Upstairs/downstairs

I wrote some notes on Exodus 19-40. I was having trouble keeping track of all the comings and goings that Moses had meeting God on Sinai. Reading it with this focus, you get the feeling of shuttle diplomacy. The mediating role of Moses is very clear, emphasising the holiness of God. Which makes the final descent from the mountain by God himself all the more amazing.

• 19:3 ↑ Moses goes up
• 19:3-6 Moses given message (reminder what God has done, exhortation to obey, promise of special place of people)
• 19:7 ↓ Moses goes down and reports to people
• 19:8 People respond (express desire to obey)
• 19:8 ↑ Moses goes up and reports to God
• 19:9 Moses given message (God is coming in cloud)
• 19:9 Moses reports to people
• 19:10-13 Moses given message (Preparation of people for God's visit)
• 19:14-15 ↓ Moses goes down and reports to people
• 19:16-20 ↓ God comes down to top of mountain
• 19:20 ↑ Moses goes up
• 19:21-24 Moses given message (for people to keep their distance)
• 19:25 ↓ Moses goes down and reports to people
• 20:1-17 God speaks the 10 commandments to his people directly
• 20:18-19 People respond (in fear, ask Moses to mediate)
• 20:21 ↑ Moses goes up
• 20:22-24:2 Moses given message (book of the covenant: exposition of 10 commandments, festivals & Sabbath, promise of conquest)
• 24:3 ↓ Moses goes down and reports to the people
• 24:3 People respond (express desire to obey)
• 24:9 ↑ Moses goes up (with others)
• 24:11 Covenant meal
• 24:13 ↑ Moses goes up further with Joshua
• 24:15-18 ↑ Moses goes up further alone and remains 40 days/nights
• 25:1-31:18 Moses given more instructions (all about tabernacle except ending with reminder about Sabbath)
• 32:7-14 God threatens to destroy Israel because of the golden calf, but Moses persuades God not to.
• 32:15-30 ↓ Moses goes down, breaks tablets, kills people
• 32:31 ↑ Moses goes up
• 32:31-33:3 Moses offers himself as substitute, God rejects this and says he will send a plague then will bring them to Canaan but will not go with them
• 33:4 ↓ Moses goes down (?) and reports to people
• 33:4-6 People respond (in mourning)
• 33:7-34:3 Moses meets God in the tent of meeting (asks that God will go with Israel, and that he will see God's glory)
• 34:4 ↑ Moses goes up
• 34:5-28 Moses given message (sees God's glory, promise of conquest, festivals and Sabbath)
• 34:29 ↓ Moses goes down
• 34:31-36:1 Moses delivers message
• 36:2-40:33 Tabernacle built
• 40:34-38 ↓ God comes down to the tabernacle and dwells with his people