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.
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
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.
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.
Exodus chapter 17 can be read here
