The Sinai covenant was an agreement between God and the people of Israel mediated by Moses at the foot of Mount Sinai. This was the same mountain where Moses met God in an extraordinary vision of the burning but unconsumed bush before returning to Egypt.

God had revealed to Moses that they would worship him on this same mountain after bringing the Israelites out of Egypt (Exodus 3:12). Therefore, the Israelites upon leaving Egypt later assembled at the foot of Mount Sinai.

The Sinai covenant came on the first day of the third month after the Israelites had left Egypt on their way to the Promised Land.

This covenant was the first fellowship that the people of Israel had with God that brought them nearer to him.

PREPARATION FOR THE MAKING OF THE SINAI COVENANT

Moses went up the mountain to meet with God after the Israelites had set up a camp at foot of it from where he was given instructions on how the people had to prepare themselves for the covenant.

Through Moses God reminded the Israelites that they were witnesses to what he had done to the Egyptians and how he had carried them like an eagle up to where they were.

The Israelites were urged to obey God and keep His covenant if they were to remain His people. This meant that their chosen status from now on would be dependent on their obedience to God.

God confirmed His willingness to keep Israel as His own chosen people. They had to dedicate themselves to Him alone and serve as His priests.

Moses called all the leaders of people together and told them everything that the Lord had said upon coming down the mountain.

The leaders of the people promised to do everything that the Lord had said and Moses communicated their commitment to God.

God revealed to Moses that He would come to him in a thick cloud so that the people could hear them speak. In this way, they would believe in Him. This meant that God wanted the Israelites to realize His presence.

The Israelites were instructed to spend two days purifying themselves for worship. They were required to wash their clothes and be ready to meet God. This signified the holiness of God.

Moses was instructed to mark a boundary round the mountain that no one was allowed to cross. He also forbade them from going up the mountain or even getting near it. The penalty for their disobedience would be being put to death.

Moses urged the people of Israel to abstain from sexual intercourse as they were waiting meet. Having sex would make them unclean before God.

There was thunder and lightning on the morning of the third day. This was followed by a thick and a very loud trumpet blast that made people to tremble with fear. This showed the presence of God.

Moses led the Israelites out of the camp to meet God and they all stood at the foot of the mountain.

The whole Mount Sinai was covered with smoke signifying the presence of God symbolized by fire.

God responded to Moses with thunder as the sound of trumpet had become louder that it had made the people tremble violently.

Moses went up the mountain upon being called by the Lord who again instructed him to warn people about crossing the boundary drawn round the mountain.

Moses later went up the mountain with Aaron upon the command of God and reminded them about His mighty act of bringing Israel out of their bondage in Egypt.

God went on to give various laws in His spoken words. These became the basic commands and ordinances of God ideally to safe guard the people's relationship with him and among themselves.

The people of Israel promised to do everything that the Lord had said after Moses had finished telling them His commands and all the ordinances.

Moses is presented as having written down all the commands of the Lord. This meant that Moses knew how to write thus he was an important person in putting down the commands of God.

Besides, he built an altar at the foot of the mountain and set up twelve stones each representing the twelve tribes of Israel.

Some young men burnt sacrifices to the Lord and presented some cattle as fellowship offerings. Moses put half of the blood of the animals in the bowls and threw the other half against the altar. Moses read the book of the covenant in which the commands of the Lord had been written and read it aloud to the people who promised to obey him.

Besides, he threw the blood in the bowls on to the people to signify the sealing of the covenant which God had made with the people of Israel.

God handed over to Moses two stone tablets containing all the laws that had been written to act as instructions to the Israelites.

God went on to instruct Moses and the people to make a sacred tent for His dwelling place. Besides, they had to make a covenant box and place in it the two stone tablets on which His commandments were written.