“Seek Yahweh while He may be found. Call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return to Yahweh, and He will have compassion on him. Turn to our Elohim, for He will abundantly pardon.”
Isaiah 55: 6-7
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Yahweh Doesn’t Like to Yell, but He Can Do it if He has To
Moses
Moses’ real mother helped Pharaoh’s daughter raise him. She must have told Moses about his Hebrew heritage, because when he was 40 years old (Acts 7: 23), Moses intervened to help a Hebrew slave who was being beaten by an Egyptian. Moses ended up killing the Egyptian.
When Pharaoh learned what had happened, he tried to kill Moses, so Moses fled to Midian. (Exodus 2: 15) Midian was on the eastern side of the Gulf of Aqaba (a.k.a., the Red Sea). Midian’s territory included land that lies in northwest Saudi Arabia today bordering the Gulf of Aqaba, and it extended north into what we call Jordan today.
The Bible is clear about what Moses did in Midian for 40 years before he returned to Egypt as an 80-year-old man (Exodus 7: 7) to confront Pharaoh on Yahweh’s behalf:
- Moses married the daughter of the priest of Midian. Her name was Zipporah. (Exodus 2: 21) Zipporah’s father’s name was Reuel. (Exodus 2: 18) Reuel was also called “Jethro”. (Exodus 3: 1)
- Moses was a shepherd. (Exodus 3: 1)
- Moses met the Angel of Yahweh (Exodus 3: 2) at a burning bush on Mount Horeb, “the mountain of Elohim”, while he was shepherding Jethro’s flock. (Exodus 3: 1)
The Bible also makes clear that the Angel of Yahweh is Yahweh:
“The Angel of Yahweh [Yahweh] appeared to him [Moses] in a blazing fire from the midst of a bush….He [Yahweh] said also, ‘I am the Elohim of your father, the Elohim of Abraham, the Elohim of Isaac, and the Elohim of Jacob.’ Then Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at Elohim [Yahweh].” (Exodus 3: 2 and 6)
Elijah
Elijah had a confrontation with 450 prophets of Ba’al on Mount Carmel. (1 Kings 18: 22) He ended up killing all of them at the brook Kishon. It’s at the base of Mount Carmel. (1 Kings 18: 40)
Israel’s King Ahab witnessed the event, and he told his wife, Jezebel, about it. (1 Kings 19: 1) Jezebel was furious. She “sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, ‘So may the gods do to me and even more, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time.’” (1 Kings 19: 2)
Elijah was terrified, so he beat a hasty retreat. Along the way, he met Yahweh. This is what Yahweh told him:
“The Angel of Yahweh [Yahweh] came again a second time and touched him and said, ‘Arise, eat, because the journey is too great for you.’ So, he arose and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mountain of Elohim.” (1 Kings 19: 7-8)
Yahweh told Elijah to go to Horeb. That’s where Moses met Yahweh at the burning bush.
This is what happened to Elijah at Horeb:
Then he [Elijah] came there to a cave and lodged there; and behold, the word of Yahweh came to him, and He said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” He said, “I have been very zealous for Yahweh, the Elohim Sabaoth; for the sons of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars and killed Your prophets with the sword. And I alone am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.”
So He [Yahweh] said, “Go forth and stand on the mountain before Yahweh.” And behold, Yahweh was passing by! And a great and strong wind was rending the mountains and breaking in pieces the rocks before Yahweh; but Yahweh was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but Yahweh was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake a fire, but Yahweh was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of a gentle blowing. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. And behold, a voice came to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” Then he said, “I have been very zealous for Yahweh, Elohim Sabaoth; for the sons of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars and killed Your prophets with the sword. And I alone am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.”
Yahweh said to him, “Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus, and when you have arrived, you shall anoint Hazael king over Aram; and Jehu the son of Nimshi you shall anoint king over Israel; and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah you shall anoint as prophet in your place. It shall come about, the one who escapes from the sword of Hazael, Jehu shall put to death, and the one who escapes from the sword of Jehu, Elisha shall put to death. Yet I will leave 7,000 in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Ba’al and every mouth that has not kissed him.” (1 Kings 19: 9-18)
Paul
Paul was a Pharisee. (Philippians 3: 5) Before he had a personal encounter with Yahweh on the road to Damascus, he was the worst enemy believers had, but Yahweh changed his heart. (Acts 9: 1-22) This is how Paul explained it to the Galatians:
For you have heard of my former manner of life in Judaism, how I used to persecute the church of Elohim beyond measure and tried to destroy it; and I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries among my countrymen, being more extremely zealous for my ancestral traditions. But when Elohim, who had set me apart even from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace, was pleased to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with flesh and blood, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went away to Arabia, and returned once more to Damascus.
Then three years later I went up to Jerusalem to become acquainted with Cephas [Peter], and stayed with him fifteen days. But I did not see any other of the apostles except James, the Messiah’s brother. (Now in what I am writing to you, I assure you before Elohim that I am not lying.) Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. I was still unknown by sight to the churches of Judea which were in the Messiah; but only, they kept hearing, “He who once persecuted us is now preaching the faith which he once tried to destroy.” And they were glorifying Elohim because of me. (Galatians 1: 13-25)
After Paul became a believer, he spent 3 years in Arabia being taught by Yahweh. Elohim was equipping him to preach the gospel. Paul did not “convert to Christianity” as many suppose. He simply walked away from Pharisaic Judaism.
Judaism and Christianity are man-made religions. Yahweh does not call people to affiliate with a religion. He calls people to faith in Him and obedience to Him. I call it “the faith of Abraham”. It is a faith that is willing to go where Yahweh’s Spirit leads and to do what Yahweh’s Spirit says. Paul talked about it in Hebrews 11. See The Trilogy.
Paul had to let go of all the false teachings he had accepted while he was a Pharisee. That took 3 years. Yahweh had to root out those false doctrines, because He was commissioning Paul to teach Gentiles truths about the Messiah who is Yahweh. Paul certainly didn’t learn those truths as a Pharisee. (Galatians 2: 1-10)
Where in Arabia did Yahweh send Paul for 3 years?
The Bible doesn’t answer that question, but I know the answer. Like Moses and Elijah, Yahweh sent Paul to Mount Horeb, and Mount Horeb is also called “Mount Sinai”. (Exodus 19)
Why Mount Horeb, a.k.a., Mount Sinai?
Mount Sinai is in a desolate location, and it is a holy place. (Exodus 3: 5) Yahweh chose it for a reason. I don’t know the reason, but Yahweh does. That’s what matters.
Saying that Mount Sinai is off the beaten path is an understatement. Even today, it is far removed from heavily populated areas.
Mount Sinai is in Saudi Arabia in an area that used to be called “Midian”. Today, Mount Sinai is called Jebel al-Lawz. The name Jebel al-Lawz means “Mountain of Almonds”. Locals refer to Jebel al-Lawz as “the Mountain of Moses”.
Jebel Maqla is very near Jebel al-Lawz. Some people believe that it is Mount Sinai. Jebel Maqla means “Burnt Mountain”. Locals do not think it is Mount Sinai.
Obviously, there is some confusion here. I won’t try to clean it up today. I’ll get to it later. At this point, I believe Jebel al-Lawz is Mount Sinai.
Because it is so isolated and holy, Mount Sinai was a great place for Yahweh to meet with his faithful followers including Moses, Elijah, and Paul. Free of interruptions and noise, Yahweh was able to get their undivided attention and teach them His ways.
Yahweh can yell, but that’s not the way He likes to communicate with His people. He would rather talk with us in a still, small voice. (1 Kings 19: 12) Interruptions and noise drown out His voice. That’s why so many people today say that they can’t hear it. They are distracted most of the day every day.
If you want to hear Yahweh’s voice, find a place where you can meet with Him free of distractions, interruptions, and extraneous noise, things like TV, radio, videos, other people, etc. Go there every day, sit, and listen. You don’t have to do anything. Just say what Samuel said: “Speak [Yahweh], for Your servant is listening.” (1 Samuel 3: 10)
As I said, Yahweh can yell, but that’s not the way you want to hear Him. I know what I am talking about. Yahweh yelled at me one time to get my attention. It was shocking to say the least. I stopped dead in my tracks. That happened in July 1970 when I was 19-years-old. Thankfully, it hasn’t happened to me again since then. I much prefer Yahweh’s still, small voice. It’s comforting. His loud voice is terrifying.
Yahweh yells only when He has to raise His voice to get our attention. If you are not hearing Yahweh’s voice, you have a serious problem. You have drowned out His voice completely.
“Be still and know that I am Elohim. I will be exalted among the nations. I will be exalted over the earth.” (Psalm 46: 10)
Below are 6 videos about Mount Sinai. You will enjoy watching them. They show how isolated it is. Free of distractions, Yahweh was able to convey His messages to Moses, Elijah, and Paul.
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A Google Earth Flyover of Mount Sinai and the Surrounding Area
Drone Footage of the Area Around Mount Sinai in 4k Video
Drone Footage of Mount Sinai in 4k Video along with the 10 Commandments that Yahweh gave to Moses on Mount Sinai
Panorama of the Area Surrounding Mount Mount Sinai in 4k Video
The Mountain of Elohim and Surroundings with Explanation
Trying to Explain the Confusion Surrounding Mount Sinai’s Location
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“The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me. Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.”
John 17: 22-24
