Mount Sinai and the Archaeological Evidence

Ten Commandments, Mount Sinai and the Archaeological Evidence.

The 10 Commandments were given to Moses after the Exodus from Egypt and during the time in the dessert which was 40 years.

The Israelites had not yet traveled as far as the Land of Judea. When the Commandments were given they were living at the base of Mount Sinai. Skeptics of Biblical Theology often say the 10 Commandments story is just that, a Story. They say there is no evidence of them even living in the wilderness. The same people say the same about Noah's Ark, the Exodus, the Parting of the Dead Sea, The Ark of the Covenant and the Miracles that took place. As this blog progresses we will look at them all. 

    The reason for the skepticism of the 10 Commandments is because nobody had found any evidence of the the location so Christians build a Monastery on there best probable location at the time, which was in the mid 1500 AD. It's remained as a traditional site and is a UNESCO World Heritage site today. There is a real site that is mostly unknown. Let's look at into it.

Jebel El Lawz is the correct mountain. 

The Sinai Penicula is split in half. On the left half is in Egypt where the traditional site is. The right half is in Arabia where the real site is. The Dead Sea crossing (Sea of Reeds) will be covered later in a dedicated post. 

    The sun was beating down on all of the people gathered. The Prophet Moses, who had lead the Exodus out of Egypt had gone up to the top of Mount Sinai to pray and fast and reflect on the future.

    Moses has an interaction with God on the Mountain. God came down, out of the sky. The heat was so intense that the Bible says the top of the mountain burned and was turned black like charcoal.

Exodus 19.18 - Mount Sinai was all wrapped in smoke because the LORD descended on it in fire. Rose from it like smoke from the furnace and the whole mountain shook vigorously.

Deuteronomy 4,11-12 - So you are near and stood under the mountain. Mountain fire burned to the very heavens, around dark clouds and cloud. Then the Lord spoke to you of the fire.

Photo's from Jebel el Lawz

At a distance the top just looks like shadows

When a person gets up to the to though, it is burn black like charcoal. 

A video of the whole site is included at the end of this blog post

    While Moses was on the mountain the Israelites got tired and frustrated and turned back to their Gods of Egypt. They set up a giant alter at the base. All people pooled together all of their golden objects and melted it down. They made a golden calf from the gold.  On the giant alter they chiseled images of their calves and then placed the gold idol on the alter and began to worship it. When Moses seen this he was furious because they had all sworn never to worship the Gods of Egypt again. 

Exodus 32.1 - When the people saw that Moses had not yet returned from the mountain and was gone a very long time, Aaron gathered them around and said. "Come, make us gods, which would lead us," he urged. "Who knows what's up with that Moses who brought us out of Egypt."

Exodus 32,4-5 - Ten of them took the gold, shaped and cast in the form of a calf. Then said: "This is your god, O Israel, that brought thee out of Egypt!" When Aaron saw the statue stood in front of the altar. Then he announced, "Tomorrow is the feast!"

    Here are photo's of the Alter of the Golden Caf along with it's petroglyphs.

 

Biblical Alters are always large, no Iron tools were meant to work the stone and were elevated where all can see. The Alter with the stone, wood or gold idol ontop was meant to make the person feel much smaller then the god or goddess being worshipped. 

This image shows the size compared to a person. 

    Before the Israelites came to this location they had been walking for days and weeks through harsh, terrain. They were slowly wilting away from lack of water. Moses had prayed for a miracle. God had told Moses to take his walking stick and strike a megolithic rock and water would flow out from it. Moses did and the rock split in half and water poured out  ground, splitting the rock in half but still stood upwards. It is known as the Rock of Horeb.

The rock is 200 feet from the bottom to the base of the split rock. Water gushed out and pooled at the bottom according to scripture and water erosion.

Exodus chapter 17 can be read here

 https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/moses-strikes-the-rock-at-horeb_bible/ 

At Mt. Sinai the Israelites also set up 12 pillars that was to represent the 12 Tribes of Israel. The built a cattle carrel and many other things around their temple in the wilderness. The exact dimensions were recorded in the Old Testament.

This blog post only scratches the surface.

If you would like to find out more about the site here is a video about it with video footage taken on the site. 

This is Ron Wyatt who rediscovered the site in 1984.

The discovery made headlines around the world because the site was off limit to outsiders, being a Israelite - Christian site in a strict Muslim Country where a Christian Cross is even forbidden to be on display.

Ron Wyatt snuck in across the mountain ridge and was caught on his was out. They thought he was a spy.

As always,

Thank you for reading

TMV

To watch the video on Youtube this is the link : Mt. Sinai : Untold Story of Ron Wyatt