TUESDAY
If you missed the devotional yesterday, I’d encourage you to check that one out first. While Moses is on the mountain receiving the rest of the Law, the people create a golden calf and begin to worship it. Let’s pick up the story with God’s conversation with Moses beginning in verse 7.
In this section it seems as if God is testing Moses. Testing, as we saw last week in the sense of training or refining.
Exodus 32:7-14 7 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go down, because your people, whom you brought up out of Egypt, have become corrupt. 8 They have been quick to turn away from what I commanded them and have made themselves an idol cast in the shape of a calf. They have bowed down to it and sacrificed to it and have said, ‘These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.’
9 “I have seen these people,” the Lord said to Moses, “and they are a stiff-necked people. 10 Now leave me alone so that my anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them. Then I will make you into a great nation.”
11 But Moses sought the favor of the Lord his God. “Yahweh,” he said, “why should your anger burn against your people, whom you brought out of Egypt with great power and a mighty hand? 12 Why should the Egyptians say, ‘It was with evil intent that he brought them out, to kill them in the mountains and to wipe them off the face of the earth’? Turn from your fierce anger; relent and do not bring disaster on your people. 13 Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac and Israel, to whom you swore by your own self: ‘I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and I will give your descendants all this land I promised them, and it will be their inheritance forever.’ ” 14 Then the Lord relented and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened.
I highlighted in yellow some of the key statements in this test. First, God calls the Israelites “your people, whom you brought up out of Egypt.” Remember back to our first week, Moses had tried to deliver the people in his own strength, his own means and his own timing. He failed. Then God meets him at the burning bush and promises to be with Moses and deliver Israel in God’s means, power and timing. Then he even gives Moses an out for maintaining his covenant to Abraham. God would still make Moses into a great nation (v. 9). Moses could be Moses and Abraham in the story of God.
Moses’ reply, here, suggests that he didn’t even give it a second thought. He responds by telling God that the Israelites are God’s people whom God brought out of Egypt (v. 11). A younger Moses would have been flattered by God’s suggestion and given into his pride, but now he knows that these are God’s people and only by God’s power have they been set free. Moses is a transformed man.
We see further evidence in Moses’ reasons that he presents to God to relent from destroying the people. He first appeals to God’s reputation, not his own. In verse 12 he asks what the Egyptians will think. They will believe that Yahweh delivered them from Egypt to destroy them in the desert. This would reflect poorly on the reputation of Yahweh. Then he calls God to remember his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Israel (Jacob). He swore to make Abraham into a great nation and give them the promised land. He swore this covenant by his own self. To go back on this covenant would be a violation of God’s character as a covenant faithful God. Moses doesn’t intercede for the people on their merit or even his own merit. He intercedes for them on the basis of God’s character.
Furthermore, in verse 19 we see Moses’ “anger burning” when he sees the idolatry. Just a few verses earlier, we saw Moses appealing to God, seeking his favor. “Why should your anger burn against your people, whom you brought out of Egypt with great power and a mighty hand?” (Ex. 32:11) Now, when he sees the idolatry himself, his anger burns. Here we see another example of Moses taking on the character of God. From his time with God, he is being transformed to live out the same character as God. He shows his righteous indignation at the idolatry of God’s people, as well.
This Moses is almost unrecognizable from the guy we first met. From his experiences with God, he now knows God’s character enough to plead with God on the basis of who God is. This is exemplary for the Christian life. We are to know God so well that when we intercede for one another we do so on the basis of God’s character. This comes into play when we pray for salvation, healing, repentance, deliverance, etc. When we intercede on another’s behalf for these things, we do so on the basis of who God is and his reputation. We pray for healing so that God’s name will be honored more at the display of his power. We pray for salvation so that God will be glorified by even more members of his creation. We pray for repentance so that God’s character will be better represented by his people. All of this is in the name of Jesus (i.e., surrendered to his will, timing and ways, and it is only by way of Jesus that we can even approach God in prayer).
Reflection
Reflect on your prayer life. Challenge yourself to pray on the basis of God’s character and his reputation. Tell God of his character in prayer. Tell him of his covenant and thank him for it. When you repent, do so on the basis of God’s faithfulness to his covenant with you in Christ (1 John 1:9). When you pray for others, intercede for them on the basis of God’s character, his glory and his reputation.