FORTY DAYS ON THE MOUNTAIN

Moses spent forty days on Mount Sinai to receive what is called the Ten Commandments. The Jews did not call them the Ten Commandments but The Ten Words, or The Ten Sayings, or The Ten Matters (Exodus 34:28; Deut. 4:13; Deut. 10:4) are translated as ‘Commandments’ in our English Bibles.

As I listened concerning this ‘Forty Days’ I started to wonder: What did Moses do for forty days and forty nights? With out bread or water (Exodus 34:28).
Perhaps 3 days of being face down in the dirt and squirming. It only took a couple of days (hours) to get the Ten Commandments (or Words). What went on the other thirty-seven days? My first thought was maybe he was dancing, singing, laughing, playing and frisking about with his robe pulled up (his shoes were already off) and enjoying the direct presence of the Father. Maybe Frisbees, Jump Rope, or Badminton?

Then upon looking a little deeper into the texts it appears from Exodus chapters 19-34 that Moses ascended Mt Sinai eight times… back and forth, not just the one trip for The Ten Commandments. It took him 127 days, or four months and seven days in total, to go up and down the mountain eight times.
So, I’m thinking he was probably too tired to play.

Since discovering many years ago that the Hebrew language doesn’t use the term ‘commandments’ but more likely and often uses the term ‘words’ in these verses. I have also wondered if they were called ‘The Ten Sayings or Words of God’ if they wouldn’t be more likely to be followed. Commandment has a threat and judgment to it in some ways. Sayings and Words have an implied acceptance/agreement to them.

“Teacher, which command in the law is the most important?” Jesus answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and most important command. And the second command is like the first: ‘Love your neighbor as you love yourself. All the law and the writings of the prophets depend on these two commands.” Jesus