In the third month after the children of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, on the same day, they came to the Wilderness of Sinai. For they had departed from Rephidim, had come to the Wilderness of Sinai, and camped in the wilderness. So Israel camped there before the mountain (Exo. 19:1-2).

Finally, the journey to the mountain of God was over, and on this momentous occasion, His people prepared themselves to meet YHWH. Israel left Egypt on Abib 15 as the fifth day of the week began in the evening, and they arrived at the Mount Sinai Wilderness at the same time and day of the week when Thursday was beginning at sunset (See Blog 66 Ap. 14). Upon arriving, Moses went up to God, and YHWH called to him from the mountain with a message for Israel to ready themselves to meet with Him on the third day, the seventh Sabbath. “Go to the people and consecrate them today [Thursday] and tomorrow [Friday] and let them wash their clothes. And let them be ready for the third day. For on the third day, YHWH will come down upon Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people” (Exo. 19:10-11). In addition to washing and putting boundaries around the mountain to be ready for the third day, Moses told them to abstain from sexual relations, avoiding the possibility of being unclean in YHWH’s holy presence (Lev.15:2-18). Should a man or beast touch the sacred mountain, they must be stoned or shot without being touched. And on the seventh Sabbath, only when the people heard the trumpet sound long were they to come near the mountain. Marking Israel’s major accomplishment, the consequential event of meeting YHWH required Israel to be clean and sanctified, set apart in holiness, to be in His Presence safely.

The seven-Sabbath journey had equipped Israel in Edenic ways. From Etham, they passed in and out of the cavernous haunts of evil and through death in the waters of baptism, experiencing YHWH’s salvation, becoming a newly raised Israel. This links to Genesis 1, God raising the dry land out of the lifeless watery abyss from which He formed the adam in His image. On the first Sabbath, Israel reached the bitter waters of Marah where YHWH torahed them by Moses throwing in a tree, commanding them to choose life by obedience to His commands, like God instructed Adam to eat from the Tree of Life in the Garden. Israel moved on to Elim with its seventy palms and twelve wells, symbolic of Eden’s fruitful trees and flowing rivers. At Yam Suph, downstream from their sea crossing, Israel donned the weaponry of YHWH victory so that Israel might tend and keep the space of their camp from defilement. Israel in the Wilderness of Sin received the bread from heaven each day, like the steady food in Eden’s Garden where the precious bdellium pearls of fire lay as manna glittering in the morning sun. God’s creation was recounted by gathering manna for six days and resting in blessing on the seventh, the code for an eternal Eden fellowship with a holy God. From the Wilderness of Sin, YHWH’s hand was upon Israel, pressing and kneading her to repent of the iniquity hidden in her bosom and trust in Him. At Rephidim, YHWH stood on the rock as Moses struck it, from which flowed out waters of life, like Eden, and when the enemy attacked Israel, the armor of His victory became their strength and support. Israel came to the mountain of God, to Eden, ready to confirm and consummate their Passover marriage vows, that they might bear the light of God’s name and subdue all the earth.

On the morning of the seventh Sabbath, a thick cloud covered the mountain, out of which came thunderings and lightnings. In the mix of the frightening display came a loud trumpet blast. The trumpet blasts became so loud that everyone in the camp trembled. Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. By this time, the mountain was completely engulfed in smoke, like the smoke of a great furnace, because YHWH had descended upon it in fire, making the whole mountain quake greatly (Exo. 19:16-18). When the trumpet blasts became louder and louder, one long blast caused Moses to call out, and YHWH answered him by voice. YHWH, at the top of the mountain, called Moses to the top, and he went up.

YHWH said to Moses to quickly go back down to warn the people in case they break through the barriers to gaze at YHWH, and many of them perish. He also told Moses to make sure the priests “who come near YHWH” sanctify themselves, lest He break out against them. Moses replied, “The people cannot come up to Mount Sinai, for You warned us saying, ‘Set bounds around the mountain to consider it sacred and set it apart as holy.'” YHWH replied, “Go down and bring Aaron back with you. And do not let the priests and the people come up to YHWH, lest He break out against them.” And Moses went down and told the people what YHWH had said (Exo. 19:21-25).

Takeaway:
Israel’s arrival at the mountain of God was precisely forty-nine days from the night they left Egypt, and the seventh Sabbath was exactly forty-nine days from Etham, which began the count. During the seven-week journey, Israel repeatedly encountered images of Eden, from experiencing YHWH’s salvation in Yam Suph and receiving torah to obey YHWH’s commands to being provided with daily bread from heaven and water from the Rock. Israel’s covenant God equipped them with His armor to fight the enemy within and without so that the exiles might safely meet with Him in holiness at the long blast of the trumpet. YHWH descended upon Mount Sinai in a magnificent display of fire and thundering trumpets. Even then, only Moses and the High Priest were allowed to enter Eden’s Mountain. The solution is forthcoming.

Fun Factors:
Exodus 19 has 1371 letters in 375 words, totaling 83999, 19 × 4421, 19(65² + 14²); the sum of 83999’s prime factors (19 + 4421) is 4440, the numeric stamp of Yeshua’s 44 months and 4 days of His ministry. The sum of 83999’s digits is 2 × 19. In 83999 is the complete lunar time cycle (19) times the square of 65 (65 is 4² + 7²) plus the square of 14, the Passover sacrifice number 2 × 7, 1² + 2² + 3². The number of letters, 1371, is 1000 + 371; 1000 means to lead (teach) a family; 371 is 7 × 53, completeness (7) in the Garden (53), the number of days (371) Israel dwelt at Mount Sinai with YHWH, √1371 = 37.027; 37 = His names constant and 27 is 3³, symbolic of the Holy of holies.

Exodus 19:14 describes Moses sanctifying the people, and they washed their clothes. The verse has 38 letters (2 × 19) in 11 words, totaling 2861, the 416^th prime and 205^th Pythagorean prime, 50² + 19², signifying a jubilee restoration and the completion of the lunar time cycle of appointed times.

Exodus 19:16 describes the third day’s shofar calling forth Israel to enter Eden’s Sabbath. The verse has 77 letters (7 × 11) in 21 words (3 × 7), totaling 4774, 11 × 434. Moses led Israel out of the camp to stand at the foot of the mountain, at the door (434) of Eden, where, from the foundation of the world, lay Yeshua’s mid-week (11) sin offering (Gen. 4:7; See Blog 4 and Blog 5).

Exodus 19:17 (Moses leading forth Israel to the foot of the mountain) has 47 letters in 11 words, totaling 3948, 7 × 12 × 47. This is the signature of the 19-year lunar cycle with its 7 leap years and 12 common years, stamped with the work of God’s own hand (47). The product of 3948’s digits is 864, the sun’s diameter number, expressing the whole heart of God’s purpose.

Exodus 19:18 describes Mount Sinai with YHWH’s throne upon it. The verse has 64 letters (64 = T₅ + T₆ + T₇; the 7^th centered triangular number and 8^th square number; √64 = 8; ³√64 = 4) in 18 words (18 = life), totaling 4049, 55² + 32²; 55 = 1 + … + 10, the 10^th triangular number, 5^th heptagonal number, and 4^th centered nonagonal number; 32 = 4² + 4²; added to its reverse, 32 + 23 = 55 = T₁₀. The product of 4049 non-zero digits = 144, and the sum of its digits = 17. What do all these numbers say? Through the lens of YHWH’s three days and nights in the grave (weekdays 5, 6, and 7), He is victorious in judging and restoring humanity’s generations to Himself at the door of Eden, His will being done on earth as it is in heaven.