The Rhythm of Moses: The Introduction of Priesthood

There is a powerful rhythm running through the story of Moses: a man repeatedly ascending and descending a mountain to commune with God. On the surface, this reads as a dramatic narrative of obedience, law-giving, and divine encounter. Yet when viewed through Neville Goddard’s teachings—where imagination is God and the Bible symbolises states of consciousness—this movement reveals itself as a profound metaphor for the process of manifestation.

Moses’ repeated climbs up Mount Sinai reflect the inner journey of anyone consciously creating their reality.

The Mountain as a Symbol of Consciousness

In biblical symbolism, a mountain represents an elevated state of awareness. To ascend is to rise above the distractions of the outer world—fear, doubt, and reaction—and enter the sacred inner sanctuary of imagination.

Neville taught that imagination is not mere fantasy but the very power of God, the “I AM.” Thus, when Moses climbs Mount Sinai, he symbolically withdraws from the world of senses and steps into the secret place where creation begins.

Five Ascents: Stages of Inner Transformation

According to the Book of Exodus, Moses ascends Mount Sinai five times, each ascent marking a distinct stage in the creative and transformational process:

1. First Ascent – Exodus 19:3–7
   Moses receives the divine invitation to establish the covenant—symbolising the first moment one turns inward and entertains a new state of being.

2. Second Ascent – Exodus 19:20–25
   He is called up again to deliver a warning to the people—representing the need to protect the sanctity of imagination and ensure mental discipline before deeper alignment.

3. Third Ascent – Exodus 24:9–18
   Moses ascends with the elders and then alone into the cloud to receive the tablets and instructions for the Tabernacle. This represents full immersion into the state assumed, and the beginning of its structure within.

4. Fourth Ascent – Exodus 32:31–35
   After the people’s rebellion with the golden calf, Moses returns to intercede—symbolising the confrontation of inner resistance and subconscious sabotage.

5. Fifth Ascent – Exodus 34:1–4
   He ascends once more to receive a renewed covenant—showing the grace of imagination and the power to revise, re-enter, and restore one’s desired state even after failure.

The Descent: Manifesting Imagination in the World

Each descent brings Moses back to a people who forget, rebel, or resist. These “people” symbolise the outer world and entrenched subconscious patterns that attempt to drag one back to old assumptions.

But the descent is not defeat—it is the necessary return to live out the state claimed on the mountain. This is the manifestation phase: the world must reflect the inner communion. As Neville taught, you descend to walk in the assumption until it hardens into fact.

Moses as the Imaginative Self

Moses is more than a historical figure; he represents the part of you that dares to enter the silence of imagination, receive the word (the assumed identity), and descend into daily life to embody it.

Each ascent is a withdrawal from the world of appearances. Each descent is the embodiment of the new idea. In Neville’s terms: you ascend to assume, and you descend to live as though it were already true.

Aaron and the Levites: The Priesthood Pattern Emerges

“And you will be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” – Exodus 19:6

Amidst Moses’ mountain cycles, another pattern begins to form—the establishment of the priesthood through Aaron and the Levites.

This begins in Exodus, where Aaron is appointed high priest and the tribe of Levi is set apart for sacred service. Aaron’s role symbolises the bridge between divine imagination and the collective subconscious. As the first to officiate in the Tabernacle, he represents the sustaining of the assumed state through repetition, ritual, and feeling.

The Levites’ role is expanded in Leviticus, which details their sacred responsibilities. These rituals symbolise the ongoing mental and emotional disciplines required to maintain the state assumed on the mountain.

In Neville Goddard’s terms, Exodus represents the imaginative leap—the assumption of a new state—while Leviticus details the inner practices necessary to nourish and sustain that state until it becomes reality.