The Pulpit Commentary — Exodus — Volume 2 — Section 309

11iLful hee.rt were e.s nothing compe.red to this. If it had only been the sin of e. few, some half-~ecret depe.rture from Jehove.h confined to R corner of the ce.mp; if there he.d been 11 prompt repudie.tion of it e.nd punishment of it on the patt of the gree.t majority: then, indC!'<l. Jehove.h might he.ve found ce.uRe even for rejoicing that the apostasy of the few had heen occasion to pro,·e the fidelity of the many. But alas I the transgression is J1"<'Deral; there is a public adoption of the golden calf with worship and BllCrifice. 'l'he idolatrous spirit he.s been shown in t.he completest and most demonstrative we.y. ldo- latr_v, with its e.wful degre.de.tions e.nd its fe.ta.l influences, must always be an abomine.tion to God ; but how peculiarly e.bomine.ble when it rose in the midst of a people with -whom God h~ been dealing with the ~nderest compassion ~d the sublit?est power I h 1~ to be noticed that God calls specie.I e.ttent10n to the q1t1,ckness of this apost.a.sy. "The~, have turned aside quickly out of the way." The fa.et of course was that they had also been turned quickly int41 lbat way, and kept in it by a kind of externe.l force. They might promise, and while they promised mean ,o keep the promise, but nature was too much for them; and as soon as the Divine constraint was in any way relaxed they returned to the old path. The impression Jehovah would make on the mind of his serva.nt is that nothing can be expected from them. II. Jehovah indicates to Moses THE RIGHTEOUS SEVERITY WITH WHICH HE PROPOSES TO TREAT lsRAEL (vers. 9, 10). We have to think here not only of the words of Jehovah, but also of the attitude of Moses, which seems to be indicated by these words. Even before Moses puts in his earnest intercession, we have a hint of what is in his heart. Jehovah says, "Let me a.lone;" as one man, about to strike another, might speak to some third person stepping between to intercept the blow. In the speaking of Jehovah's words there must have been an indication of wmth, such as of course cannot be conveyed by the mere words themselves. .And what, indeed, could Jehovah do, but give an unmistakable expression of his wrath with such an outbreak. of huml\n un- righteousness as is found in idolatry? No doubt there is great difficulty in under- standing such apressi.ons as those of Jehovah here. When we remember the low estl\te of the Israelites spiritually, and the infecting ciroumst.ances in which they had grown up, it seems hardly just to reproach them for their lapse into idolatry. But then we must bear in mind that the great object of the ne.rra.tive here is to show how Jehovah cannot bear sin. The thing to be considered first of e.11 is, not how these Israelites became ;.dolat.ers, but the sad and stubborn fact that they seemed inveterate idolaters. Such a decided manifestation of idolatry as the one here revealed, when it came to the knowledge of Jehovah, was like a spark falling into the midst of gunpowder. It matters not how such a spark may be kindled ; it produces an explosion the moment it touches the powder. The wrath of God must be revealed against all ungodliness and unrighteous- ness of men. Yet doubt not that the God who spoke here in such wrath and threatening loved t1- Israel,it(!$ in tM midst of their apostasy. But it was not possible in one and the same moment, and from one and the same voice, to make equally evident love for the benighted apostate h.i.mi;elf, and wrath because of the evil that was so intimately mixed with his nature. On such an OCC8Bi.on it became God to give a direct and emphatic expres- sion of wrath from his own lips, leaving his love and pity to be known indirectly through the int.ercession of his servant Moses. When Jehovah is angry, it is then we need most of ell to remember that love is the great power in his nature. III. Jehovah further indie&t.es .A. CERTAIN TEM.PTING POSSIBILITY TO MoBEB. "I will make of thee a great nation." Thus we see how the word of J eb.ovah is made to serve two purposes. It both apresses the ful.ness of wrath with an apostate people, and at the same time puts a cherished servant upon a most effectual trial of his ma.,,,unanimity and mediatori.e.l unseJfishness. Thus this proposition of Jehovah comes in most beauti- fully to emphasise the simplicity and purity of the feeling of Moses in his subsequent me.diation. .And though Moses makes no reference to this proposition, it is well to be enabled to see how little hold any self-seeking thoughts took of his mind. IV. THE REPLY OF MOSES BAS KOW TO BE OOKSIDERED. Not that we need stay to investigat.e the merits of the considerations which Mo~ here puts forward. He could only speak of things according as they appeared to him.. We know, looking at these 611.me things in the light of the New Testament, that even if God had destroyed these people as e.t first he hinted, his promises would not therefore have been nullified. The U:wporal destruction of a single generation of men, however perplexing it might have C:11, X:Ull. 'j"-11.] THE IlOOK OF EXODUS.