Moses (Mountain Climber)

From a message by a Curious Questioner--
>CQ> Subject: [2/2] Commandments

>CQ> Altogether Moses fasted for 120 days, which is interesting because he lived for 120 years. This fact is not usually understood by most Christians.

Three of his 40-day fasts total 120 days, but the word "altogether" may not be correct, since he no doubt fasted on OTHER occasions too. (His 120-year life-span was divided into three 40-year periods too.)

>CQ> Pentecost - 17th Tammuz (the first forty day fast).

Pentecost? Sivan 6 is only 50 days after the 16th of Abib/Nisan, and in Ex.19:1 it seems evident that they didn't arrive at Sinai until the ("same day" of the month they left Egypt,) the 15th day of the "third month" (Sivan 15). That's 60 days (or 59 if you count even number months as only 29 days) - 9 days AFTER Pentecost.

Exodus 19:11 indicates it was the "third day" (Sivan 18?) afterwards that the LORD would appear to the people in the "morning", and "Moses went up" in ex.19:20p, and was told to "Go down, charge the people" (etc) and come back with Aaron(v.24)

Then in Ex.24:1, Moses and Aaron (and Nadab and Abihu and 70 elders) are to come up to the mount, etc. And the next "morning" (24:4p) Moses built an altar, etc. (Sivan 19?) Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu and the 70 elders go up in verse 9, and after that, Moses goes up alone (leaving Joshua part way behind him to stand guard?) to receive the "tables of stone" (Ex.24:12p). The cloud covered the mount SIX days, and the SEVENTH day (Sivan 25?) the LORD called Moses "into the midst of the cloud" and Moses "gat him up into the mount: and Moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights." (Ex.24:18p)

That seems to make the 40 days last from Sivan 25 thru Ab 5. (or a day earlier if you count the 4th month as 30 days instead of 29. :)

(If the 40 days included those "six days" the cloud covered the mount, then the 40 would be from Sivan 19 thru Tammuz 26. :)

>CQ> ... because of the transgression with the golden calf, and the breaking of the covenant that Israel had made at Pentecost/Shavuot with the LORD.

(Wasn't the 10 cmd. covenant at least 11 days after Pentecost? :)

>CQ> The "glory" on Moses face as a result of his encounter with the LORD at this time faded eventually.

He got at least 1 re-charge when he went back in before the LORD, (Ex.34:34) & had to "put the vail upon his face again"! (Ex.34:35p)

Grace be to y'all, in love for Jesus' sake. Amen. --Richard