Mount Horeb, the mount of God. The Mount where God covenanted with Israel in the beginning of their journey to the Promised Land. In a terrifying and powerful manner of His holiness, God came down to the mount of Horeb or Mount Sinai. When He touched it, Mount Sinai was wrapped in smoke and it quaked greatly (Ex. 19:18). The holiness of God shocked the earth, for it could not stand before His presence. Even Moses, who talked to Him face to face, was afraid of it. The seriousness of that event should have made a difference in the lives of the people of Israel as long as they lived. Reminding the people of their background history, the Lord God said to them, I am the Lord your God, Who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods before or besides Me (Ex. 20:1). Enslaved for over four hundred years, the sons of Jacob had forgotten His God. They had followed instead, the gods of Egypt. For this reason, God came down in an expression so strong as to show them Him to be the only true God, holy and powerful. He came to break the chains of idolatry from their hearts. This was a firm and serious declaration, causing Israel to realize Who He was in the fullness and power of His holiness. God came down to covenant with them, calling them to holiness in the conditions of the covenant clearly and well expressed.
Light from the Word 