Moses - episode 5

We continue Moses’ story with the arrival at Sinai, the mountain of God. This fulfills the sign that the Lord had given him at the time of his call (Exodus 3,12). We are in chapter 19 and following of Exodus. «In the third month after the children of Israel had gone forth out of the land of Egypt, on that same day they came into the wilderness of Sinai. When they had departed from Rephidim, and had come to the wilderness of Sinai, they encamped in the wilderness; and there Israel encamped before the mountain. Moses went up to God, and the LORD called to him out of the mountain, saying, “This is what you shall tell the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel: ‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings, and brought you to myself. Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice, and keep my covenant, then you shall be my own possession from among all peoples; for all the earth is mine; and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation.’ These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.” Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and set before them all these words which the LORD commanded him. All the people answered together, and said, “All that the LORD has spoken we will do.”». The Lord speaks to the people in a booming voice, with loud sound of trumpet and fire, giving them the Ten Commandments. Those are the concrete way to maintain the freedom that God has given to his people, as we can read from their introduction: «I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods before me [...]» (Ex 20,2-3 and following). With awe and respect Israel declares repeatedly that they are willing to accept the deal proposed by the Lord: the alliance is so officially stipulated. Moses goes up the mountain alone to receive the other laws of God and the stone tables on which the Lord himself will write his commandments. He will stay there for forty days and forty nights: too many for the waiting people, who violate the newly stipulated covenant building a golden calf to worship it. When Moses comes down and sees the betrayal he destroys the stone tables written by God and orders to kill the culprits; then again goes up the mountain, to implore God’s forgiveness. «Moses returned to the LORD, and said, “Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made themselves gods of gold. Yet now, if you will, forgive their sin—and if not, please blot me out of your book which you have written.” The LORD said to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book. Now go, lead the people to the place of which I have spoken to you. Behold, my angel shall go before you. Nevertheless in the day when I punish, I will punish them for their sin.”».

 

 

The journey can continue; it will not be the last of Israel’s infidelities to the covenant. Even if Moses remains as a guide and an intercessor, from now onward every rebellion will be punished, because the pact with the Lord was officially stipulated and accepted. Aaron and his sons are consecrated priests and the people build a sanctuary tent (Tent of Meeting), according to God’s instructions, in which is placed the ark of the testimony with the tables of the law rewritten by Moses. The book of Exodus ends with the consecration of the sanctuary: «Then the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle».

The next book of the Bible, Leviticus, gives a set of rules regarding the worship practice and other laws. I quote only the one of Jubilee (chapter 25), particularly significant even for today’s believers. «“‘You shall count off seven Sabbaths of years, seven times seven years; and there shall be to you the days of seven Sabbaths of years, even forty-nine years. [...] You shall make the fiftieth year holy, and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee to you; and each of you shall return to his own property, and each of you shall return to his family. [...] “‘The land shall not be sold in perpetuity, for the land is mine; for you are strangers and live as foreigners with me. In all the land of your possession you shall grant a redemption for the land. “‘If your brother becomes poor, and sells some of his possessions, then his kinsman who is next to him shall come, and redeem that which his brother has sold. If a man has no one to redeem it, and he becomes prosperous and finds sufficient means to redeem it; then let him reckon the years since its sale, and restore the surplus to the man to whom he sold it; and he shall return to his property. But if he isn’t able to get it back for himself, then what he has sold shall remain in the hand of him who has bought it until the Year of Jubilee: and in the Jubilee it shall be released, and he shall return to his property». No one can deprive his brother of the land and of the freedom, neither with the “honest” way of a regular contract, because these two goods are gifts from the Lord not available for trade. If God has delivered and redeemed his people from slavery, it can not come back in other forms. In the fiftieth year all come back into the lands of their family and, if they sold themselves as slaves to pay off debts, they regain their freedom «For to me the children of Israel are servants; they are my servants whom I brought forth out of the land of Egypt. I am the LORD your God».

In the next posts we will resume the narrative of the journey to the Promised Land.