Yers. 19, 20.-The si'.n of the golden calf. "They changed their glory for the like- ness of an ox that eat~th grass" (Revised Version). "Into the similitudo of a calr that eateth hay" (Prayer-book Version). The idea is that the revelation of God ae an unseen spiritual Being, requiring the service of righteousness, was the distinguishing glory of brae!. But this revelation they did uot rightly value, but, at the first oppor- tuni~y, bartered it_ a.way for a material god, of sensual character, who was served by the licence of self-indulgence. In this they were not merely disobedient ; they showed their incapacity for high things, their unfitness to become the agents of God's most gracious designs for the human race. The sin was a fourfold one. I. IT WAS THE SIN OF DISOBEDIENCE TO COMMAND, It should be clearly shown that Israel was bound to obedience to Jehovah before the Decalogue was given. The scene of Sinai is improperly called the giving of the Law; it is properly Iha form11- lating of the Law. The people owned allegiance to the God of their fathers, to the God who had delivered them from Egypt; and their willingness to obey was actually pledged afresh before Moses ascended the mount (see Exod. xix. 7, 8). 'l'hey were bidden wait to recei'l-e a communication from God; they disobeyed, and acted without direction. Disobedience is often due to the restlessness that cannot wait. II. IT WAS THE SIN OF UNFAITHFULNESS TO TRUST. The spirituality of God was the supreme national trust. Neither Abraham, Isaac, nor Jacob ever saw God, but he was a real Power in their lives. In Egypt God was never seen, but he did mighty deeds. Put fully, the unity, spirituality, and holiness of Jehovah were committed to the care of the Abrahamic race, and that race was to preserve these truths while the rest of the world freely experimented on constructing religions and deities for itself. To make idolatrous images of God, the spiritual Being, was unfaithful to trust. Ill IT WAS THE SIN OF "FOLLOWING THE DEVICES OF THEIR OWN HEARTS," Or self-willedr,ess. They asked what they liked, as if they were independent; not what God liked, as if they were dependent on him. The essence of sin for a creature is sit/- will. Triumph over self-will is the supreme aim of religion. That golden calf was a self-willed thing; as such there could be no religion in it. 'l'hrough, and by means of, that golden calf the people did but worship themselves; what they personified was their own will, not God. Men deceive themselves when they fashion their own gods; they can only rightly take God as revealed to them, IV. IT WAS THE SIN OF DISHONOURING GoD. The symbol they chose was an insult. True, their associations in Egypt suggested no other; and perhaps the o:z: was in some sense their national symbol So their god was the personified' nation. The spiritual Jeho~ah is degraded in men's minds when associated with a mere bea.st.-R. T.
Ver. 23.-Moses as mediator. " Had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the breach, to turn away his wrath, lest he should destroy them." "The intercession of Moses is compared to the a.et of a. brave leader, covering with his body the breach made in the walls of his fortress." See the figure as given in Ezek. xxii. 30. The account of Moses' intercession is found in Exod. xxxii. 10-14. The point on which we dwell is the fitness of Moses to be the media.tor on this occa.ijioa. I. THE FITNESS ARISING FROM ms OFFIOIAL POSITION. He was the agent appointed by God, through whom his will might be sent to the people. He was the representa- tive of the people, appointed by them to conduct all negotiations with Jehovah in their name. He was the proper person; and foreshadows the Lord J esllS Christ as revealer -0f God to men, and negotiator for men with God. II. TllE FITNESS AIU8ING FROM THE CONFIDENCES MOSES HAD WON. He had gained both power and ri,,ht by his faithful service of the people, and by his holy familiarity with God. We ~ay say that God had proved him, and so had confidence in him • .A.nd the people had proved him, and knew well that they ha.cl no better friend. Christ js "beluved Son," and our best Friend. III. THE FITNES~ ARISING FROM THE PERSONAL FEELING OF :MosEB. He waB PB. uvr. 1-48.J THE IlOOK OF PSALMS. 437
supromely indignant nt the sin of the reople; so much so as to have lost his self- cont~ol, and flung down tho tables. That right feeling towards the sin fitted him to mediate. He made no excuse; he could but plead for pardon. A man with no a<le- quate sense of the iniquity could not have been acceptable as a mediator. But Moses was also supremly pitiful towards the erring people, and this gave him the fittincr tenderness in pleading for their forgiveness. So in Christ we find deepest impression: of the evil of sin, uniting with supreme love for the sinners. IV. THE FITNESS ARISING ll'R0:M THE VIGOUR OF MosEs' RULE. God knew that Moses could punish; and if the more serious judgment on the sin was removed, still there must be such punishment as would adequately impress the evil of the sin. Mosea was a fitting mediator, because God was assured that he would not ne"lect this educa- tive and disciplinary judgrnent. God, if we may so speak, graciously yielded to Moses' persuasions,_because he knew that his honour was safe in Moses' hands. So Christ in his mediation" magnifies the Law, and makes it honourable."-R. T.