When speaking about mount Sinai, the first thought to come to mind should be its holiness. God descended upon Mount Sinai, and turned it into a great symbol of His covenant with man.That is why God warned Moses, saying, “Do not draw near this place. Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground.” (Exodus 3:5)
Has the holiness of that place been removed? That depends on your faith. My faith tells me that, Sinai is exactly the same today as it was in Moses’ days. Horeb, or Sinai, means ‘desolate place,’ which is to say, a sad and forsaken place. But God chose Sinai exactly because of that quality, which matched His people, the Israelites in Egypt, who were despised, just like those of us who are despised by society today.
Sinai went from being desolate to being considered the most respected of all mountains. God works in the same way with those who are despised by the world today. As it is written: “He raises the poor out of the dust, And lifts the needy out of the ash heap, That He may seat him with princes. With the princes of His people.” (Psalm 113:7-8)
As the cross is a symbol of our salvation, Mount Sinai is a symbol of the separation that exists between our old lives and our new lives. Every time I place my feet on that ground, I remember the promises that God made to Moses. There, we claim our rights and privileges according to the Word of God. In those days, Mount Sinai was a witness of the covenant God made. And in this faith, we will pray on behalf of all those who trust us to carry their prayer requests there.
Another aspect of Mount Sinai that should be considered is the covenant between God and His people. We all know that, in a covenant with God, sacrifice is necessary. We notice throughout the Bible that every covenant between God and His people involved the pouring out of an animal’s blood. This symbolizes Jesus’ sacrifice.
Through Jesus’ sacrificial offering, God was able to open the door and rescue humanity. However, this does not mean that everybody will be saved. Only those who accept the following: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.” (Acts 16:31)
Believing in the Lord Jesus means surrendering one hundred percent of your life to Him. Sacrifice is the materialization of faith. That is why only those who sacrifice turn into conquerors. In other words, every promise made by God will come to pass, depending on the materialization of your faith.
On Mount Sinai, God revealed the blessings for obedience and the curses for disobedience; but He let the people decide whether or not they would be obedient. Joshua and Caleb were the only ones who entered into the land that flowed with milk and honey, because they persevered, believing in the fulfilment of the promises of God.
Climbing Sinai is also a challenge of faith. This journey is tough! Yet in this hard-to-access place, God chose to descend to determine the end of His people’s suffering.
Yes, it was there that He said to Moses: “Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground.” (Exodus 3:5)
God Bless You,
Bishop Edir Macedo
UCKG Leader and Founder
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