CHRISTIAN SABBATH. BY JOHN BUNYAN. 'The Son of man is lord also of the Sabbath day.' London: Printed for Nath, Ponder, at the Peacock in the Poultry, 1685. EDITOR'S ADVERTISEMENT. All our inquiries into divine commands are required to be made personally, solemnly, prayerful. To 'prove all things,' and 'hold fast' and obey 'that which is good,' is a precept, equally binding upon the clown, as it is upon the philosopher. Satisfied from our observations
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

The Development of the Earlier Old Testament Laws
[Sidenote: First the principle, and then the detailed laws] If the canon of the New Testament had remained open as long as did that of the Old, there is little doubt that it also would have contained many laws, legal precedents, and ecclesiastical histories. From the writings of the Church Fathers and the records of the Catholic Church it is possible to conjecture what these in general would have been. The early history of Christianity illustrates the universal fact that the broad principles are
Charles Foster Kent—The Origin & Permanent Value of the Old Testament

The Preface to the Commandments
And God spake all these words, saying, I am the LORD thy God,' &c. Exod 20: 1, 2. What is the preface to the Ten Commandments? The preface to the Ten Commandments is, I am the Lord thy God.' The preface to the preface is, God spake all these words, saying,' &c. This is like the sounding of a trumpet before a solemn proclamation. Other parts of the Bible are said to be uttered by the mouth of the holy prophets (Luke 1: 70), but here God spake in his own person. How are we to understand that, God spake,
Thomas Watson—The Ten Commandments

Exposition of the Moral Law.
1. The Law was committed to writing, in order that it might teach more fully and perfectly that knowledge, both of God and of ourselves, which the law of nature teaches meagrely and obscurely. Proof of this, from an enumeration of the principal parts of the Moral Law; and also from the dictate of natural law, written on the hearts of all, and, in a manner, effaced by sin. 2. Certain general maxims. 1. From the knowledge of God, furnished by the Law, we learn that God is our Father and Ruler. Righteousness
John Calvin—The Institutes of the Christian Religion

Jesus Heals on the Sabbath Day and Defends his Act.
(at Feast-Time at Jerusalem, Probably the Passover.) ^D John V. 1-47. ^d 1 After these things there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. [Though every feast in the Jewish calendar has found some one to advocate its claim to be this unnamed feast, yet the vast majority of commentators choose either the feast of Purim, which came in March, or the Passover, which came in April. Older commentators pretty unanimously regarded it as the Passover, while the later school favor the feast
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Blasphemous Accusations of the Jews.
(Galilee.) ^A Matt. XII. 22-37; ^B Mark III. 19-30; ^C Luke XI. 14-23. ^b 19 And he cometh into a house. [Whose house is not stated.] 20 And the multitude cometh together again [as on a previous occasion--Mark ii. 1], so that they could not so much as eat bread. [They could not sit down to a regular meal. A wonderful picture of the intense importunity of people and the corresponding eagerness of Jesus, who was as willing to do as they were to have done.] 21 And when his friends heard it, they went
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Of the Trinity and a Christian, and of the Law and a Christian.
EDITOR'S ADVERTISEMENT. These two short treatises were found among Mr. Bunyan's papers after his decease. They probably were intended for publication, like his 'Prison Meditations' and his 'Map of Salvation,' on a single page each, in the form of a broadside, or handbill. This was the popular mode in which tracts were distributed; and when posted against a wall, or framed and hung up in a room, they excited notice, and were extensively read. They might also have afforded some trifling profit to aid
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

Exodus
The book of Exodus--so named in the Greek version from the march of Israel out of Egypt--opens upon a scene of oppression very different from the prosperity and triumph in which Genesis had closed. Israel is being cruelly crushed by the new dynasty which has arisen in Egypt (i.) and the story of the book is the story of her redemption. Ultimately it is Israel's God that is her redeemer, but He operates largely by human means; and the first step is the preparation of a deliverer, Moses, whose parentage,
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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