Introduction
Throughout history, God has revealed Himself to humanity in various ways, but on two occasions, He descended to Earth in a direct and impactful manner. These Two Times God Descended to Earth marked decisive moments for faith and the redemption of humanity. These events left profound lessons about His power, justice, and love. In this study, we will explore these divine manifestations and their significance for us today. We will begin by examining Exodus 19.
On Mount Sinai
Did you know that God once came to this earth with thousands of His holy angels? You may have read this account in the Bible before, but if not, let’s read it together:
Exodus 19:9-11 – “And the Lord said to Moses, ‘Behold, I will come to you in a thick cloud, so that the people may hear when I speak with you and may always believe in you.’ Then Moses reported the words of the people to the Lord. And the Lord said to Moses, ‘Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. Have them wash their clothes and be ready by the third day, because on that day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people.’“
The passage above shows God’s instruction that He would descend upon the mountain to speak with Moses. In verses 16 to 20, we see a vivid description of God descending upon the mountain:
Exodus 19:16-20 – “On the morning of the third day, there was thunder and lightning, with a thick cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast. Everyone in the camp trembled. Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. 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. The sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder. Then Moses spoke, and the voice of God answered him. The Lord descended to the top of Mount Sinai and called Moses to the top of the mountain. So Moses went up.“
The Giving of the Law
God descended to Earth for the first time after the entrance of sin to present His Law to Moses, who later read it to the people. Many today disregard the Law of the Lord, but let us consider its significance by recognizing that God Himself came down to this earth to deliver it to His people. We can further confirm the importance of His Law by noting that God personally wrote it with His own finger, as seen in the following verse:
Exodus 31:18 – “And when the Lord finished speaking with Moses on Mount Sinai, He gave him the two tablets of the covenant law, tablets of stone inscribed by the finger of God.“
We could discuss this marvelous Law in greater depth, but that is not the focus of this study.
Another passage describing God’s descent to Earth is found in Deuteronomy 5:22-23, which provides some intriguing details:
Deuteronomy 5:22-23 – “These are the commandments the Lord proclaimed in a loud voice to your whole assembly on the mountain from out of the fire, the cloud, and the deep darkness; and He added nothing more. Then He wrote them on two stone tablets and gave them to me. When you heard the voice out of the darkness, while the mountain was ablaze with fire, all the leaders of your tribes and your elders came to me.“
It May Seem Strange, But It Was Necessary
The passage above shows that God manifested Himself to Moses amid darkness. This might seem a bit strange at first because the Word of the Lord tells us that God “is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5). Yet, He revealed Himself in the midst of darkness. This makes perfect sense when we understand that if the Creator of all things were to manifest in His full glory, He would instantly destroy Moses and all of Israel. His glory surpasses human physical and mental capacity to withstand it in our sinful state.
When Christ returns, it is said that He will come “in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each person according to what they have done” (Matthew 16:27). The “glory of His power” will destroy all the wicked at His coming, as presented in 2 Thessalonians 1:9. This is the glory that the God of Israel possesses. If God had not veiled Himself in darkness on Mount Sinai, His glory would have consumed His people. Therefore, He manifested Himself wrapped in darkness. He did this to protect His people from His own glory. For a moment, He diminished and concealed His glory so He could deliver His holy Law to His people.
At the Cross of Christ
It is crucial to understand this fact to identify the second time God came to Earth. The key to recognizing this moment lies in understanding that God Himself created darkness to conceal His presence from fallen humanity. Keeping this in mind, we find another passage describing a darkness so intense that even the sunlight was obscured by a profound mystery. This account is found in Luke 23:44-46:
Lucas 23:44-46 – “Era quase a hora sexta, e houve trevas sobre toda a terra até a hora nona, obscurecendo-se o sol. O véu do templo se rasgou ao meio. E Jesus, clamando em alta voz, disse: Pai, em Tuas mãos entrego o meu espírito. E, dizendo isso, expirou.“
The “sixth hour” refers to noon (12 PM), and the “ninth hour” refers to three in the afternoon (3 PM). Thus, there was a period of three hours of darkness while Jesus was on the cross. It is not difficult to see that this was no ordinary darkness. Given the time of day, in broad daylight, the darkness was so intense that even the sun was obscured. This phenomenon mirrors the same darkness that manifested when God descended upon Mount Sinai to give His Law to Moses.
We can conclude that during these three hours of Jesus’ suffering, His Father was present at the foot of the cross. This was the second time that the great Creator descended to Earth after the entrance of sin. To avoid destroying humanity, He did what He had done on Mount Sinai—He veiled His glory out of love for mankind. He did this to be with His beloved Son, who was suffering and dying on the cross for our sins.
The Old Testament as the Foundation for the New
The writings of the New Testament bring great clarity, but we can only fully understand them through the Old Testament. Without it, we miss many subjects and details recorded in Scripture. That is why we must study the entire Bible—both the Old and New Testaments. Jesus and the apostles frequently referred to the Scriptures. After His resurrection, Jesus explained many things about Himself to two of His disciples, “beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning Himself” (Luke 24:27).
Final Considerations
I conclude by presenting a passage on this subject, written by Ellen White:
“Satan tormented the heart of Jesus with cruel temptations. The Savior could not see beyond the portals of the tomb. Hope did not present to Him His exit from the grave as a conqueror, nor did it assure Him of the Father’s acceptance of His sacrifice. He feared that sin was so offensive to God that their separation would be eternal. Christ felt the anguish that the sinner will experience when mercy no longer pleads for the guilty race. It was the weight of sin, bringing upon Him the wrath of God as man’s substitute, that made the cup so bitter and broke the heart of the Son of God. With awe, the angels witnessed the desperate agony of the Savior. The hosts of heaven veiled their faces from the dreadful spectacle. Inanimate nature expressed its sympathy for its insulted and dying Creator. The sun refused to shine upon the appalling scene. Its full, bright rays illuminated the earth at noon when suddenly, it seemed to be extinguished. Complete darkness, like a shroud, covered the cross. ‘There was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour.’ (Mark 15:33). This was not an eclipse or any natural cause; the darkness was as thick as midnight without moon or stars. It was a miraculous testimony given by God to confirm the faith of future generations. In that dense darkness, the presence of God was hidden. He makes darkness His pavilion and conceals His glory from human eyes. God and His holy angels were at the foot of the cross. The Father was with the Son. However, His presence was not revealed. Had His glory burst forth from the cloud, every human spectator would have been struck down. Yet, in that tremendous hour, Christ was not to be comforted by the Father’s presence. He trod the winepress alone, and of the people, none was with Him.” – The Desire of Ages, pp. 753-754
