Moses’ Eight Ascents Up Mount Sinai

Scripture reading: Exodus 24:1-3

Exodus 24:1–3 ESV

Then he said to Moses, “Come up to the Lord, you and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, and worship from afar. Moses alone shall come near to the Lord, but the others shall not come near, and the people shall not come up with him.” Moses came and told the people all the words of the Lord and all the rules. And all the people answered with one voice and said, “All the words that the Lord has spoken we will do.”

Hallelujah. The title for today’s message is “Moses’ eight ascents up mount Sinai,” and it’s based on the 7th book of the History of Redemption Series entitled “The Eternal Covenant for All Generations: The Ten Commandments.”

If you were to make a list of the most important parts in the Bible, the Ten Commandments would probably be near the top of the list. Because they are the defining characteristics of someone in covenant with God.

But our focus today is not the Ten Commandments in themselves, but the process of how humankind received them from God.

Rev. Abraham Park summarizes it through Moses’ eight ascents up Mt. Sinai. That’s the first half of the 7th book.

So what does this have to do with us?

God works in patterns. And Moses’ 8 ascents foreshadows the future ratification and fulfilment of God’s eternal covenant through Jesus Christ.

And so by studying this topic, we can have a deeper and richer understanding of our place within God’s redemptive history.

First Ascent: Proposal

Exodus 19:1–3 ESV

On the third new moon after the people of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, on that day they came into the wilderness of Sinai. 2 They set out from Rephidim and came into the wilderness of Sinai, and they encamped in the wilderness. There Israel encamped before the mountain, 3 while Moses went up to God. The Lord called to him out of the mountain, saying, “Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the people of Israel:

Date:

2nd day, 3rd month.

46 days after the exodus.

The word for hodesh means month, but it also means new moon. The Israelites used a lunar calendar, which means that the new moon was the first day of the month. This means that the Israelites arrived at Mt. Sinai on the 1st day of the 3rd month. And on the very next day, Moses goes up the mountain and meets with God.

Exodus 19:4–6 ESV

4 ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. 5 Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; 6 and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel.”

Possession (segullah) = special treasure, hidden treasure.

If your friend calls you a treasure, it feels great.

If your boss calls you a treasure, it feels awesome.

But if God calls you a treasure, His special treasure, it’s like winning the Olympic gold medal. It changes everything about who you are. It’s the most precious and honorable title in the entire world.

So we can summarize this first ascent with the word “Proposal.” Because Moses goes up the mountain, gets this amazing proposal from God, and he goes down the mountain to deliver it to the people.

Second Ascent: Consecration

Exodus 19:8 ESV

All the people answered together and said, “All that the Lord has spoken we will do.” And Moses reported the words of the people to the Lord.

Date:

3rd day, 3rd month.

47 days after the exodus.

So after the people agree to the proposal, Moses goes up the mountain a second time to report back to God. And God tells Moses to have the Israelites consecrate themselves for 3 days (Exodus 19:10-11).

So Moses goes down the mountain, and he delivers God’s message.

And the Israelites immediately begin to consecrate themselves for three days, beginning with that day itself.

It’s an inclusive counting system. So they start on the 3rd day, 4th day, and 5th day. That’s the three days of consecration.

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And what happens on the 5th day? God comes down upon the mountain in a thick cloud with thunder and lightning, and the entire mountain was wrapped up in fire and smoke, and there was a trumpet sound. And the whole mountain trembled greatly.

And God calls Moses up the mountain.

Third Ascent: Warning

Exodus 19:20 ESV

The Lord came down on Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain. And the Lord called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up.

Date:

5th day, 3rd month.

49 days after the exodus.

God tells Moses to warn the Israelites not to climb the mountain, otherwise they would die (Ex. 19:21-25).

The main point to note is that even after the people had consecrated themselves, they still couldn’t enter into God’s holy presence. God’s holiness was still dangerous to them. It’s not enough to just be clean.

Matthew 12:43–45 ESV

“When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, but finds none. Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when it comes, it finds the house empty, swept, and put in order. Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there, and the last state of that person is worse than the first. So also will it be with this evil generation.”

What’s the problem here? The man is clean, but he’s empty. Spiritual cleanness doesn’t equal to holiness. It only means “not unclean.”

If a hotel room is clean and empty, then anyone would come in to stay right? But if someone’s already inside, you can’t go in.

Do we have the presence of God dwelling within us? If we truly confess the name of Jesus, then even though we’re dirty and unclean, the Holy Spirit comes into our hearts, and He makes us clean, and He occupies our hearts. Amen?

And that’s when we come to the fourth ascent.

Fourth Ascent: Proclamation + Mediation

Date:

6th day, 3rd month.

50 days after the exodus (Pentecost)

On the next day, the 6th day of the 3rd month, God speaks the Ten Commandments to the people (Exod. 20:1-17).

What’s the significance of this? It has to do with the date, the 6th day of the 3rd month.

Jesus died on the day of Passover, 14th day of Nisan the first month. It was a high day, a day where the Passover and the Sabbath coincided (John 19:31). And 50 days later, the Holy Spirit comes down upon the disciples (Acts 2:1-4).

50 days after the Passover in Egypt is the 6th day of the 3rd month. And on that day, God spoke the Ten Commandments to the people.

But because the people were so terrified, Moses had to play the middle-man between them and God. And so it says that Moses draws near to the thick darkness where God was.

Exodus 20:18–19 ESV

Now when all the people saw the thunder and the flashes of lightning and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking, the people were afraid and trembled, and they stood far off and said to Moses, “You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, lest we die.”

Exodus 20:20–21 ESV

Moses said to the people, “Do not fear, for God has come to test you, that the fear of him may be before you, that you may not sin.” The people stood far off, while Moses drew near to the thick darkness where God was.

In order to mediate and reconcile between us and God, Jesus drew near to the thick darkness. Moses ascended up the mountain covered in darkness. Jesus ascended on the cross, and was covered in thick darkness from 12pm to 3pm (Mark 15:33).

I’d now like to pause here for a bit, because the date of this fourth ascent is very significant. It’s on the 3rd month, on the 6th day. That’s 50 days after the Passover and the Exodus.

After the Passover, the Israelites celebrated the feast of firstfruits. One for the barley harvest, and one for wheat harvest.

Leviticus 23:11 ESV

and he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord, so that you may be accepted. On the day after the Sabbath the priest shall wave it.

Leviticus 23:15 ESV

“You shall count seven full weeks from the day after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering.

Since barley ripened before wheat, the firstfruits of barley was offered to God on the first day after the Sabbath. The Sabbath is on a Saturday right? So this firstfruit of barley is on a Sunday.

And the firstfruits of the wheat harvest would be 50 days after the barley harvest.

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Please refer to this slide for a clearer picture. The Passover could be on any day of the week. Passover, Sabbath, firstfruits of barley, and then firstfruits of wheat 50 days later.

What’s the significance of this?

We know that on the year Jesus died, the Passover and Sabbath overlapped on the same day. That’s in Luke 23:54 and John 19:31.

So when was the firstfruit of the barley harvest? Three days later on Easter Sunday. Resurrection Lord’s Day.

As the firstfruit of the resurrection, Jesus rose on the same day as the barley harvest.

And 50 days later, the church was born. That’s the same day as the wheat harvest, 50 days after Jesus’ resurrection, otherwise known as the day of Pentecost.

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In the Old Testament, God gave the Ten Commandments on this day of the wheat harvest. In the New Testament, God send the Holy Spirit to give us understanding and power to live according to the Word.

Let us go back to the 4th ascent.

After this fourth ascent, Moses records God’s law. He writes it down all night long and delivers it to the people the next morning, on the 7th day of the 3rd month (Ex. 24:3-4).

And so on the 7th day of the 3rd month, Moses ratifies the Sinaitic Covenant.

He builds an altar at the foot of the mountain, and sets up 12 pillars for the 12 tribes. And he has the people offer burnt offerings and sacrifices to God.

Moses then divides the blood from the offerings into two halves. One half, he sprinkles on the altar. Then he reads the Book of the Covenant and reads it aloud for all the people. They agree. And he sprinkles the other half of the blood on them.

Exodus 24:6–8 ESV

And Moses took half of the blood and put it in basins, and half of the blood he threw against the altar. Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it in the hearing of the people. And they said, “All that the Lord has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient.” And Moses took the blood and threw it on the people and said, “Behold the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words.”

Hebrews 9:19 tells us that the blood was also sprinkled on the Book of the Covenant.

Hebrews 9:19 ESV

For when every commandment of the law had been declared by Moses to all the people, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people,

The sprinkling of blood is an oath symbolizing that the one who broke this covenant would pay for it in blood.

And what happens once the blood is sprinkled on the people? Now they are able to ascend the mountain into God’s holy presence.

Fifth ascent: Covenant meal

Date:

7th day, 3rd month.

51 days after the exodus.

Exodus 24:9–11 ESV

Then Moses and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel went up, and they saw the God of Israel. There was under his feet as it were a pavement of sapphire stone, like the very heaven for clearness. And he did not lay his hand on the chief men of the people of Israel; they beheld God, and ate and drank.

Before the Sinaitic covenant was ratified, the people were afraid to approach God’s presence. But after, they could see God and even share a meal with Him. It was a feast full of joy and gladness.

But only those who have become a part of the covenant can ascend the mountain and partake of this holy covenant meal. Holy communion is a covenant meal, which is why we don’t allow non-baptized persons to partake.

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The word for ‘saw’ in Ex. 24:10 is ra’a, which means to see a physical object.

The word for ‘beheld’ in Ex. 24:11 is hazah, which means to receive a spiritual revelation. It’s a spiritual form of seeing.

This is important because this foreshadows what is going to happen for the true people of God when they encounter Jesus Christ. We need to first see His humanity. Then, by the grace of God, we need to discover the spiritual truth about Jesus’ divinity as the Son of God.

We need to see the humanity and divinity of Christ.

Sixth ascent: Stone tablets + Shattering

Date:

8th day, 3rd month.

52 days after the exodus.

The very next day, God calls Moses up the mountain in order to give him the stone tablets.

Exodus 24:12–13 ESV

The Lord said to Moses, “Come up to me on the mountain and wait there, that I may give you the tablets of stone, with the law and the commandment, which I have written for their instruction.” So Moses rose with his assistant Joshua, and Moses went up into the mountain of God.

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Moses brings Joshua with him, and he stays on the mountain for 40 days and nights without eating or drinking (Ex. 24:18).

And during this time, God gives Moses the instructions for the tabernacle (Ex. 24:25 – 31:11), and keeping the Sabbath (Ex. 31:12-17).

And at the end, God gives him the two stone tablets of the Ten Commandments. Each tablet has all of the Ten Commandments on them, so they were two exact copies. One for God, and one for the Israelites. It was their covenant contract, written in stone.

But when Moses descended from the mountain, what was going on? The Israelites were worshiping a golden calf. That’s in Exodus 32. Moses went up there for so long that the people thought he wasn’t going to return.

And so Moses throws the stone tablets and shatters them.

Exodus 32:19 ESV

And as soon as he came near the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, Moses’ anger burned hot, and he threw the tablets out of his hands and broke them at the foot of the mountain.

Why? On the outside, it seems that he did this because he lost his temper. But what we see in the ancient Near East is that if the tablets of a covenant were broken, their contents would become invalid. If the stone tablets remained, then God would have destroyed the Israelites according to the covenant.

And so because of this, Moses goes up the mountain immediately the next day to intercede for the people.

Seventh ascent: Intercession

Date:

18th day, 4th month.

92 days after the exodus.

Exodus 32:30–32 ESV

The next day Moses said to the people, “You have sinned a great sin. And now I will go up to the Lord; perhaps I can make atonement for your sin.” So Moses returned to the Lord and said, “Alas, this people has sinned a great sin. They have made for themselves gods of gold. But now, if you will forgive their sin—but if not, please blot me out of your book that you have written.”

For 40 days, Moses intercedes for the people.

Deuteronomy 9:25–26 ESV

“So I lay prostrate before the Lord for these forty days and forty nights, because the Lord had said he would destroy you. And I prayed to the Lord, ‘O Lord God, do not destroy your people and your heritage, whom you have redeemed through your greatness, whom you have brought out of Egypt with a mighty hand.

Without Moses’ intercession, God would have destroyed the Israelites.

Psalm 106:23 (ESV)

Therefore he said he would destroy them— had not Moses, his chosen one, stood in the breach before him, to turn away his wrath from destroying them.

Eighth ascent: Stone tablets + Glorification

Date:

30th day, 5th month.

133 days after the exodus.

God commands Moses to prepare two stone tablets, and God will inscribe His Word on it.

Exodus 34:1–2 ESV

The Lord said to Moses, “Cut for yourself two tablets of stone like the first, and I will write on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke. Be ready by the morning, and come up in the morning to Mount Sinai, and present yourself there to me on the top of the mountain.

Moses goes up the mountain for the last time, and he fasts for 40 days and nights. And he comes down with a new pair of the two stone tablets. But this time, his face is shining.

Exodus 34:29 ESV

When Moses came down from Mount Sinai, with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand as he came down from the mountain, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God.

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He ascended on the 30th day of the 5th month, and he came down on the 10th day of the 7th month. This day is what would be known as Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement.

Leviticus 23:26–27 ESV

And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Now on the tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement. It shall be for you a time of holy convocation, and you shall afflict yourselves and present a food offering to the Lord.

And so this final ascent and descent from the mountain concludes the process through which God ratified His covenant with Israel.

Conclusion

In conclusion,

Moses’ eight ascents up Mt. Sinai shows us the pattern through which God’s eternal covenant is ratified and fulfilled through Jesus Christ, the true Mediator between God and mankind.

First ascent = proposal. God wants to make us into His special treasure.

Second ascent = consecration. We are to be consecrated and clean before God.

Third ascent = warning. We must recognize our sinfulness and inability to approach God on our own.

Fourth ascent = mediation. We need a mediator who can mediate between us and God.

Fifth ascent = covenant meal. Through the work of a mediator, we can receive God’s covenant and enter into His holy presence with joy and gladness.

Sixth ascent = God gives us the instructions on how to worship Him. It’s written down for us to study. But because of our sin, the Word of God that came from heaven must be broken so that we can live.

The sixth ascent foreshadows Jesus’ first coming. The Word of God is shattered for our salvation from sin.

However, when Moses goes up and comes down for the 8th time, and his face is shining with glory, it represents the day that we behold Jesus in the fullness of His glory. It represents the day of atonement, Yom Kippur, when the consequence, power, and presence of sin is cast away for eternity. In other words, the 8th ascent represents the day of the second coming Christ.

And so where does that place us?

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The seventh ascent foreshadows the time between Jesus’ first coming and His second coming. And so we are living between the 6th and 8th ascents.

On his 7th ascent, Moses was interceding on behalf of the Israelites, for their salvation.

Isn’t this true for us as well? The Bible says that even now, Jesus is interceding for us in prayer.

Romans 8:34 ESV

Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.

Hebrews 7:25 ESV

Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.

Our Lord Jesus, our mediator, is up there right now. We don’t know how long He’ll be, and we are constantly tempted to satisfy ourselves with the idols at the foot of the mountain.

But I pray that we will endure this time of testing, and overcome by faith. While waiting for Jesus’ return, we must study the Word of the Covenant that we’ve received from God. And we must not entertain any golden calves, knowing that our Lord is interceding for us, and He is returning soon, and we shall behold Him in the fullness of His glory.