GiGi again's Exodus Chapter 32 comment on 9/04/2022, 7:54pm...
Exodus 32 again.....
Moses orders the Levites, I believe, to consecrate themselves to the Lord for opposing their won brethren and sons that day. The Levites needed to be humble about this event. They needed to acknowledge that they were performing YHWH's judgment and should be sure to obey Him, knowing that they themselves could be judged in the same way should they turn from YHWH.
The next day, Moses addresses the people, telling them that they sinned greatly, and here Moses says that there is a need for an atonement for the sins of these people. Moses said he would go up to the LORD on their behalf. Moses was ready to be blotted out of the Book of Life for these people as an act of atonement if God would then forgive them. But he was not a perfect substitute as Jesus was, nor, being only man, and not God as Jesus is, Moses could not pay the infinite penalty for sin. But we can admire Moses' willingness to do this, just as Paul said that he wished that he would be accursed and cut off from Christ if it would mean that Israel could be saved. I do not think that Paul actually thought he, himself could improve on the sacrifice of Christ, but said this to express his deep desire for the redemption of his own people. Moses perhaps had a look to Calvary in this instance, too, seeing ahead the redemption of the Messiah.
YHWH tells Moses "Whoever has sinned against me, I will blot him out of my book." So, perhaps not everyone in the camp participated in this event. YHWH tells Moses to continue to lead the people to the place promised and that His Angel will go before him, and then reminding Moses of a future judgment when these people will be punished for their sin.
The chapter closes saying that the LORD plagued the people because of their sin with the calf. It does not specify what the plague or plagues were. But I imagine this punishment reminded them often of how they sinned and how seriously YHWH considered it to be and how deadly sin is.
GiGi again's Exodus Chapter 32 comment on 9/04/2022, 7:38pm...
Exodus 32 continued....
Moses and Joshua saw the calf and the people dancing (perhaps around the calf, rather than with each other-as worship). Moses became so righteously angry that he threw the stone tablets down with such force that they broke. What a vivid display of breaking the law of God-which the people were doing with so much glee and revelry!
Moses wasted not time speaking to the people (he spoke quite loudly with the breaking of the tablets), but he at once burned the golden calf in the fire and ground it down into a powder. Wondering how he did that, didn't it melt? Was this a miracle? He then scattered the powder upon the water that the people used to drink. What was pure, clean water became tainted with the powder and Moses made them all drink this water. How vividly illustrative of how sin becomes part of us, like water and what we eat. We can't just wash it off. It permeates every part of us, just like the molecules of water and food become a part of every cell in our bodies.
Moses then addresses Aaron, asking what the people did to him to bring him to do this great sin. Aaron give a really lame story about throwing the the earrings into the fire and, "whallah" a calf came out! He even makes it seem like the people forced him to do this.
And so, Standing at the entrance to the camp, Moses makes a charge, "whoever is on YHWH's side come and stand with me"
Only the sons of Levi came and stood with Moses. Moses instructed the sons of Levi to use their swords and go through the camp and slay their brethren, companions, neighbors. These were people the Levites knew and loved, these were "family". That day, the Levites slew 3 thousand men. That is a very small number considering that the group numbered in the millions. But, in obedience to Moses, and, I believe, guided by YHWH, the Levites killed those YHWH had pre-ordained to be killed that day. I wonder if these men were the ones who led the way for the demands for a "god they could see" to worship
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GiGi again's Exodus Chapter 32 comment on 9/04/2022, 7:54pm...
Exodus 32 again.....
Moses orders the Levites, I believe, to consecrate themselves to the Lord for opposing their won brethren and sons that day. The Levites needed to be humble about this event. They needed to acknowledge that they were performing YHWH's judgment and should be sure to obey Him, knowing that they themselves could be judged in the same way should they turn from YHWH.
The next day, Moses addresses the people, telling them that they sinned greatly, and here Moses says that there is a need for an atonement for the sins of these people. Moses said he would go up to the LORD on their behalf. Moses was ready to be blotted out of the Book of Life for these people as an act of atonement if God would then forgive them. But he was not a perfect substitute as Jesus was, nor, being only man, and not God as Jesus is, Moses could not pay the infinite penalty for sin. But we can admire Moses' willingness to do this, just as Paul said that he wished that he would be accursed and cut off from Christ if it would mean that Israel could be saved. I do not think that Paul actually thought he, himself could improve on the sacrifice of Christ, but said this to express his deep desire for the redemption of his own people. Moses perhaps had a look to Calvary in this instance, too, seeing ahead the redemption of the Messiah.
YHWH tells Moses "Whoever has sinned against me, I will blot him out of my book." So, perhaps not everyone in the camp participated in this event. YHWH tells Moses to continue to lead the people to the place promised and that His Angel will go before him, and then reminding Moses of a future judgment when these people will be punished for their sin.
The chapter closes saying that the LORD plagued the people because of their sin with the calf. It does not specify what the plague or plagues were. But I imagine this punishment reminded them often of how they sinned and how seriously YHWH considered it to be and how deadly sin is.
GiGi again's Exodus Chapter 32 comment on 9/04/2022, 7:38pm...
Exodus 32 continued....
Moses and Joshua saw the calf and the people dancing (perhaps around the calf, rather than with each other-as worship). Moses became so righteously angry that he threw the stone tablets down with such force that they broke. What a vivid display of breaking the law of God-which the people were doing with so much glee and revelry!
Moses wasted not time speaking to the people (he spoke quite loudly with the breaking of the tablets), but he at once burned the golden calf in the fire and ground it down into a powder. Wondering how he did that, didn't it melt? Was this a miracle? He then scattered the powder upon the water that the people used to drink. What was pure, clean water became tainted with the powder and Moses made them all drink this water. How vividly illustrative of how sin becomes part of us, like water and what we eat. We can't just wash it off. It permeates every part of us, just like the molecules of water and food become a part of every cell in our bodies.
Moses then addresses Aaron, asking what the people did to him to bring him to do this great sin. Aaron give a really lame story about throwing the the earrings into the fire and, "whallah" a calf came out! He even makes it seem like the people forced him to do this.
And so, Standing at the entrance to the camp, Moses makes a charge, "whoever is on YHWH's side come and stand with me"
Only the sons of Levi came and stood with Moses. Moses instructed the sons of Levi to use their swords and go through the camp and slay their brethren, companions, neighbors. These were people the Levites knew and loved, these were "family". That day, the Levites slew 3 thousand men. That is a very small number considering that the group numbered in the millions. But, in obedience to Moses, and, I believe, guided by YHWH, the Levites killed those YHWH had pre-ordained to be killed that day. I wonder if these men were the ones who led the way for the demands for a "god they could see" to worship
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