fbpx

PATTERNS OF EVIDENCE: JOURNEY TO MT. SINAI PART 1

"Searching for the Real Mt. Sinai"

What You Need To Know:

PATTERNS OF EVIDENCE: JOURNEY TO MT. SINAI PART 1 examines three of six possible sites for Mt. Sinai, the place where Moses encountered God in the burning bush and where God later gave Moses the Ten Commandments. Host Tim Mahoney establishes six different categories of evidence for determining the true Mt. Sinai. They include several attributes the location must have, several artifacts the location should have and the possible locations of seven campsites that led the Jews to Mt. Sinai. Interviewing multiple scholars, Mahoney goes through the list and judges each site. Using this “scorecard,” he rejects the first three sites, including the traditional site for Mt. Sinai, which is located in the Sinai Peninsula.

Part I of JOURNEY TO MT. SINAI is an informative, faith-filled movie detailing the major issues involved in deciding which of the six mountains best fits the biblical narrative of the last four books of Moses. As such, the movie gives viewers a closer look at the Exodus story, especially the all-important incident of the burning bush and the giving of the Ten Commandments to Moses.

Content:

(CCC, BBB):

Dominant Worldview and Other Worldview Content/Elements:
Very strong Christian, biblical worldview examines three of sex candidates for the real location of Mt. Sinai in the Middle East, the location where Moses saw the burning bush, where God gave Moses the Ten Commandments and where Moses stopped the Jews from worshiping the golden calf

Foul Language:
No foul language

Violence:
No violence

Sex:
No sex

Nudity:
No nudity

Alcohol Use:
No alcohol use

Smoking and/or Drug Use and Abuse:
No smoking or drugs; and,

Miscellaneous Immorality:
Nothing objectionable.

More Detail:

PATTERNS OF EVIDENCE: JOURNEY TO MT. SINAI PART 1 examines three of six possible sites for Mt. Sinai, including the traditional site in the Sinai Peninsula, where Moses encountered God in the burning bush and where God later gave Moses the Ten Commandments after God and Moses led the Hebrew people out of Egypt. Part I of JOURNEY TO MT. SINAI is an informative, faith-filled movie detailing the major issues involved in trying to determine which of the six mountains fits the biblical narrative of the Exodus in the Books of Exodus, Deuteronomy, Leviticus, and Numbers.

In the beginning of the movie, Narrator Tim Mahoney identifies the problem of determining the true location of Mt. Sinai. So far, he notes, modern archeology says it has found little to no evidence of a large number of Hebrews leaving Egypt in the 15th or 13th Century BC. However, that’s to be expected since the biblical text says that the followers of Moses wandered the desert for 40 years. Nomadic wanderers don’t stick around for long in any one place. The Bible seems to say, though, that 603,000 men, or about two million people total, followed Moses out of Egypt. Some archeologists, however, believe that the numbers of people listed in Exodus should be re-translated or listed as only about 30,000 people in all. Mahoney believes in the larger figure.

Mahoney says there are six mountains in the Middle East that are candidates for being the true Mt. Sinai. Based on the biblical text, he establishes six categories of evidence for identifying the real Mt. Sinai. For example, there’s the journey to the mountain, which entailed stops at seven campsites; the distance of the mountain from the land of Midian where Moses was staying when he traveled to the mountain and saw the burning bush; the direction Moses went with his flock when he traveled to the mountain and saw the burning bush; the physical attributes of the mountain and its surrounding area, which should have a large plain nearby, plenty of water, a stream coming down the mountain, and should contain the mountain cave where, centuries later, the Prophet Elijah fled; and, artifacts associated with the mountain, such as an altar, 12 pillars, inscriptions and evidence of a large encampment.

Mahoney notes that the Emperor Constantine’s mother, Queen Helena, visited the Holy Land from AD 326-28. On her trip, she visited a mountain in the Sinai Peninsula and declared it to be the true Mt. Sinai. However, he finds that this mountain doesn’t have enough water, shows no evidence of a stream, doesn’t have any inscriptions or an altar, and the alleged Elijah cave at the mountain is actually a small hovel, not a cave.

Mahoney then examines the evidence for two other potential Mt. Sinai mountain sites and finds the evidence there lacking as well. Throughout the movie, Mahoney interviews numerous scholars about the three mountains.

Part I of JOURNEY TO MT. SINAI is an informative, faith-filled movie detailing the major issues involved in deciding which of six mountains best fits the biblical narrative of the last four books of Moses. As such, the movie gives viewers a closer look at the Exodus story, especially the all-important incident of the burning bush and the giving of the Ten Commandments to Moses. Here, it’s interesting to note that the Founding Fathers of the United States venerated the Exodus as an important symbol of Liberty for America and its people. For example, Benjamin Franklin wanted it to be part of the national seal.

Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.

What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.

You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.

Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.


Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.

What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.

You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.

Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.