Dictionary of Bible Themes: 4269 Sinai, Mount

4269 Sinai, Mount

Dictionary of Bible Themes

Dictionary of Bible Themes » 4000 Creation » 4200 Places » 4269 Sinai, Mount

The mountain in the Sinai peninsula (probably present-day Jebel Musa), also called Horeb in the OT, where God made a covenant with Israel, establishing them as his people and giving them his laws. In the NT Sinai is seen as symbolising the old covenant.

Mount Sinai and the call of Moses

Exodus 3:1-10 Most scholars agree that the names Horeb and Sinai are used interchangeably of the same mountain, although some see them as referring to separate peaks within the same range. See also Acts 7:30-34

God reveals himself to Israel at Mount Sinai

The people of Israel arrive at Mount Sinai three months after leaving Egypt

Exodus 19:1-2

God promises to make Israel his people

Exodus 19:3-6

God calls for holiness among his people

See also Exodus 19:10-15,20-24

God appears in a theophany

Exodus 19:16-19 See also Deuteronomy 4:10-12; Hebrews 12:18-21

God gives his laws to Israel on Mount Sinai

God gives Israel the Ten Commandments

Exodus 20:1-17 pp Deuteronomy 5:6-21

Israel responds with fear to God's revelation

God gives Israel the Book of the Covenant

Exodus 20:22-23:19 These laws, largely an expansion and exposition of the Ten Commandments, are called “the Book of the Covenant” in Ex 24:7.

God establishes the covenant with Israel on Mount Sinai

Moses performs the ceremony establishing the covenant

Exodus 24:4-8

Moses and other leaders ascend Mount Sinai to seal the covenant with a meal before God

Exodus 24:9-11

Moses ascends Mount Sinai further to receive the stone tablets and the requirements of covenant worship

Exodus 24:12-18 During Moses' 40 days on Mount Sinai, God revealed to him the requirements of covenant worship, as outlined in Ex 25:1-31:18. See also Leviticus 7:37-38; Leviticus 26:46

Moses descends Mount Sinai and discovers Israel's idolatry

Exodus 32:19 See also Exodus 32:1-6,21-35; Deuteronomy 9:8-21; Psalm 106:19-23

God commands Israel to move on from Mount Sinai

Exodus 33:1-6,15-16

God calls Moses up Mount Sinai again

Moses is commanded to prepare new stone tablets

Exodus 34:1-4

God reveals his nature and name to Moses

Exodus 34:5-7

God renews his covenant with Israel

See also Exodus 34:10-28

Moses descends Mount Sinai, his face radiant

Exodus 34:29-35

The people of Israel prepare to move on from Mount Sinai

God commands Moses to take a census of Israel in the Desert of Sinai

Numbers 1:1-4; Numbers 3:14-16

The Israelites celebrate the Passover at Mount Sinai

Numbers 9:1-5

The Israelites leave Mount Sinai

Numbers 10:11-13 The Israelites had been at Mount Sinai for almost a year (see also Ex 19:1); Deuteronomy 1:6-8

Later generations look back to God's revelation on Mount Sinai

Judges 5:5 Ascribing the title “the One of Sinai” to God, Deborah acknowledges the great importance of his revelation at Mount Sinai. See also 1 Kings 19:8-9 Elijah's return to Horeb, the mountain of God, shows his need to hear God clearly again; Nehemiah 9:13-14; Psalm 68:7-8; Psalm 106:19-23; Malachi 4:4; Acts 7:37-38

Mount Sinai seen by NT writers as a symbol of the old covenant

Galatians 4:24-31 Hagar, Mount Sinai and the present city of Jerusalem stand for the old covenant and bondage to the law, while Sarah and the new heavenly Jerusalem stand for the new covenant and living by faith; Hebrews 12:18-29