ANALYSIS
For centuries, we've been told that Mount Sinai – the biblical mountain where heaven and earth collided as Moses received the Ten Commandments – is in the Sinai Peninsula of Egypt. But is it possible that this has been the wrong location all along?
The No Longer Nomads podcast recently interviewed biblical researcher and teacher Joel Richardson to uncover groundbreaking new evidence that could explain some key questions about this part of biblical history.
So, what's the claim? Where is the real Mount Sinai? Richardson believes the real Mount Sinai isn't actually in Egypt – it's been hiding in Saudi Arabia this entire time. And since the Saudi Kingdom has finally opened up for tourists, it's allowing further examination of this claim.
Was the Israelites' Exodus Route Misinterpreted for Centuries?
Richardson makes a compelling case that Jabal al-Lawz, a mountain in northwest Saudi Arabia, matches the biblical description of Mount Sinai better than the traditional site. Could it be that the Israelites' Exodus route was misinterpreted for generations?
Archaeologists, explorers, and biblical scholars have found evidence that Mount Sinai in Saudi Arabia aligns with the biblical account:
- The charred mountaintop, scorched by God's presence;
- The split rock of Horeb, large enough to give water for millions;
- Ancient petroglyphs of a golden calf near the base of the mountain, just like in Exodus;
- Remnants of an ancient 12-pillar structure, where animal sacrifices took place, also indicate the possible link to the Israelites and Moses' wilderness experience.
Those are some of the main reasons why scholars now say the evidence appears to point to Jabal al-Lawz or the Almond Mountain.
PHOTO: The split rock on Mount Horeb in Saudi Arabia (Adobe stock)
Mount Sinai is NOT on the Sinai Peninsula?
For centuries, travelers and scholars have traveled to St. Catherine's Monastery in Egypt, believing it to be the site where God came down and gave the Ten Commandments to Moses.
But Richardson and other researchers argue that location doesn't match the biblical account. The origin of the traditional site was actually commissioned by Helena, mother of Emperor Constantine, along with many others in the Holy Land, leaving the real location a mystery until today.
What This Means for Biblical History
If Mount Sinai is actually in Saudi Arabia, this would be one of the most significant discoveries of biblical archaeology and tradition. It changes a primary aspect related to the Exodus route and what we've been told about the location where God came down and resided on the mountaintop.
Will the new evidence be accepted? Some say even if God himself came down again on the mountain, there would be skeptics about the original Mount Sinai.
Want to See for Yourself?
The evidence appears convincing, but did you know you could actually visit the site in person if you wanted to? Uncharted Adventures is now offering an exclusive journey to explore the possible real Mount Sinai in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The tour offers an opportunity to walk in the footsteps of the Israelites, stand before the peak that God possibly descended upon, visit the rock that Moses split in two, and see the Sea that opened for the Israelites.
But first, you can hear the full interview with Joel Richardson on the No Longer Nomads podcast to decide for yourself – has the real Mount Sinai been found?
***Josh Doyle is the host of No Longer Nomads
MORE: Why Saudi Arabia's Hidden Biblical History Could Be at Risk
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