Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, because the LORD descended on it in fire. The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace, and the whole mountain trembled violently. – Exodus 19:18

Today's Scripture Reading (October 6, 2021): Exodus 19

Mount Etna towers over the Sicilian countryside. The mountain is one of the most active volcanoes in the world. It has been active since 1500 B.C.E., and over the years, thousands of people have died because of volcanic activity on the mountain. But, as a result, the volcanic soil surrounding the mountain is also perfect for growing olives and grapes. So, the people keep coming back to the mountain, ignoring the dangers, to plant their crops on its slopes, setting the scene for the next disaster because of Mount Etna.

In ancient times, whenever Mount Etna erupted, the people believed that Vulcan, the Roman god of metalworking and the forge, was busy making weapons for Mars, the god of War. The mountain erupted frequently enough for the people to believe that Mars was continually on the prowl, watching for those he could devour with the weapons that Vulcan forged in the fires of Mount Etna.

For the Jews, the counterpart of Mount Etna was Mount Sinai, also called Mount Horeb. It was the Mountain of the Jewish God. It was here that God spoke to Moses from the burning bush. It would also be on this mountain that Elijah would come and hide in a cave.

Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire (1 Kings 19:11-12).

The scene that Elijah describes on Mount Horeb could easily have been a scene from the volcanically active Mount Etna. And at both places, a God was at work.

As the people gathered around the Mountain of God, it quaked like a mountain amid a volcanic episode. It was covered with smoke because God had descended on it with fire. The smoke billowed up into the air like smoke coming out of a furnace or even a forge. And the mountain trembled.

And yet, the people didn't run. There was no need. They gathered as close to the mountain as God would allow, and then watched as Moses climbed its slopes, drawing nearer and near to the fire of God on his mountain. Unlike Mount Etna, this indeed was God at work.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Exodus 20