God initiates a covenant with Israel despite their rebellion and promises his presence.
At Mt. Sinai, God invites Israel into a covenant relationship. He desires to make them a nation of priests to be a blessing to the nations. But Israel immediately fails to trust God.
Ascending the Mountain
The first eighteen chapters of the book of Exodus recount how God miraculously delivered Israel from Egypt. As they approach Mt. Sinai, God’s presence covers the mountain in a dark cloud. Moses climbs it as a representative for the people to receive God’s law and a plan for God’s own dwelling space, the Tabernacle.
Filled with symbolic garden of Eden imagery, the Tabernacle would become the place where God’s space overlapped with humanity’s space. Immediately after this, Israel breaks the covenant, and Moses intercedes for them by asking God to remember his promise to Abraham.
God relents and re-establishes the covenant. The Tabernacle is completed and God’s glory fills it. However, Moses is unable to enter this micro-Eden due to his own compromise.