In the two blogs immediately preceding this one, we have considered the questions, “What was the sin of idolatry that Israel committed?” and “Why did they do what they did?” Their fear and lack of faith in God led to their blatant attempt to replace Him with the statue of a golden calf. What’s even more incredible is that they credited the calf for bringing them from Egypt. “This is your god, O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt.” Exodus 32:4.
While this act of rebellion was taking place, Moses was on the mountain with God, receiving instructions about how they were to live and worship as His chosen nation. The break in the story comes in Exodus 32:7 when God sees what the Israelites are doing and tells Moses to leave so He can annihilate the Israelites. How God and Moses responded to this rebellion is the subject of verses 7-35, the remainder of Exodus 32.
How did God respond to Israel’s idolatry? Exodus 32:7-10
Moses didn’t know what the Israelites had done and must have been shocked when God spoke to him about what He intended to do about it. Can you imagine the look on his face when God responds to what has happened?
Go down at once, for your people, whom you brought up from the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves. They have quickly turned aside from the way in which I commanded them. They have made for themselves a molten calf, and have worshiped it, and have sacrificed to it, and said, ‘ This is your god, O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt.'” Exodus 32: 7-8
Did you notice how God has basically disowned the Israelites? He tells Moses, they are “your people, whom you brought up from the land of Egypt.” But it gets worse for the Israelites.
“And the Lord said to Moses, ‘ I have seen this people, and behold, they are an obstinate people.’ Now then, let me alone, that my anger may burn against them, and that I may destroy them; and I will make of you a great nation.” Exodus 32:9-10
Except for the stories about the devastating flood in Noah’s day and the destruction of Sodom, this is a “side” of God’s character we haven’t seen much of. We saw His merciful provision when Adam and Eve sinned, and how He provided for Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph. What we are faced with here is that while God is very generous, forbearing, and kind, He is righteous and will deal with our rebellion. Israel has crossed a forbidden line, and His character demands that He deal with it.
Did you notice that God did not cancel the promise He made to Abraham? Instead of using the obstinate Israelites, He says to Moses, “I will make of you a great nation.”
What was Moses’ response?
Exodus 32: 11-13 records what is perhaps the most passionate intercessory prayer in the Old Testament. Here, we see Moses pleading with God not to destroy the foolish Israelites.
When you compare Moses’ response to the Israelites’ rebellion with that of God’s, it’s difficult not to conclude that Moses is more compassionate than God. But we can gain a more balanced understanding of the situation by considering the context of God’s statement, which I will attempt to do after we have read Moses’ great.
“O Lord, why doth thine anger burn against thy people whom thou hast brought out from the land of Egypt with great power and a mighty hand? Why should the Egyptians speak, saying, ‘ With evil intent He brought them out to kill them in the mountains and to destroy them from the face of the earth?’ Turn from thy burning anger and change thy mind about harming thy people. Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants to whom thou didst swear by thyself, and didst say to them, ‘ I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heavens, and all this land of which I have spoken I will give to your descendants, and they shall inherit it forever.'”
God allows Moses to speak his mind about what He is intending to do, and Moses presents a strong argument against the Israelites getting what they deserve. He doesn’t dispute their guilt, but raises the question of how destroying them would reflect on God’s reputation among the Egyptians. After hearing Moses’ plea, we are told, ” So the Lord changed His mind about the harm which He said He would do to His people.” Exodus 32:14.
Was God “playing a game ” with Moses, or was He really intending to destroy the Israelites? This was no game. God was testing Moses to see g how devoted he was to the people and if he would intervene on their behalf. I believe Moses’ intercession changed the course of Israel’s history. Righteousness demanded judgment, but mercy was granted through Moses’ intercession.
There are some great lessons in this story:
Sin brings God’s judgment, but sincere intercessory prayers for our nation, ourselves, and others can change judgment to mercy.
God wants us to intercede with Him and get involved in the brokenness caused by sin. This was what He was doing with Moses, and had not Moses responded as he did, Israel was doomed to destruction.
Why do you think our nation has received such great mercy in view of all the corruption and sin we have experienced? I, like many, intercede for our country every day. Do you think that may have something to do with our survival through 250 years?
How might this story foreshadow how Jesus has interceded for us, taking God’s judgment for our sin upon himself? We deserved judgment and hell, but Jesus has interceded for us! Praise our wonderful Savior.
Jesus, our Savior, is alive and interceding for us with the Father. Happy Easter to you and those you love.