The Giving of the Law
The Giving of the Law
hen the Israelites arrived at Mount Sinai, Moses went up into the mountain for
40 days. God revealed Himself and they were terrified.
Exod 19:16-18
Then it came to pass on the third day, in the morning, that there were
thunderings and lightnings, and a thick cloud on the mountain; and the sound of the
trumpet was very loud, so that all the people who were in the camp trembled. And
Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at
the foot of the mountain. Now Mount Sinai was completely in smoke, because the
LORD descended upon it in fire. Its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace,
and the whole mountain quaked greatly.
Out of this momentous encounter came the covenant between the Lord and Israel,
including the Ten Commandments (Ex. 20:1-17). When Moses delayed in coming
down from Mount Sinai, the faithless people became restless. They persuaded Aaron
to take their golden earrings and other articles of jewelry and to fashion a
golden calf for worship. When he came down from the mountain, Moses was horrified
at the idolatry and rebellion of his people. The sons of Levi were loyal to
Moses, however; and he ordered them to punish the rebels (Ex. 32:28).
ecause of his anger at the golden calf, Moses cast down the two tablets of
stone with the Ten Commandments and broke them at the foot of the mountain (Ex.
32:19). After the rebellion had been put down, Moses went up into Mount Sinai
again and there received the Ten Commandments a second time (Ex. 34:1,29). There
was given hundreds of laws in three phases:
Moral Laws (10 Commandments written by the finger of God),
Civil Laws (Dietary and Judicial also), and
Ceremonial Laws (Sacrifices, Feast Days, etc.).
In giving the Law to the Hebrew people, Moses taught the Israelites what the
Lord expected of them-- that they were to be a holy people separated from the
pagan immorality and idolatry of their surroundings. Here the foundation of
Judaism was laid., A God given religious system all centering around the Tabernacle
(the place where the blood was sprinkled on the ark), the Sacrifices, and the
Priesthood. The Levites were the priestly tribe, and Aaron (Moses' brother) was
the first High Priest. 
Israel was numbered and organized for war. The 12 Tribes were established
(Sons of Jacob) and leaders were appointed for each tribe.
The Story of the Bible