Title: Exodus 32 "Break away my name"
Contents
Exodus 32 “Break away my name”
1 People's unbelief and idolatry
“Make for us a god to guide us” (1). These words to Aaron when the Israelites, who had experienced the deliverance of the Exodus and the miracles of manna and quail, could not wait for Moses to come down from the mountain. . It is a picture of the unbelief and idolatry of the unbelieving Israelites.
"All the people took out the gold rings and brought them back" (3). In the image of the people of Israel turning away from God and turning to idols, there was even a zeal to pull out the gold rings and bring them back. It is a sad picture of the worldly believers who are stingy with God and who are infinitely generous in their business, success, and career.
“This is your god, O Israel, who brought you out of the land of Egypt” (4). Their unbelief soon turned into a bold idolatry that blasphemed God. They made sacrifices to idols and even played around (6). If you do not repent and turn away from unbelief, sooner or later you will be under a terrible curse.
2. Aaron's compromise and excuses
“Take the gold rings from the ears of your wives and children and bring them to me” (2). Aaron forgot his priestly status and listened to the people's demands and compromised with them. It is neither love nor mercy nor goodness to meet and compromise with unbelieving people. As a result, it destroys them. The mission of the ministers and parents with a priestly mission is very important.
“Aaron took the ring from their hand, poured it out, and carved it into the shape of a calf” (4). Compromise with unbelief sooner or later led to the great sin of breaking the first and second commandments of the Ten Commandments.
“Do not be angry, my lord, for you know the wickedness of this people…they brought it to me, and I threw it into the fire, and this calf came out” (22-24). We see the deceitfulness of imputing the sins on the people and the irresponsibility of making excuses that the calf just came out.
3. God's Wrath and Judgment
“I am angry with them, and I will destroy them” (10). God was angry with the people of Israel who despised and betrayed Him, and declared that He would destroy them. Knowing that they were "corrupted" and "hurriedly departing from the way God had commanded" "molten calves" and "worshipped and sacrificed them", He pointed out every detail of them as a "stiff-necked people" (7-9). And he struck them (35).
4. Moses' Prayer
"Why, O LORD" (11). Hearing the proclamation of God's wrath and judgment, Moses immediately fell down before God and begged God's forgiveness and mercy. “Do not bring this anger down” (12). A true prophet and priest. God heard Moses' prayer, and "he changed his mind and did not bring anger" (14). It was a provisional treatment. But Moses displayed God's wrath instead, broke the calf and slaughtered three thousand people who had sinned (20:28). Then again, he offered the famous intercessory prayer, “Put my name out of the book you have written.” This was a type of the Lord's prayer on the cross. God's response to this was twofold. “If anyone sins, I will blot it out of my book” (33). “Now go and lead the people” (34). “The Lord struck the people (35).