The giving of the Law at Mount Sinai is one of the most foundational events in the Old Testament. It marks the formal establishment of the covenant between God and Israel and the revelation of His holy standards for His people.
After the Israelites were delivered from Egypt, they journeyed through the wilderness and came to Mount Sinai in the third month (Exodus 19:1). There, they camped before the mountain. God called Moses up and declared His intention to make Israel a special treasure, a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation if they would obey His voice and keep His covenant (Exodus 19:5–6). The people agreed to all that the Lord had spoken.
God instructed the people to consecrate themselves and prepare, for on the third day He would descend upon the mountain. The mountain was to be fenced off, and anyone who touched it would be put to death (Exodus 19:12–13). On the third day, Mount Sinai was covered with thunder, lightning, a thick cloud, and the sound of a trumpet. The mountain quaked, and the people trembled as God descended in fire (Exodus 19:16–18).
In Exodus 20, God gave the Ten Commandments, speaking directly to the people. These commandments formed the moral core of His covenant and addressed duties to God and to one another. After hearing God’s voice and witnessing the terrifying display, the people begged Moses to speak with God on their behalf (Exodus 20:18–21).
Moses then ascended the mountain again, where he remained for forty days and nights. During this time, God gave him further laws and the pattern for the tabernacle. The Law given at Sinai included moral, civil, and ceremonial components, all intended to set Israel apart and govern their life as God’s chosen people (Exodus 21–31).
When Moses delayed returning, the people made a golden calf, violating the covenant almost immediately (Exodus 32). Moses interceded for them, and the covenant was renewed. God instructed him to chisel new tablets, and He reestablished His promises with the nation (Exodus 34).
The giving of the Law at Sinai reveals God’s holiness, the seriousness of sin, and the need for a mediator. It also points forward to Christ, who fulfilled the Law and established a new covenant written not on tablets of stone but on hearts by the Spirit (Hebrews 8:10).
