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Exodus 24:12-18

Moses on the Mountain

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12Then the LORD said to Moses, “Come up to Me on the mountain and stay here, so that I may give you the tablets of stone, with the law and commandments I have written for their instruction.”

13So Moses set out with Joshua his attendant and went up on the mountain of God.

14And he said to the elders, “Wait here for us until we return to you. Aaron and Hur are here with you. Whoever has a dispute can go to them.”

15When Moses went up on the mountain, the cloud covered it,

16and the glory of the LORD settled on Mount Sinai. For six days the cloud covered it, and on the seventh day the LORD called to Moses from within the cloud.

17And the sight of the glory of the LORD was like a consuming fire on the mountaintop in the eyes of the Israelites.

18Moses entered the cloud as he went up on the mountain, and he remained on the mountain forty days and forty nights.

Berean Standard Bible

Read aloud

The LORD calls Moses to come up the mountain and stay there to receive the stone tablets. God has written the law for Israel's instruction. Moses sets out with Joshua and leaves Aaron and Hur available to handle disputes while the elders wait for his return.

The cloud covers Sinai for six days. On the seventh day, God calls Moses from within it. To the Israelites below, the LORD's glory looks like a consuming fire on the mountaintop. Moses enters the cloud and remains on the mountain forty days and forty nights.

The God who comes near is still holy. Moses approaches because God calls him, and he receives instruction God has chosen to give. Israel does not get to invent a message to fill the wait or decide how to enter God's presence. The mountain teaches reverence for both the Speaker and His word.

Questions

1 What does God say He will give Moses?

AnswerHe will give Moses stone tablets with the law and commandments He has written for Israel's instruction. Moses goes up to receive God's word, not to compose his own.

2 Who can settle disputes while Moses is away?

AnswerMoses leaves Aaron and Hur with the elders and tells anyone with a dispute to go to them. The people's ordinary responsibilities continue while he is on the mountain.

3 What can Israel see on the mountain?

AnswerA cloud covers Sinai, and the glory of the LORD looks like a consuming fire on its summit. Moses enters the cloud when God calls him.

4 How can we show reverence when we read God's word together?

AnswerWe can give it our attention, ask what it actually says, and be willing to obey even when it challenges us. Questions are welcome, but our preferences do not determine God's message.

What This Means for Us

God's instruction is a gift to His people, and receiving it calls for humility. Before deciding what a passage means for us, take time to notice what God has said. A detail we find difficult deserves patient attention rather than a quick explanation that suits us.

Hebrews also calls Christians to worship God with reverence and awe, reminding us that He is a consuming fire. Being welcomed by God does not make His holiness less real.

Prayer

Holy God, thank you for giving your people your word. Help us listen with attention and obey with humility. Keep us from mistaking our own ideas for your instruction. Amen.

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