Exodus 32: 7-14, “And the LORD said unto Moses, Go, get thee down; for thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves: They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. And the LORD said unto Moses, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people: Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of thee a great nation. And Moses besought the LORD his God, and said, LORD, why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people, which thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power, and with a mighty hand? Wherefore should the Egyptians speak, and say, For mischief did he bring them out, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth? Turn from thy fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against thy people. Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants, to whom thou swarest by thine own self, and saidst unto them, I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have spoken of will I give unto your seed, and they shall inherit it for ever. And the LORD repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people.”
When the problem got out of hand the Lord sent Moses down from the mountain to deal with the issue. The Lord had two options in this case, He could have immediately destroyed the entire nation for their sin or followed the course of action that He chose. But the Lord is gracious (“But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.” Psalm 86: 15) and chose to deal in grace. Moses was their leader so the Lord sent Moses to the people so that Moses could talk to them and bring them to repentance. The Lord explained to Moses that He should really destroy the people for this sin but He gave Moses the chance to plead on their account. Moses knew the Lord and the things that He had said over many years to Abraham and his descendants. Moses had the chance to remind himself of all that the Lord had said and done. Moses, was a good man and the Lord gave him the chance to plead for the people and then the Lord gave Moses what he chose. At that time Israel’s future was entirely in Moses’ hands and he chose to save them. The Lord told Moses what Israel deserved but when Moses made the choice for Israel the Lord saved them from the consequences of their sin. When we read that the Lord repented of the evil that He thought to do to Israel, it really means that the Lord acted in mercy and didn’t give them what they deserved.
(The view expressed in this blog are my own and should not be taken as inspired in any way.)
No comments:
Post a Comment