What does "He wrote on the tablets" reveal about God's direct involvement with Israel? The Context: Meeting Israel at Sinai “ ‘And the LORD wrote on the tablets the words that were on the former tablets, the Ten Commandments that He had spoken to you on the mountain out of the midst of the fire on the day of the assembly; and the LORD gave them to me.’ ” (Deuteronomy 10:4) Divine Author, Human Audience • God does not merely dictate; He inscribes. • The same voice that thundered “out of the midst of the fire” (Deuteronomy 4:33) now etches the identical words in stone, ensuring nothing is lost in transmission. • Moses receives, Israel witnesses, but God authors. Markers of God’s Direct Involvement • Physical manifestation of His will—“tablets of stone inscribed by the finger of God” (Exodus 31:18). • Permanence and authority—stone signals unchangeable truth (Isaiah 40:8). • Covenant ownership—God alone initiates and seals the agreement (Exodus 34:28). • Personal engagement—no celestial messenger; the LORD Himself acts (Exodus 32:16). What This Meant for Israel • Certainty: The Law carried unquestionable divine weight. • Accountability: They were answerable to commands delivered without human distortion. • Privilege: Among all nations, only Israel had statutes written directly by God (Psalm 147:19–20). Echoes in the Rest of Scripture • Jeremiah 31:33—He will again “write” His law, this time on hearts. • 2 Corinthians 3:3—the Spirit writes on “tablets of human hearts,” fulfilling the Sinai pattern. • Revelation 21:5—“Behold, I make all things new… Write, for these words are faithful and true,” showing God’s continuing habit of direct inscription. Takeaway for Today • The same God who carved commandments into stone still speaks with clarity and authority. • His written Word remains the fixed point for faith and practice (Matthew 5:18). • As Israel was called to heed divinely written truth, believers now steward Scripture with equal reverence and obedience. |
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