Sunday, December 20, 2009

WeekEnder: What is the location of the real Mount Sinai?" -GQ

(Picture of Mt McKinley (Denali, largest mountain North America)

What is the location of the real Mount Sinai?


Question: "What is the location of the real Mount Sinai?"

Answer: Where is the real Mount Sinai? For centuries, scholars, explorers and pilgrims have sought the location of the real Mount Sinai—the mountain of God from the biblical story of Moses and the Exodus. Today, most people are unaware that little or no evidence has surfaced that supports the traditional site called “Mount Sinai” in the south central Sinai Peninsula. In fact, it seems the only reason that the traditional site is designated “Mount Sinai” is because Helena, mother of Constantine I, decreed it as such in the early 300s AD.

Several other proposed sites for the real Mount Sinai have been suggested over the years, but no hard evidence has been produced by scholars or archaeologists to date. Robert Cornuke, an investigative explorer for B.A.S.E Institute, has said: “If we are ever to discern a correct location for the historical events recorded in the biblical Book of Exodus, it’s important to use the Scriptures as a guide, just as we would use any ancient documents that have proven reliable in the past.”

The Scriptures can help us discover the general location for the real Mount Sinai. Exodus 3:1 plainly identifies Mount Horeb (Sinai) as being in Midian: “Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian. And he led the flock to the back of the desert, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God.” Scripture reveals here that the region of “Midian” is undeniably the same as present-day Saudi Arabia. This has been established by numerous sources. Second, the traditional site for Mount Sinai on the Sinai Peninsula has nothing to do geographically with the “back” of a desert. By contrast, certain mountains in Saudi Arabia are on the far side or margin of a vast desert in ancient Midian.

Exodus 2:15 reveals more. After killing an Egyptian, Moses fled Egypt for safer ground: “When Pharaoh heard of this, he tried to kill Moses, but Moses fled from Pharaoh and went to live in Midian.” Egypt and its holdings would not have been safe for Moses under any circumstances. He would not have fled to the Sinai Peninsula, where archaeology shows that Pharaoh had multiple mining interests and military outposts. The Bible is clear that Moses went out of Egypt, to the land of Midian east of the Gulf of Aqaba.

The Bible makes several references to Moses returning to Egypt from Midian, including Exodus 4:19where we read, “Now the Lord had said to Moses in Midian, ‘Go back to Egypt, for all the men who wanted to kill you are dead.’” All passages associated with Moses’ stay in Midian point toward present-day Saudi Arabia as the area to which Moses fled, subsequently met God at the burning bush, and then returned with the children of Israel.

In the New Testament, Paul wrote in Galatians 4:25, “Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia . . .” As a “Hebrew of Hebrews,” Paul’s understanding of Arabia would have been one that was consistent with Old Testament passages like 1 Kings 10:15, 2 Chronicles 9:14, Isaiah 21:13, Jeremiah 25:24, and Ezekiel 27:21, in which Arabia is clearly identified with the region east of the Gulf of Aqaba, where “kings” ruled and the “Dedanites” co-dwelt with other nomadic peoples.

So, where is the real Mount Sinai? Many Bible references seem to point away from the traditional Mount Sinai in the Sinai Peninsula and toward the mountains of Saudi Arabia. However, is there evidence to support this theory? We suggest that you check out the expeditions and discoveries of Robert Cornuke in the DVD listed below. He’s an investigator and explorer who’s put the theory to the test by documenting the evidence for the real Mount Sinai at Jabal al lawz in Saudi Arabia. Robert Cornuke's evidence is credible and compelling.

Recommended Resource: The Legend Chaser, Volumes 1 & 2 by Robert Cornuke.

WeekEnd Edition

This material was brought to you by The WeekEnder and Broadcast(B.C.)Christianity. The WeekEnd Edition Digest, is a ministry of  Broadcast(B.C.)Christianity and Michael James Stone. It is an aggragate of  materials selected from the Internet and materials provided by Authors and Readers. Though often Christian in nature, the materials are subjective and do not necessarily reflect the views of  Broadcast(B.C.)Christianity or anone associated with.

 

The WeekEnder

The WeekEnder supplies News and Views by the Readers and Authors from posts reviewed the previous week.  WeekEndEdition@michaeljamesstone.com

Posted via email from Week End Edition