The Stone Torah
Moshe’s meetings with Adonai on the mountain are a ‘shadow’ of the unique covenant God made with the people of Israel. The first covenant, written on stone, is broken by sin. The same covenant written on new stones brings forth the glory of Adonai.
When the Israelites were gathered at Mount Sinai, Adonai descended with fire, smoke and the sound of the shofar. They trembled in fear and asked that Moshe become the intercessor between them and yod-hey-vav-hey. He sets up twelve stones to represent the 12 Tribes of Israel. He makes burnt offerings and peace offerings to Adonai. He takes half of the blood and puts it in basins; the other half he sprinkles on the altar. He reads the book of the covenant of Adonai and the people respond and accept the covenant: “Everything that Adonai has spoken we will do and obey” (Exodus 19:8).
“Moshe took the blood, sprinkled it on the people and said, “This is the blood of the covenant which Adonai has made with you in accordance with all these words” (Exodus 24:8).
“The glory of Adonai stayed on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days. On the seventh day he called to Moshe out of the cloud” (Exodus 24:16).
The Flesh Torah
Moshe ascends the mountain a second time and enters the cloud. He remains on the mountain for 40 days and nights. Adonai gives him another two stone tablets on which are written His instructions: The Ten Commandments. On both sides of the stones are the commands of yod-hey-vav-hey, His Word written by His own Hand.
This first ascent to the mountain for the stone symbolizes the hard, stone heart that man has toward Torah. While Moshe is receiving the very written Words of yod-hey-vav-hey on the mountain, the Israelites are down below mixing the holiness of Adonai with the pagan gods of Egypt.
When Moshe comes down from the mountain, he finds the people worshiping a golden calf and indulging in abominations. Moshe throws down the tablets and shatters them at the base of the mountain. He melts the golden calf in the fire, grounds it into powder, scatters it on the water, and makes the people drink it. He confronts Aharon who had been left in charge. He makes ridiculous excuses for his own sin which allowed the people to become rebellious.
The Torah of stone is broken. The stony hearts of the people revealed. Three thousand people die.
The Rock of Salvation
Moshe leaves the camp. He pitches his tent away from the Israelites to fellowship with Adonai. The cloud of Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh’s presence descends and blocks the entrance to the tent. Moshe has intimate fellowship with Adonai and requests to see His glory. Adonai tells him to stand on the Rock. As His glory passes, Adonai places Moshe in a crevice of the Rock and covers him with His. Moshe meets Yeshua, the Rock of salvation (Psalm 18:46), the Rock that brings forth living water (1 Corinthians 10:4), the Rock of Israel’s defense (Psalm 62:2), the everlasting Rock (Isaiah 26:4). , the Rock that is the intercessor between Adonai and man (Hebrews 7:25).
The New Stones
Adonai tells Moshe to cut two stone tablets like the first ones so that He can inscribe the Words that were on the first ones. Moshe ascends Mount Sinai a second time with the two stone tablets in his hands. Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh descends in a cloud, stands with Moshe, and pronounces His name, yod-hey-vav-hey. Moshe prostrates himself on the ground and as the intercessor for Israel, asks forgiveness for the sins of Israel (Exodus 34:6-8).
Adonai re-news the first covenant, The Ten Commandments, on different stones. He tells the people that they must obey His instructions. He is a jealous God and in order to keep His anger from busting out against them, they must destroy all pagan worship. He does not want them to be enticed to worship other gods. His gives instructions for His ‘appointed times:’ Sabbath, Passover, Matzah, Firstfruits Feast of Weeks, and the Festival of Ingathering –– a prophetic vision of the Rock.
When Moshe came down from the mountain with the second set of stones, the people awaited his arrival. They had prepared to hear the Words from yod-hey-vav-hey.
Moshe’s face glowed with light from being in the presence of Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh. The glory of yod-hey-vav-hey was so bright that Aaron and the people of Israel were afraid to approach him. Moshe called to them and they came to him; he taught them everything Adonai had taught him on the mountain. When he was finished reading the stones, Moshe put a veil over his face. Whenever he spoke to the Israelites, he covered his face, but when met with Adonai, he removed the veil.
The second visit to the mountain brought a transference of Adonai’s glory onto Moshe. The presence of Adonai remained with Moshe because His Spirit had circumcised Moshe’s heart and made it flesh.
The Torah is re-newed on new stones. Only Caleb and Joshua have the same heart and Spirit as Moshe. Only Caleb and Joshua survive the wilderness to enter the Promised Land (Numbers 14:24, 27:18).
Forty years later, Moshe promises the children and grandchildren of those who left Egypt that Adonai will circumcise their hearts so they can obey His Torah (Deuteronomy 30:6). This is the ‘new circumcision’ instituted by Yeshua at his Passover seder (Luke 22) and fulfilled on the Feast of Weeks. On that day, 3000 men received circumcised hearts and entered eternal life.
The first Torah was written on stone. It was broken because of sin and brought death. Moshe set himself apart from the people as the intercessor and met with Adonai face-to-face. On the mountain, Moshe received the Spirit and a circumcision of heart. Moshe’s countenance revealed the glory of Adonai; Moshe’s countenance reflected the glory of the Rock.
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