Knowing The Word: Exodus 24:12-18; 31:18, Moses Receives the Tablets

The Ten Commandments (also known as The Ten Words) are so foundational to God’s people that they have a status and personal divine endorsement all their own, written by the finger of God. Have you ever wondered why there are two tablets? Many mistakenly believe there are five commandments on one tablet and five on the other. Actually, the tablets are written on the front and back and are identical copies. One is the Israelites’ copy and one is God’s. They are put together in the Ark of the Covenant as a reminder of the intimacy God is to have with his people and they with him, harkening back to the Garden of Eden and looking forward to the day of Jesus, The Word, who fulfills the Law given to Moses on Mount Sinai.

12 The Lord said to Moses, “Come up to me on the mountain and wait there, that I may give you the tablets of stone, with the law and the commandment, which I have written for their instruction.” 13 So Moses rose with his assistant Joshua, and Moses went up into the mountain of God. 14 And he said to the elders, “Wait here for us until we return to you. And behold, Aaron and Hur are with you. Whoever has a dispute, let him go to them.”

15 Then Moses went up on the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain.16 The glory of the Lord dwelt on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days. And on the seventh day he called to Moses out of the midst of the cloud. 17 Now the appearance of the glory of the Lord was like a devouring fire on the top of the mountain in the sight of the people of Israel. 18 Moses entered the cloud and went up on the mountain. And Moses was on the mountain forty days and forty nights.

34:18 And he gave to Moses, when he had finished speaking with him on Mount Sinai, the two tablets of the testimony, tablets of stone, written with the finger of God.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, The Word made flesh, meet with me and walk with me today as my Master and Friend.