One of my favorite passages is Exodus Chapters 32-34. Moses was up on the mountain with God and did not come down when the people expected him to, so they persuaded Aaron to make a gold calf like the gods of the Egyptians. They then threw a party and sat down to eat and drink and “play.”
I am not sure what that “play” (or “indulge in revelry” as some translations render the word) consisted of, but I do know that it got the LORD’s attention, and He was not pleased.
“The Lord also said to Moses: ‘I have seen this people, and they are indeed a stiff-necked people. Now leave Me alone, so that My anger can burn against them and I can destroy them. Then I will make you into a great nation.’” [Exodus 32:9-10 HCSB]
There are four word in that Scripture that we should definitely take note of, “Now leave me alone….” Those four words were both an invitation and a choice for Moses. How he responded would determine not just his own fate, but the fate of a nation.
God invited Moses to intercede for the nation of Israel in her mutiny. Whether or not God destroyed them and started over again with Moses was going to be based on whether or not Moses accepted God’s invitation to intercede.
Moses did not hesitate in his response to God’s offer. “But Moses sought the favor of the Lord his God…. Then the Lord relented and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened.” [32:11-14 HCSB]
God, of course, knew that Moses would respond as he did, but maybe that was news to Moses! After all, he would have to put up with a lot while leading this nation of mutineers to the Promised Land!
We live in a nation of mutineers. God is inviting us to be a “Moses” for our people. How will we respond?
