At this date in God’s calendar we are over half way in the Omer count to Shavuot – Pentecost –
We normally associate this time with the giving of God’s Spirit by Ruach HaKodesh and the receiving of the Holy /Kadosh power of His presence into individual lives;
first by the disciples waiting in Jerusalem and since then to all believers ‘who so ever will’, ask and receive.
It’s the anniversary of the birth, genesis, the beginning of the called out – ecclesia; and also the anniversary of the Sinai covenant, together with the giving of Torah to Moses on the 2 stone Tablets engraved with the 10 commandments.
The ‘Aseret haDibrot -“Ten Commandments” to us, however, as it is written in the Hebrew scroll, it is not “The Ten Commandments” because The Torah calls it the “aseret ha-d’varim.”
In later rabbinic texts the collection is referred to as Aseret ha-Dibrot, Ten Sayings.
Both mean “ten statements,” or “ten utterances,” or “ten declarations,” but It is never referred to as the Aseret ha-Mitzvot, Ten Commandments.
On the 1st day of the month of Sivan, which was the third new moon since leaving Egypt, the children of Israel camped opposite Mt. Sinai. This was the same location where Moses had received his calling from the Lord with the burning bush.
Moses ascended the mountain and God commanded him to tell the leaders that if they would obey Him and keep His covenant, then they would be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation unto Him. When Moses/Moshe conveyed this message to the people they agreed and responded saying, all that the Lord has spoken we shall do.
Moses went back up the mountain and was told to inform the people to sanctify themselves prior to the Lord descending on the mountain in three days time. Exactly 7 weeks after the exodus, (49 days); on the 6th of Sivan, which was the morning of the third day.
As the children of Israel waited at the foot of Mount Sinai the Lord descended in billows of smoke and fire accompanied with thunder, lightning and the loud blast of the shofar.
The Lord declared the foundation of moral conduct that He required of the people by giving them the 10 Commandments –
Aseret ha-Dibrot
Literally the 10 sayings, (a translation based on the paleo-Hebrew
and Archaic Hebrew)
The words d’varim and dibrot come from the Hebrew root Dalet-Beit-Reish, meaning: WORD, SPEAK or THING;
thus, the phrase is accurately translated as the Ten Sayings,
the Ten Statements,
the Ten Declarations,
the Ten Words
or even the Ten Things,
but not as the Ten Commandments, which would be Aseret ha-Mitzvot.
עשרת המצוות
Judaism teaches that the first tablet, containing the first five declarations, identifies duties regarding our relationship with G-d,
while the second tablet, containing the last five declarations, identifies duties regarding our relationship with other people.
There is an interesting account in the Jewish writings describing this event and according to this account, Sivan 6 was the morning of a Shabbat and the children of Israel were woken up by the loud thunder, only to see the smoky fire and lightning bolts surrounding Mount Sinai. It is recorded that the sound of the shofar continued to increase in volume until the people were completely terrified.
Moses told the Israelites to draw closer to the mountain and as they did the heavens were ripped open
and the entire mountain was uprooted and suspended in the air!
The dirt and rock of Mount Sinai were transformed into pure crystal, so much so, that the children of Israel were able to look up through the transparent layer. Then suddenly the voice of the Lord called out to the Israelites, ‘either you will accept the Torah or be buried here’. The Israelites cried out again in response:
Kol asher diber Adonai na’aseh.
All that the Lord speaks we shall do.
The Lord then spoke in a single utterance all 10 commandments at once.
The heavens and the earth trembled and rivers reversed their course.
After the people regained their composure, the Lord slowly repeated the list of the Commandments (mishpatim) beginning with the first one: I am the Lord thy God who took you out of Egypt. As the Lord began speaking the second commandment however, the people began falling back in fear that they would die in His presence and begged Moses to be the middleman or mediator before God.
So the people stood far off and Moses came alone into the thick darkness where God was.
Here is an opportunity for us to show how grateful we are that the Lord has provided us with a greater mediator than Moses to enter into the darkness where God is.
Jesus the Messiah/Yeshua the Mashiach is our high priest of the better renewed-covenant based on better promises. Hebrews 8:6. By means of His sacrificial work, we can now draw near to God without fearing His wrath. The third day of Moses at Mount Sinai meant death and fear for ancient Israel; but the third day of Yeshua at Moriah means life and love for all of Israel and all grafted in believers forevermore.
Moses, Aaron and Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu together with 70 of the elders of Israel, 74 in total, ascended Mount Sinai to eat a meal with the Lord to confirm the covenant.
Then Moses went up, also Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, and they saw the God of Israel. And there was under his feet … a paved work of……[a] sapphire stone, and it was like the very heavens in its clarity. But on the nobles of the children of Israel he did not lay his hand. So they saw God, and they ate and [they] drank. Exodus 24:9
It is the same as our traditions today, after a wedding we eat a meal. From the ancient practice that after a covenant is sealed, you have a meal. Jesus/Yeshua sealed the re-new ed covenant in the upper room in the New Testament at the last seder/supper.
Here the elders experienced the magnificent glory of the God of Israel.
Under whose feet was a PAVEMENT of SAPPHIRES like the very heaven for clearness.
Ex. 24:9.10; Deut. 4:12; Ex. 33:20-23; Ez. 28:14.
Other scripture that mention the sapphire stones and stones of fire:
Ezekiel 28:14-16 Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC). 14 You were the anointed cherub that covers with overshadowing [wings], and I set you so. You were upon the holy mountain of God; you walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire
Mexican Fire Agates
[like the paved work of gleaming sapphire stone upon which the God of Israel walked on Mount Sinai].
The first foundation of the New Jerusalem is an emerald green crystalline hue, like jasper, with the Throne of God and the Almighty sitting upon it within its midst. The second foundation is the brilliant blue of sapphire, the same as the foundation below the throne of God, seen as the sea of glass, clear as crystal.
Sapphire refers to God’s chariot throne (Eze.1:26-28; 10:1). Without the refining work of the All-Consuming Fire (Job 23:10; Heb. 12:29) who sits on the sapphire throne; being a reality in believers’ lives, there is no throne room (intimate face-to-face) relationship like Moses had. This is where the fruit of perpetual righteousness, holiness – (set apartness), and truth is.
King James Version (KJV) … and as it were the body of heaven in his … that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire ..
Would there be any lasting, eternal ministry without the sapphire throne? The place under the feet of the God of Israel appeared to be paved with sapphire stone when heaven made contact with the earth. (Ex. 24:10).
The figure upon this throne was the likeness of the glory of YHWH (Ezek. 1:28). Like the appearance of God to the elders of Israel, this too was God in the person of the Son. These two accounts of God appearing are of such a similarity that it is reasonable to conclude that the sapphire foundation and the sapphire throne are the same.
He saw Messiahs’ Throne as sapphire (blue). The firmament is a crystal floor extending out from Messiahs’ Throne that goes out into the vast Sea. It is the same color as the Fathers’ Throne. Rev. 4:6; 15:2
Ezekiel 10:1, 20 was seeing the very same throne where Yeshua/Jesus is enthroned as the Lamb of God; which John saw concerning the end of the world. The same scene is recorded in Revelation 4:6-9
It was after returning from the mountain with the elders that the Lord commanded Moses to go back up to receive the tablets of stone,
luchot ha’even,
inscribed with the 10 Commandments as well as other additional instruction and commandments of Torah which Moses had to learn plus the instructions for building the mishkan/tabernacle in which the presence of God would dwell in the ark along with the luchot.
(Mitzvoth מצוות)
These were written by God Himself.
Ex 24: 12-18 verse 12 which I have written
KJV: and be there: and I will give thee tables of stone,
HEB: לְךָ֜ אֶת־ לֻחֹ֣ת הָאֶ֗בֶן וְהַתּוֹרָה֙
Tablets in Hebrew – LuChot – Strongs 3871 luach לוּח (loo’-akh) – a tablet, board or plank, a plate.
Or luach {loo’-akh}; from a primitive root; probably meaning:
TO GLISTEN;
a tablet (as polished), of stone,
wood or metal — board, plate, table.
In traditional Jewish sources, the size and shape of the Luchot are derived in the Talmud based on the dimensions of the Ark.
– written by the finger of God. Ex 31:18
The words were written in a new and very unique texts, we might call it heavenly texts, by the fingers of the Almighty. The letters were in use for some time until they were changed and later replaced by the present Hebrew texts, although the names of the letters remained.
The image below are the ten commandments in Exodus in the present Hebrew texts equally divided in two tablets.
Again according to ancient Hebrew Jewish texts, the tablets of stone were made of blue sapphire as a symbol of the heavens and God’s throne and written by the finger of God.
The Hebrew letters were said to be bored fully through the stone; (Ex 32:15) Which was a miracle since the inner part of some of the Hebrew letters e.g. the letter Samekh and the final Mem, floated in place.
Even more remarkable was that even though the letters were bored fully through the stone, both sides appeared normal, meaning, that the back of the tablet looked exactly the same as the front. (Shabbos 104a)
These were the tablets that were destroyed as Moses came down the mountain to find them worshiping the golden calf.
Later Moses was told to prepare a new set of tablets and once again go up the mountain where God would graciously reinstate His covenant with the children of Israel. He was followed by Joshua who remained at the base of the mountain; Moses re-ascended the mountain of God, which was still covered by a shining cloud of fire.
The ancient texts note these events: on the 6th Sivan Moses went up onto the mountain. On the 17th of Tammuz the tablets were broken, this was the first 40 days he was on the mountain.
On the 18th Moses burned the golden calf and judged those who were involved.
On the 19th he went up for 40 days and pleaded for mercy this was the 2nd 40 days.
On the 1st of Elul, He went up to receive the 2nd set of tablets and was there for 40 days. This was the 3rd forty days.
On the 10th of Tishri, God wholeheartedly restored His goodwill with the children of Israel and told Moses, I have forgiven as you asked and gave him the second tablets.
Understanding the timing of these events as explained in their tradition.
Festival of Pentecost celebrated as the giving of Torah
The 17th of Tammuz is observed as a time of national tragedy.
The month of Elul is a time of appeals for forgiveness, called selichot.
The 10th of Tishri marks the day of Atonement.
Some thoughts on this amazing scene:
Did the 70 elders see the sapphire throne of the place of His presence? Probably, as they were standing on it.
Where did the Luchot come from?
Did God cut them from the sapphire of His throne?
Exodus 24:12
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Come up to me on the mountain and be there; and I will give you tablets of stone, and the law and [the] commandments which I have written, that you may teach them.”
The literal rendering in the Hebrew reads:
…I will give you tablets of THE STONE…
that’s the definite article.
What stone is this referring to? The only other stone, that’s mentioned, is in verse 10 being the sapphire stone that His throne (the place of His presence) is made of. It sounds probable that the Ten Commandments were carved out of that blue sapphire stone that makes up God’s standing platform and throne. And in Exodus 32:16 Now the tablets were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God engraved on tablets. not only did God write it — God made those tablets.
Worth a mention here is Numbers 15: 37-39 “Speak to the children of Israel: [and] tell them to make tassels on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and to put a BLUE thread in the tassels of the corners… And you shall have the tassel, that you may look upon it and remember all the commandments of the Lord and do them… that you may not follow the harlotry to which your own heart and your own eyes are inclined, and that you may remember and do all my commandments, and be holy for [I am] your God. I am the Lord … God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt…
Why would BLUE in the tassels/zitzit of the prayer shawl/tallit, remind them of the commandments?
Could it be because the commandments were written on … BLUE… sapphire … stone?
https://www.minimannamoments.com/mysterious-secret-of-the-hilazon/
Also in Ex.28:31 “You shall make the robe of the ephod all of blue.” For Aaron and his sons to wear as the priests.
Taken from the official historical document, Legends of the Jews, Volume 3 by Louis Ginzberg, page 118 and 119 “Moses departed from the heavens with the two tables on which the Ten Commandments were engraved and they were made of a sapphire-like stone.” “Ancient Jewish scholars state that the sapphire employed for the tables was taken from the throne of Glory.”
The law was placed in the ark.
The ark is a symbol of the throne of God.
And between those two angels was the mercy seat.
Above the mercy seat the Shechinah Glory — which represented the very presence of God Himself, so here, in the most holy place of the sanctuary is the mercy seat, the throne, and what’s under the throne? …the tablets of stone made out of blue sapphire cut from the very throne of God!
…to be continued..
Shalom shalom!
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