Lesson 67 - Senior
Memory Verse
"Thou shalt have no other gods before me" (Exodus 20:3).
Cross References
I Moses Called into the Mount
1. Moses is told he will receive the tables of stone written by the finger of God, [EXO:24:12]; [EXO:31:18].
2. Moses takes Joshua with him to the Mount of God, [EXO:24:13].
3. Aaron and Hur are to be shepherds of the flock during Moses' absence, [EXO:24:14]; [ACT:20:28].
4. The glory of the Lord abides on the top of the mount six days, [EXO:24:16-17].
5. Moses goes into the presence of God, [EXO 24:18].
II The Return of Moses Delayed
1. The people become impatient and demand Aaron to make them gods to go before them, [EXO:32:1].
2. Aaron fashions a golden calf, [EXO:32:2-4].
3. The people offer sacrifices, [EXO:32:5-6].
III Moses Ordered Down from the Mount by the Lord
1. The people have corrupted themselves, [EXO:32:7-8], [EXO:32:17-25].
2. Moses breaks the two tables of stone, [EXO:32:15-16] , [EXO:32:19]; [DEU:9:16-17].
IV Moses in the Gate
1. Moses sends forth the challenge, "Who is on the LORD'S side?" [EXO:32:26]; [1KG:18:21].
2. The sons of Levi respond and are told to consecrate themselves, [EXO:32:26-29].
3. The Lord wants to destroy the people and make Moses the head of a nation, [EXO:32:10].
4. Moses intercedes in their behalf, [EXO:32:11-13], [EXO:32:31-32]; [ROM:9:3]; [ISA:53:12].
5. "Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book," [EXO:32:33]; [EZE:18:4].
6. The wages of sin is death, [EXO:32:28], [EXO:32:34-35]; [ROM:6:23].
Notes
The Written Law
Step by step the Lord led His people out of Egypt, proving to the Egyptians as well as to His own people that He is the true and living God. He brought them up to Mount Sinai to enter into a holy covenant with them. They had seen the judgments of the Lord upon the Egyptians; and when the Lord descended upon Mount Sinai in a thick cloud, and the mountain trembled and the trumpet sounded louder and louder and the lightning flashed, the people drew back and said to Moses, "Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die" (Exodus 20:19). How it must have grieved the Lord to see His own people draw back ([HEB:10:38])! But His mercy was still extended, and He called Moses into the mount to give him His laws and statutes.
Although the mount trembled and quaked and burned with fire, Moses answered God's call and went up into the midst of the cloud where God dwelt."And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake" (Hebrews 12:21). Moses trusted God and with courage obeyed the Lord in spite of fear. God preserved Moses although for forty days and nights he neither ate brad nor drank water ([DEU:9:9]). After Jesus had fasted the same length of time, He resisted Satan with the words, "It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God" (Matthew 4:4). Moses was on the mount to receive the Word of God; and, like Job, he considered it "more" than his "necessary food."
The Lord had given the Law to Moses orally, and Israel had promised to obey it; but the Lord called Moses into the mountain again that He might give them the written Word. We can see the wisdom of the Lord in wanting them to have the written Word. They could easily have perverted the spoken Word but not so the written Word. The Lord has always been jealous for His Word. Psalm 138:2 declares, "Thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name."
The Broken Law
We can readily account for the indignation of Moses at seeing Israel so soon turning back to idolatry. Paul, in his day, marvelled that the Galatians were so soon removed from the grace of Christ to another gospel ([GAL:1:6]). Israel had broken their covenant with God. When one party breaks a covenant or a contract, the other party is no longer obligated to fulfil his part of the contract. Moses broke the tables of stone, showing that God was no longer responsible for His part of the Covenant. God never goes back on His Word, but when men fail to keep their covenant, God is necessarily hindered from fulfilling His part.
Shepherds
Aaron and Hur were given the responsible position of undersheperds. In place of being a true shepherd, Aaron played the part of a politician " he said that the people wanted gods to go before them. Aaron, like the hireling "whose own the sheep are not," let the people have their own way. Moses was uncompromising; and, like the true Shepherd, was willing to give his life for the people. If the Lord cannot trust us with small things, how can He commit to us the true riches?
Moses' Challenge to Israel
The boldness with which Moses stood in the gate and challenged all Israel is characteristic of a true prophet filled with the Spirit of God. The challenge is to a rebellious people " a people who had seen miracles with their own eyes and should have been willing to trust the Lord. Moses stood alone and cried out, "Who is on the LORD'S side? Let him come unto me" (Exodus 32:26).
The little tribe of Levi stepped out. It took courage on their part to step out from among that multitude of people and walk out to the gate where Moses was. It also takes courage on the part of a sinner to step out from a large congregation and walk down the aisle, and bow at an altar of prayer. A Christian, too, is a man of courage. He stands for the right in the face of sneers and derision. He is willing to take his stand by the Word of God even though his own father or mother may condemn him or make light of his ways. Jesus said, "He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me" (Matthew 10:37). It was against their own brother, companion, and neighbour, that the tribe of Levi had to take their stand. It will take that which lies closest to the heart to make one a follower of Christ. Great is the reward of those who have the courage to take their stand for God.
When the tribe of Levi came out on the Lord's side, how quickly Moses' attitude changed from that of challenge to encouragement. He exhorted them to consecrate their lives to the Lord that He might bestow a blessing upon them. Sometimes we are called upon to consecrate to do hard things; but with the call God gives strength to perform the task, and follows it with a blessing.
Moses an Intercessor
Standing before the people, Moses exhibited the characteristics of a true soldier and leader, but when he came into the presence of God he humbled himself and fell on his face and cried out,"Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold" " confessing just what they had done. Some people try to find mercy without confessing their sins. The Word says that whoso confesseth and forsaketh shall have mercy. There was no greater sin that Israel could have committed than to turn from the living God to worship idols. The very first commandment says, "Thou shalt have no other gods before me" (Exodus 20:3).
Israel had sinned, but Moses pled for mercy: "If thou wilt forgive their sin--; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written" (Exodus 32:32). The Lord's answer is one of justice: "Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book" (Exodus 32:33). If it had not been for Moses' power to prevail with God, the Children of Israel would have been annihilated. Moses later told Israel, "The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me" (Deuteronomy 18:15). We have that Prophet as our Advocate with the Father today, Jesus Christ the righteous.
Questions
1. By whom were the tables of stone engraved?
2. How long did Moses stay in the mount?
3. Who was left in charge of Israel while Moses was away?
4. How was the glory of the Lord manifested to Israel?
5. Find a verse, which describes God's attitude toward Aaron at this time.
6. What were the five ways in which Israel had corrupted themselves?
7. What did the Lord want to do to Israel?
8. What points did Moses use in his intercession for Israel?
9. Did Aaron admit the responsibility for what had happened?
10. Who responded to Moses' call, "Who is on the LORD'S side?"
11. What were they told to do?
12. What spiritual lesson can you gain from their actions?