Yahweh: The Volcano God

It is very clear from descriptions in the Hebrew Bible, that Yahweh, the god of the ancient Hebrews is a raging volcano god. He lives in a volcano called Mount Sinai. Here are some examples:

Exodus 19:18: “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.”

Deuteronomy 4:11-12: “You came near and stood at the foot of the mountain while it blazed with fire to the very heavens, with black clouds and deep darkness. Then the LORD spoke to you out of the fire. You heard the sound of words but saw no form; there was only a voice.”

Micah 1:4: "The mountains melt beneath him and the valleys split apart, like wax before the fire, like water rushing down a slope.”

Deuteronomy 9:21

21Also I took that sinful thing of yours, the calf you had made, and burned it in the fire. Then I crushed it and ground it to powder as fine as dust and threw the dust into a stream that flowed down the mountain.

Exodus 24:17

17 To the Israelites the glory of the LORD looked like a consuming fire on top of the mountain.

Deuteronomy 5:4

4 The LORD spoke to you face to face out of the fire on the mountain.

Psalm 11

6 On the wicked he will rain fiery coals and burning sulfur; a scorching wind will be their lot.


Psalm 18

7 The earth trembled and quaked and the foundations of the mountains shook; they trembled because he was angry.

8 Smoke rose from his nostrils; consuming fire came from his mouth, burning coals blazed out of it.


Psalm 50

3 Our God comes and will not be silent; a fire devours before him, and around him a tempest rages.


Psalm 89

46 How long, LORD? Will you hide yourself forever? How long will your wrath burn like fire?


Psalm 97

2Clouds and thick darkness surround him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.

3Fire goes before him and consumes his foes on every side.

4His lightning lights up the world; the earth sees and trembles.

5The mountains melt like wax before the LORD, before the Lord of all the earth.

The Bible says that Yahweh used a “pillar of cloud” (volcano smoke) to guide the Hebrews through the wilderness by day, and a “pillar of fire” (volcano fire/smoke) by night.

Exodus 13:21: “By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night."

It is well known that volcanic eruptions can cause lightning. This is caused by friction between particles.

Exodus 19:16: "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.”

Psalms 97:1-5: “The LORD reigns, let the earth be glad; let the distant shores rejoice. Clouds and thick darkness surround him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne. Fire goes before him and consumes his foes on every side. His lightning lights up the world; the earth sees and trembles. The mountains melt like wax before the LORD, before the Lord of all the earth."

Exodus 20:18: "When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance"

The mountain that is currently called Mount Sinai is not the one described in the Bible. The Biblical Mount Sinai is clearly a volcano, probably Mount Bedr, a volcano in north-western Saudi Arabia.

When ancient people saw terrifying events such as a volcanic eruption, then they understandably thought that a powerful god was angry at them and so they needed to sacrifice some animals to appease this raging god. But now we know better, gods do not live inside volcanoes in reality.