Mt Sinai – God’s first wedding to Israel

After their miraculous rescue from Egypt, God’s people embarked on a journey through the wilderness to Mount Sinai, where they would meet with God and enter into a covenant relationship with Him. This covenant was akin to a marriage, with God becoming their Husband (Isaiah 54:5, Jeremiah 31:32). At its core, the Bible story is a love story.

At Mount Sinai, God promised to make His people His treasured possession if they remained obedient to Him (Exodus 19:3-6). In turn, the Israelites committed themselves to serve and obey Him (Exodus 19:8). The vows of this “marriage” are recorded in Exodus 20:1-23:33, supplemented by passages in Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy, collectively known as “the Law” or “torah,” meaning “instruction” or “guidance.”

After the marriage, God made arrangements to live among His people, revealing to Moses the blueprint for the Tabernacle, a beautiful tent where He would dwell.

All of the steps of a Hebrew wedding were followed by Israel’s Heavenly Bridegroom as He proposes to her at Mt Sinai:

Steps  Hebrew Wedding termEnglish Meaning
Step 1 Laqach / Shiddukhin
(Ex 6:7, 19:4)
Take as My own
(Engagement or mutual commitment)
Step 2Mikveh
(Ex 19:10)
Cleansing with water
(Purification bath)
Step 3 Segullah / Erusin
(Ex 19:5)
Treasured Possession
(Betrothal – lasted more or less a year wherein the groom goes to prepare a home for the couple, gives a wedding gift [usually a ring] to the bride-to-be)
Step 4 Chuppah
(Ex 19:16)
The Covering
(The Wedding canopy)
Step 5 Ketubah
(Ex 20, 24:7)
Marriage Contract / Covenant
(Husband & his father and bride & her father sit together to discuss terms of the marriage)
Step 6 Nissuin
(Ex 25:8)
Marriage Ceremony / Supper
(From the Hebrew ‘nasa‘ meaning ‘to lift up‘, consummation of the marriage where bridegroom & bride live together)

However, due to Israel’s adultery, God eventually gave them a certificate of divorce (Deuteronomy 24:3-4), following numerous warnings and attempts at reconciliation through the Prophets (Hosea 2:2, Jeremiah 3:1-8, 31:32, Isaiah 50:1). Yet, in His great love and wisdom, God made another way. God in the Flesh, Jesus, died to free Israel from the first covenant (Hebrews 8-9). The blood sacrifice of Jesus was of immeasurably greater quality than that of the first covenant. As a priest of the order of Melchizedek, Jesus offered His own blood on the heavenly altar, dissolving the old marriage and initiating a new covenant (Jeremiah 31:31, Hosea 2:19-20, Ezekiel 37:19-22, John 10:16, Romans 7:1-4).

The Renewed Covenant promises a new wedding, based on a bride willing to give her life for her Bridegroom. This covenant is built on the foundation of Jesus’ sacrifice and His ongoing presence in the lives of His people.