How a People Disappointed Their Leader

“And as soon as he (Moses) came near the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, Moses’ anger burned hot, and he threw the tablets out of his hands and broke them at the foot of the mountain.  He took the calf that they had made and burned it with fire and ground it to powder and scattered it on the water and made the people of Israel drink it.” -Exodus 32:19-20 (ESV).

Moses, the Great Emancipator of the people of Israel from Egyptian bondage, became Moses the one to whom God gave the law.  He had been with God on Mount Sinai for forty days and nights as he received the Ten Commandments.  He was ready to come down from the mountain.  Joshua, who would later succeed Moses as the leader, was with Moses.  They heard singing in the Israelite camp. What did it mean?

The people had been busy, and Aaron, the priest, had given in to their desire to erect a golden calf, an idol they could see and dance around.  What a great sin:  In making a golden calf, they broke the first, second and seventh commandments.  They had already experienced God’s mercy in deliverance from Egypt, in His provision for them in the wilderness, and in His protection in the pillar of cloud and the fire.  Why did they turn against the true God, the one who had helped them?  They were an impatient people, impatient with Moses that he had been on Sinai for forty days and nights.  Impatience can cause impulsive and rebellious actions.  They forgot how Moses had led them by God’s direction. And, sadly, instead of protesting as a priest of God should have done, Aaron allowed the people to have their own way without trying to stop their action.

Moses reacted in anger when he came into the camp and saw what the people had done.  In his anger, he threw down the tablets of stone on which the commandments were written.  The tablets broke to pieces.  This was a symbolic act, for the people had already broken the commandments by building a golden calf.  Moses destroyed the work of the people’s hands.  The golden calf was melted down, the remains ground into a powder, scattered on the water, and the people made to drink it.  Think how very bitter that drink must have been!  This action of Moses forced the people to identify with the sin they had committed.  Yet Moses, in his love for his people prayed earnestly:  “”But now, if you will forgive their sin--but if not, please blot me out of your book that You have written” (Exodus 32:32).  There are always consequences of sins.  The Levites killed those who were involved in the orgy, amounting to some 3,000 people.  God sent a plague among the people and many met death from this calamity.  God withdrew his protective pillar of cloud and of fire as they proceeded on to the Promised Land.  Moses’ tent of meeting was moved outside the camp where he went to speak face to face with God, no longer among the encampment of the people.  And following the terrible episode of the golden calf, Moses returned to Mount Sinai where he again lingered in God’s presence for another forty days and forty nights, receiving again the second giving of the law and observing the glory of the Lord revealed before him.  What if Moses had given up after the first giving of the commandments when he found the people worshiping an idol upon his return from the mountains?  We can imagine how disappointed the aged Moses was when he saw the pagan orgy and the golden calf erected in the camp.  Consider, too, how he must have regarded his brother Aaron who was charged with the spiritual leadership of the people.  This unfortunate incident in the history of the Israelites’ history is an example of God’s giving His people another chance.   Moses got another perspective when he prayed earnestly for his people.  God willingly gave Moses the ten commandments the second time.  This  was not the end of the Israelites’ rebellion.  They repented but returned again and again to their rebellious ways.  How much easier if they had remained faithful all the time…all the time. Help us to be faithful!