Seeing the Burning Bush and Climbing Mt. Sinai! | Expedition Unknown

I’m at the base of a mountain believed to be the location of the true Mount Sinai, where Moses received the Ten Commandments from God.
The Greek Orthodox Monastery of Saint Catherine was built here in the mid-500s, atop one of the oldest Christian sites on Earth.

Inside the courtyard, I’m warmly welcomed by Father Justin of Sinai.
“Father, I feel like I’ve stepped into another time here, and the outside looks almost like a fortress.”
“It was built as a fortress to protect the monks, to honor this holy place, but also, this is the border of the Roman Empire, right?”
“But the monastery has never been abandoned and never been destroyed in 1,700 years.”
“What an incredible place!”

“And there are other connections here to the story of Moses, like one of the main characters.”
“Everything was built here because this is the place of the burning bush, and this is the burning bush growing behind the church next to the Chapel of the Burning Bush.”
“Wait, you mean the burning bush, like the burning bush from the Bible where God speaks to Moses?”
“While the fire is out, and the bush may not be talking to anyone these days, its very existence seems miraculous.”

“It is mentioned by Ageria, who came here in the year 383. So, even in 383, she mentions that in the valley there’s a garden, and in the garden there’s a church next to the bush, and the bush is alive to this day and sends out green shoots.”
“So, this was described in the 4th century. It’s been described by pilgrims ever since.”
“That is awesome!”
“This monastery is filled with miraculous things. Lead on. I want to see what else we have here.”
The burning bush.

Father Justin brings me inside the monastery’s library—a treasure trove of priceless documents stretching back through the centuries.
He’s pulled a few volumes for me to examine.

“The first one is a 10th-century manuscript of… I’m sorry, this is a thousand-year-old book?”
“Yes, written on parchment.”
“It’s the texts of Genesis, Exodus, and Leviticus, and then it has commentary in the margins. Many years ago, someone took the entire account of Genesis and Exodus and they wrote it out in Greek verses. This is a 16th-century manuscript of that text.”

“This is one of your new books, and then it’s filled with illustrations. And I believe this is our guy right here, right?”
“Let’s talk about this illustration in particular. This mountain that Moses is standing on—this is Mount Sinai, or Mount Horeb, in the Bible. And I know that there have been a lot of places put forward by historians and theologians over the years as the possible real location, but Saint Catherine sits at the foot of the place that is really considered where this happened.”

“Why is that? What is it about this place that gives it authenticity and credibility?”
“Many people ask us how we know that this is the real Sinai. We point out that the Prophet Elijah came to Horeb, the Mountain of God, and he lived 600 years after Moses. And he knew where it was. So, 600 years after Moses, they knew where Sinai was. So, when the monks came here in the latter third and fourth centuries, they also picked up this living heritage that this is the place where God had revealed Himself in such a special way.”

“It is this stunning continuity of history here that has led so many to venerate this place, and it is for that reason that people also attempt to ascend to the summit.”
“I know that many people come here to visit the monastery and also to make the ascent to the top of Mount Sinai. I’d like to do that. Do you have any advice for a first-time climber?”

“It’s not an easy ascent, okay? But when you make the ascent, you think, ‘I’ll never get there.’ But then you finally do arrive, and it’s such a joy to see this spectacular landscape.”
“I can’t wait!”

“So here’s something I’d like to give you for the ascent. This is a Bible that I bought in Jerusalem in 1978, the first time I made a pilgrimage there.”
“When you read the scriptures, they come alive because you’re at the very place. And it’s something that you can treasure for the rest of your life.”
“This is really, really special. Thank you so much!”
“I will take very, very good care of it.”

“Father, thank you so much for your time and for showing us this awesome place. I really appreciate it, and all the best on your ascent to the peak.”
“Thank you, Father. Cheers.”

And so, I’m preparing to follow in Moses’ most arduous footsteps to the meeting point between God and man.
The climb has always been attempted well before the light of dawn, and so the next day, in the frigid desert darkness, I return to the foot of the monastery.

“It is about 2:30 in the morning, and I’m here at the base of Mount Sinai. You know, when we think about Moses leading the Israelites through the desert, we think about sweltering heat. Right now, it’s about 28 degrees Fahrenheit. It is absolutely freezing, and between us and the summit is about 2,500 vertical feet and a nearly three-mile hike in complete darkness. Let’s do it.”

“Man, it is cold, and the higher you get, the windier it gets. Just feels like walking into nothingness.”

“So as we come through this pass here, you can hear the wind just sailing through. It’s getting colder and colder. I’ve got my trusty King James Bible here. We’re about halfway up the mountain, and I have to say, it really does feel so mysterious here. And it is hard not to feel the parallels or the description in the book of Exodus. So much of the talk about Sinai is about the weather here. They say that there’s thunder and lightning on the mountain. The people in the camp trembled, and Mount Sinai quaked greatly. And then the Lord came down upon Mount Sinai, to the top of the mount, and called Moses up. And Moses went. And I guess so will we.”

Hundreds of pilgrims are here with me today. They come by the thousands every year to connect to the spirit of Moses and the God he was said to have met on Sinai.

“Come on, you got this!”

“Man, fortunately, the mountain is dotted with simple stone buildings, which serve as rest stops for the faithful. Inside, merchants make fresh bread, pilgrims rest, and get something warm to drink.”

“A hot cup of coffee in this bitter cold is a bit of a religious experience in itself.”
“That shall be caffeinated.”
“Oh yes!”
“Thank you.”

The walls are lined with photos and notes from people who have made the climb. After my cup of joe, I hit the trail, leaving my own scripture for future travelers.

“Coming into this slot canyon here toward the top of the peak. Now it gets really rocky and really vertical.”

“Come on. This may be the holiest mountain on Earth, but that doesn’t make it soft.”

“Okay, God, my knee. I suppose it makes sense that in visiting Mount Sinai, I’d end up on one knee.”
“Okay, I’m okay. Okay, here we go. Oh man, that’s cool.”
[Applause]

“Alright, well, we are getting close. We’re within a quarter mile of the summit, but of course, there’s one last obstacle. Actually, there’s 750 of them—these steep stone stairs that go all the way to the top.”
“Okay, come on. Come on.”

“These are the steps of penitence, which lead to the very top of Mount Sinai.”

“Oh, if only I had some sort of sign that would keep walking. It’s freezing, God, no camera department.”
“Here we go.”

“We are now above most of the other peaks. You can just see them, outlines in the darkness. Totally exposed here now to the wind. Must be close to the top.”

[Music]

“Sort of a bottleneck here as we get close to the top. It’s really a hive of activity. There are people here from all over the world and from every major religion: Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindus, and people from just about every country in the world. I’ve heard every accent and language imaginable, all of them here to experience the summit of this holy place.”