Where is God? He's Right Here With Me!

Mt Sinai Today

This morning I heard someone make a mistake.  Or did Jesus tweak my ears?  Hm...  During prayer, someone mentioned Mt Zion in relation to the children of Israel when God showed them His holiness.  The focus of the prayer was on the holiness of God.  My brain instantly said - oops, the speaker meant Mt Sinai and instantly I was intrigued by the following comparison - can I share?

Exodus 19 vs 1 Kings 19

Shall I start from the end?  Remember the story of Elijah the Tishbite - the good Bible student fed by ravens who took on Ahab and Jezebel?  Remember his faith crisis as he ran from Jezebel?  Question:  why was he running to Mount Horeb - the mountain of God?  The Bible is not explicit as to why.  But I think we can probably figure it out as we move through the story.

Mount Horeb.  Also known as the Mountain of God.  Also known as Mount Sinai.  And this brings us round again to Moses.  What happened to Moses on Mount Sinai?

Exodus 19 NASB.
¹⁰ The Lord also said to Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their garments; ¹¹ and let them be ready for the third day, for on the third day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. ¹⁶ So it came about on the third day, when it was morning, that there were thunder and lightning flashes and a thick cloud upon the mountain and a very loud trumpet sound, so that all the people who were in the camp trembled. ¹⁸ Now Mount Sinai was all in smoke because the Lord descended upon it in fire; and its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked violently.¹⁹ When the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and God answered him with a voice.

vs

1 Kings 19 NASB - note this pics up AFTER Elijah has arrived at Horeb...
¹¹ So He said, “Go forth and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord was passing by! And a great and strong wind was rending the mountains and breaking in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. ¹² After the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of a gentle blowing. ¹³ 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?”

Here are the comparison details I find:

• Moses and Elijah both called up to the mountain
• Elijah was in the wilderness for 40 days, Moses for 40 years
• Jesus intended and did manifest Himself to both on the mountain
• God manifest was preceded by: thunder, lightning, fire, blowing of a trumpet for Moses, wind for Elijah
• God spoke with both Moses and Elijah in a still small voice

I submit to you that Elijah craved hearing God's voice, seeing Him, being near to the most physical manifestation ever witnessed on this earth (before Jesus' birth) and based on his understanding of the Exodus story - He quested for Sinai.  God knew what Elijah was doing all the way during the 40 days of his journey - in fact, God again fed him using angels directly this time as opposed to through the ravens.  Further God encouraged his quest by directing up the awesome peak of Sinai.  And God WAS found by Elijah. 

Thank You Jesus that while we wander in our wilderness - be it 40 years or 40 days - You know where we are.  You know why we are there.  You never leave us or forsake us.  You WILL be found by us - and that moment is awesome!  The moment we realize You were with us the entire time!