seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Exodus 32:31 So Moses went back to the Lord and said, “Oh, what a great sin these people have committed! They have made themselves gods of gold. 32 But now, please forgive their sin—but if not, then blot me out of the book you have written.”
33 The Lord replied to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against me I will blot out of my book. 34 Now go, lead the people to the place I spoke of, and my angel will go before you. However, when the time comes for me to punish, I will punish them for their sin.”
35 And the Lord struck the people with a plague because of what they did with the calf Aaron had made.
33 The Lord replied to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against me I will blot out of my book. 34 Now go, lead the people to the place I spoke of, and my angel will go before you. However, when the time comes for me to punish, I will punish them for their sin.”
35 And the Lord struck the people with a plague because of what they did with the calf Aaron had made.
Last night I was thinking about what the Israelites did. I mean.... God was giving Moses the plans for all the fixtures and utensils for a glorious tent where God would finally be able to live with His chosen people. After all, God use to walk with Adam and Eve before they messed up and he wanted to camp out with the Israelites.
Moses made his way down the mountain with the tablets of law, ready to make the glorious tent and all its fixtures and utensils only to find those stupid Israelites had used all the gold for that stupid calf.
So Moses said to God.... "Take me".... "Blot me out of the Book".... I guess he figured they were just too stupid to be led. But God said.... I'm not going to take you but I reserve the right to punish those who were responsible for this.
Here's what the easy English has to say about it.
Moses used the word perhaps. He was humble in front of the LORD. He did not decide how the LORD would answer his prayer. Moses cared very much about his people. So he offered to receive their punishment. The idea that God has a book may come from the lists of Israelites (Numbers chapters 1-4). The man who wrote Psalm 69:28 refers to the ‘book of those who live’. Deuteronomy 9:20 tells us that Moses prayed especially for Aaron on that occasion. In the New Testament Paul was like Moses. Paul almost wished that he had the Jews punishment in their place (Romans 9:3). Also, Paul spoke about the names in God’s book. Those friends who worked with Paul had their names in that book. This book is a list of people who will live with God always (Philippians 4:3). And John wrote to the Christians at a place called Sardis about that book. They received God’s promise because they had remained loyal. So God would never remove their names from his book (Revelation 3:5).
God did not accept Moses’ offer. He reminded Moses that a person is responsible for his own sin. Sometimes children have troubles because of their parents sins. But God does not punish the children. Perhaps the parents neglect their children. Perhaps the parents are a bad model to their children. But that is the parents’ fault (Jeremiah 31:29-30). Also Ezekiel explained in detail that everyone is responsible to God because of his own sin (Ezekiel 18:1-32).
Moses’ task was to lead the Israelites. He must take them to the country that God had promised to them. And God said that his angel would go in front of them. The LORD’s angel had guided the Israelites before they reached the Red Sea (Exodus 14:19). God had promised the country to them. And he promised that he would take the Israelites there (Exodus 23:23). The LORD’s angel is the same as God himself.
Israel sinned when they worshipped the gold image. This terrible disease was a punishment because of their sin. It may refer to all the Israelites who came out from Egypt. They all died in the desert except Joshua and Caleb (Numbers 14:30).
God did not accept Moses’ offer. He reminded Moses that a person is responsible for his own sin. Sometimes children have troubles because of their parents sins. But God does not punish the children. Perhaps the parents neglect their children. Perhaps the parents are a bad model to their children. But that is the parents’ fault (Jeremiah 31:29-30). Also Ezekiel explained in detail that everyone is responsible to God because of his own sin (Ezekiel 18:1-32).
Moses’ task was to lead the Israelites. He must take them to the country that God had promised to them. And God said that his angel would go in front of them. The LORD’s angel had guided the Israelites before they reached the Red Sea (Exodus 14:19). God had promised the country to them. And he promised that he would take the Israelites there (Exodus 23:23). The LORD’s angel is the same as God himself.
Israel sinned when they worshipped the gold image. This terrible disease was a punishment because of their sin. It may refer to all the Israelites who came out from Egypt. They all died in the desert except Joshua and Caleb (Numbers 14:30).
When I was a kid, the oldest of five, I use to take the spankings for my baby sisters. My mom and dad had a heavy hand and there were times when I could tell it was going to be too rough for the babies to handle. So I would "fess up" and take the beating. A lot of older kids use to do that back in the 50's and early 60's. I'm told that was the practice for decades before me.... parents were in total control and beatings could get out of control.
So God said to Moses.... I'm not going to punish you for what they clearly did.... but they will get theirs.
