While Moses was on Mount Sinai the Israelites demanded of Aaron "Come, make us gods that shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him." (Exodus 32:1b)
As unbelievable as it seems, Aaron honored their request! He fashioned a molded calf out of the earrings people gave him.
The next day Israel had a feast and engaged in immorality. None of this escaped God’s notice. He told Moses what was happening and said "I have seen this people, and indeed it is a stiff-necked people!" (Exodus 32:9b)
What happened next gives us insight into Moses’ character and values. In light of Israel’s grievous sin, God proposed a solution to Moses: "Now therefore, let Me alone, that My wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them. And I will make of you a great nation." (Exodus 32:10)
Surely many leaders would take a deal like that. And they’d feel completely justified in doing so. After all, 1) It was God’s idea. Why argue with God? 2) The people were guilty of a horrible sin. They were hardly innocent. God would have been justified in destroying them. 3) It came with great personal gain.
Moses didn’t take the deal. Instead of thinking of himself and his own prestige, Moses pleaded with God to spare Israel. His chief thought was how it would affect Egypt’s impression of God. “Why should the Egyptians speak, and say, ‘He brought them out to harm them, to kill them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth?’”
He reminded God about the promise He made to Abraham, Isaac, and Israel.
What a tremendous example of humbling ourselves to focus on glorifying God!
Give it some thought,
John
Comments