The stone tablets that God created for Moses were impeccable. Written by the hand of God and carved out of the rock by the same way, they were the focal point of the Law. The essence of what it meant to serve Jehovah.
And then Moses destroyed them.
Why they ended up in pieces at the bottom of Mount Sinai is perhaps a discussion for another time, but suffice it to say that Moses didn’t plan on breaking them. He came down, saw the Israelites neck-deep in sin, and acted out of anger.
God doesn’t seem mad about this; instead, He simply calls Moses back up the mountain to give him the same set of laws. This time, on tablets that Moses made by himself.
That’s not the only change. This time, Moses will also be by himself. In Exodus 19, before Moses ascends the first time, the people were to come out and present themselves. They watched as God thundered and smoke poured forth from the top of the mountain.
Moses’ second trip up the mountain was to be done in virtual isolation. No one was to come near except him. Even the animals stayed away.
The exclusion of the people highlights the intimacy with God Himself. The dramatic point of this chapter comes when God “passes by” in front of Moses. The verse preceding that mentions God standing with Moses, almost as if the two are engrossed in conversation.
And again, once more, Moses intercedes on behalf of the people. He begs God to go with them again—that even though they are an “obstinate people,” they should still be God’s own possession.
That pleading leads right into the renewing of their covenant. If they are going to be His people, there are conditions. Moses is told to “observe” what God commands, and to “watch yourself.” In other words, the people must hold up their end of the covenant.
There’s a real temptation in our world to characterize God as nothing more than a God of compassion, but Jehovah displays Himself at this point as a God of justice. He shows His mercy in bringing the people back into a covenant with Him, but will they show that same loyalty to God?
