A Line in the Sand
Admonitions for the Last Days • Sermon • Submitted
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Context:
God spoke,
People scared.
Said, talk to Moses
Moses goes up mountain
Is there for 40 days
When the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people gathered themselves together to Aaron and said to him, “Up, make us gods who shall go before us. As for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.”
What is the problem?
-- people are impatient.
-- people are scared and vulnerable
-- peopel don't know what to do
-- so they do what they know
"During this period of waiting, there was time for them to meditate upon the law of God which they had heard, and to prepare their hearts to receive the further revelations that He might make to them." - PP315
---instead...
"Feeling their helplessness in the absence of their leader, they returned to their old superstitions." - PP3154
English Standard Version Chapter 32
As for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.”
Who brought them out of Egypt?
This is the problem...
They repeatedly charge Moses with bad leadership...
- but he was not the leader.
They were not led by a man.
We always get ourselves in trouble as we look at humans
- instead of looking at God's leadership.
So Aaron said to them, “Take off the rings of gold that are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me.” So all the people took off the rings of gold that were in their ears and brought them to Aaron.
I always wondered,
How could Aarom so quickly say that....?
Said it because
- he thought they wouldn't.
- easy out
- backfired
"In the absence of Moses, the judicial authority had been delegated to Aaron, and a vast crowd gathered about his tent, with the demand, “Make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.” The cloud, they said, that had heretofore led them, now rested permanently upon the mount; it would no longer direct their travels. They must have an image in its place; and if, as had been suggested, they should decide to return to Egypt, they would find favor with the Egyptians by bearing this image before them and acknowledging it as their god.
Such a crisis demanded a man of firmness, decision, and unflinching courage; one who held the honor of God above popular favor, personal safety, or life itself. But the present leader of Israel was not of this character. Aaron feebly remonstrated with the people, but his wavering and timidity at the critical moment only rendered them the more determined. The tumult increased. A blind, unreasoning frenzy seemed to take possession of the multitude. There were some who remained true to their covenant with God, but the greater part of the people joined in the apostasy. A few who ventured to denounce the proposed image making as idolatry, were set upon and roughly treated, and in the confusion and excitement they finally lost their lives.
Aaron feared for his own safety; and instead of nobly standing up for the honor of God, he yielded to the demands of the multitude. His first act was to direct that the golden earrings be collected from all the people and brought to him, hoping that pride would lead them to refuse such a sacrifice." - PP 316-317
And he received the gold from their hand and fashioned it with a graving tool and made a golden calf. And they said, “These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!”
What is wrong with this verse
Other than the obvious idolatry.
--First it was Moses
Who brough the out.
He is gone,
So they make something else.
What brought them out now?
--- a golden calf...?
Think about that...
When Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it. And Aaron made a proclamation and said, “Tomorrow shall be a feast to the Lord.”
What does Aaron next?
- encourages greater sin!
"The people proclaimed, “These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.” And Aaron basely permitted this insult to Jehovah. He did more. Seeing with what satisfaction the golden god was received, he built an altar before it, and made proclamation, “Tomorrow is a feast to the Lord.” The announcement was heralded by trumpeters from company to company throughout the camp." - PP 317
And they rose up early the next day and offered burnt offerings and brought peace offerings. And the people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.
What is wrong with this?
Peace offering are good.
Burnt offerings are good.
Commanded to do them.
--- NOT with a foreign idol!
This is all so spiritual.
They are very religeous.
--- All "Under the pretense of holding “a feast to the Lord,”"
They might say,
I have a real connection...
"How often, in our own day, is the love of pleasure disguised by a “form of godliness”! A religion that permits men, while observing the rites of worship, to devote themselves to selfish or sensual gratification, is as pleasing to the multitudes now as in the days of Israel. And there are still pliant Aarons, who, while holding positions of authority in the church, will yield to the desires of the unconsecrated, and thus encourage them in sin." - PP 317
And the Lord said to Moses, “Go down, for your people, whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves. They have turned aside quickly out of the way that I commanded them. They have made for themselves a golden calf and have worshiped it and sacrificed to it and said, ‘These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!’ ”
Notice anything inaccurate with God's statement?
--- says, Moses brought them out...
Why?
--- He has disowned them.
--- covenant broken
Didn't God know this would happen?
--- yes
Why didn't he stop them?
"God might have checked the movement at the outset; but He suffered it to come to this height that He might teach all a lesson in His punishment of treason and apostasy." - PP318
And the Lord said to Moses, “I have seen this people, and behold, it is a stiff-necked people. Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them, in order that I may make a great nation of you.”
Think about this.
Is God rash?
Does he need to be talked out of His anger?
--- no
Then why this conversation.
--- for Moses
Tell me more.
Think about what God is offering Moses.
Now his life is hard.
This will make it easier...
It would have been a relief
To Moses.
But look at the reason
Moses says no.
--- Because or God's
Glory
Character
Name
"But Moses discerned ground for hope where there appeared only discouragement and wrath. The words of God, “Let Me alone,” he understood not to forbid but to encourage intercession, implying that nothing but the prayers of Moses could save Israel, but that if thus entreated, God would spare His people." PP3198
But Moses implored the Lord his God and said, “O Lord, why does your wrath burn hot against your people, whom you have brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? Why should the Egyptians say, ‘With evil intent did he bring them out, to kill them in the mountains and to consume them from the face of the earth’? Turn from your burning anger and relent from this disaster against your people. Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, to whom you swore by your own self, and said to them, ‘I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have promised I will give to your offspring, and they shall inherit it forever.’ ” And the Lord relented from the disaster that he had spoken of bringing on his people.
What reason does Moses say NO?
--- for God's name
(When the other nations find out God killed them)
"They would not consider the sins of Israel; the destruction of the people whom He had so signally honored, would bring reproach upon His name. How great the responsibility resting upon those whom God has highly honored, to make His name a praise in the earth! With what care should they guard against committing sin, to call down His judgments and cause His name to be reproached by the ungodly." PP319
Was this a test?
--- yes
What did God want Moses to do?
--- be humble and intercede
"As Moses interceded for Israel, his timidity was lost in his deep interest and love for those for whom he had, in the hands of God, been the means of doing so much. The Lord listened to his pleadings, and granted his unselfish prayer." PP 319
Can we learn a lesson here?
What is the first step in ministering for erring brothers?
--- be humble
--- care about their eternal life
--- intercede for them
Notice, though, we don't stop here.
Then Moses turned and went down from the mountain with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand, tablets that were written on both sides; on the front and on the back they were written. The tablets were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, engraved on the tablets.
Why this repeated emphasis that he has the law in his hands?
--- to point out the context
--- greatest rebellion
--- immediately after receiving the law
Greater light
Greater sin.
We might look at this and say:
what evil people
How could they?
But are we far different?
Don't we presumptuously sin
While we have the law?
Who has the greatest sin
--- those with the greatest light
Do we not thank God
For the light we have?
It comes with responsibility
When Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said to Moses, “There is a noise of war in the camp.” But he said, “It is not the sound of shouting for victory, or the sound of the cry of defeat, but the sound of singing that I hear.”
Has this happened to you.
Hear distant shouting.
Can't tell if it is
Fun
Joyful
Cry for help
Kinda ironic
--- it should have been cry for help
--- but it was joys of sin instead
The situation was
Very solemn and serious
But the people wanted
To party
Have fun
Right now, the church should be
Church militant
Should be sound of war
But instead
We want - church triumphant
We want to party
People say:
" don't be so straight laced"
Stick in the mud
Strict
Do you know what one of the most clear signs of false revival?
---- never talk about sin.
And as soon as he 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.
Notice the style of pagan worship. Always:
--- wild
--- fun
--- entertaining
--- exciting
--- Burger King
What type of worship was God teaching them to have?
--- solumn
--- calm
--- emotional / serious
--- sin and salvation central
What happens to the Ten Commandments?
--- Moses smashes them.
Why?
--- because the people already broken them
--- they had already done it
"As they drew near the encampment, they beheld the people shouting and dancing around their idol. It was a scene of heathen riot, an imitation of the idolatrous feasts of Egypt; but how unlike the solemn and reverent worship of God! Moses was overwhelmed. He had just come from the presence of God’s glory, and though he had been warned of what was taking place, he was unprepared for that dreadful exhibition of the degradation of Israel. His anger was hot. To show his abhorrence of their crime, he threw down the tables of stone, and they were broken in the sight of all the people, thus signifying that as they had broken their covenant with God, so God had broken His covenant with them." PP 320
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.
Why?
"Thus was shown the utter worthlessness of the god which they had been worshiping." PP 320
And Moses said to Aaron, “What did this people do to you that you have brought such a great sin upon them?” And Aaron said, “Let not the anger of my lord burn hot. You know the people, that they are set on evil. For they said to me, ‘Make us gods who shall go before us. As for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.’ So I said to them, ‘Let any who have gold take it off.’ So they gave it to me, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf.”
Did you notice Aaron’s response?
"He would lead Moses to believe that a miracle had been wrought—that the gold had been cast into the fire, and by supernatural power changed to a calf. But his excuses and prevarications were of no avail. He was justly dealt with as the chief offender." PP 320
Remember what we learned:
More light....?
--- more responsibility
--- more stern judgment
And the Lord was so angry with Aaron that he was ready to destroy him. And I prayed for Aaron also at the same time.
And the Lord was so angry with Aaron that he was ready to destroy him. And I prayed for Aaron also at the same time.
Thankfully Moses again interceded.
Thankfully Moses again interceded.
And when Moses saw that the people had broken loose (for Aaron had let them break loose, to the derision of their enemies),
English Standard Version Chapter 32
when Moses saw that the people had broken loose
Aaron had been left in charge (like older child while parents are gone).
"If Aaron had had courage to stand for the right, irrespective of consequences, he could have prevented that apostasy. If he had unswervingly maintained his own allegiance to God, if he had cited the people to the perils of Sinai, and had reminded them of their solemn covenant with God to obey His law, the evil would have been checked. But his compliance with the desires of the people and the calm assurance with which he proceeded to carry out their plans, emboldened them to go to greater lengths in sin than had before entered their minds." PP 321
Instead of stopping the problem,
Aaron made it worse.
The people like Aaron,
Because he encouraged
Their wrong actions.
"When Moses, on returning to the camp, confronted the rebels, his severe rebukes and the indignation he displayed in breaking the sacred tables of the law were contrasted by the people with his brother’s pleasant speech and dignified demeanor, and their sympathies were with Aaron. To justify himself, Aaron endeavored to make the people responsible for his weakness in yielding to their demand; but notwithstanding this, they were filled with admiration of his gentleness and patience. But God seeth not as man sees. Aaron’s yielding spirit and his desire to please had blinded his eyes to the enormity of the crime he was sanctioning. His course in giving his influence to sin in Israel cost the life of thousands. In what contrast with this was the course of Moses, who, while faithfully executing God’s judgments, showed that the welfare of Israel was dearer to him than prosperity or honor or life." PP321
Did the people like Moses?
--- no
Why?
--- he was too strick.
--- deals with sins
--- brings judgments
Did they like Aaron?
--- yes
Why?
--- because he encouraged them to do what their evil hearts already wanted.
Funny,
Aaron throws them under the bus
He blames them...
But, they still like him more...
And when Moses saw that the people had broken loose (for Aaron had let them break loose, to the derision of their enemies),
Verse 25 And when Moses saw that the people had broken loose (for Aaron had let them break loose, to the derision of their enemies),
Ellen White says:
Ellen White says:
"Of all the sins that God will punish, none are more grievous in His sight than those that encourage others to do evil." PP 321
Is it possible, that we are guilty of
Our brothers sins because
We are aware of them and don't address it?
She continues:
"God would have His servants prove their loyalty by faithfully rebuking transgression, however painful the act may be. Those who are honored with a divine commission are not to be weak, pliant time-servers. They are not to aim at self-exaltation, or to shun disagreeable duties, but to perform God’s work with unswerving fidelity." PP 324
Who likes to address sin?
--- nobody
In your own life?
--- no
In other's lives?
--- no
We cannot help others
If we don't address sin
In our own lives...
then Moses stood in the gate of the camp and said, “Who is on the Lord’s side? Come to me.” And all the sons of Levi gathered around him. And he said to them, “Thus says the Lord God of Israel, ‘Put your sword on your side each of you, and go to and fro from gate to gate throughout the camp, and each of you kill his brother and his companion and his neighbor.’ ” And the sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses. And that day about three thousand men of the people fell.
Judgment against the greatest offenders?
Line in the sand.
Levite Rally
"Those who had not joined in the apostasy were to take their position at the right of Moses; those who were guilty but repentant, at the left. The command was obeyed. It was found that the tribe of Levi had taken no part in the idolatrous worship." PP 324
...
"In the name of “the Lord God of Israel,” Moses now commanded those upon his right hand, who had kept themselves clear of idolatry, to gird on their swords and slay all who persisted in rebellion. “And there fell of the people that day about three thousand men.” Without regard to position, kindred, or friendship, the ringleaders in wickedness were cut off; but all who repented and humbled themselves were spared." PP 324
"Those who performed this terrible work of judgment were acting by divine authority, executing the sentence of the King of heaven. Men are to beware how they, in their human blindness, judge and condemn their fellow men; but when God commands them to execute His sentence upon iniquity, He is to be obeyed. Those who performed this painful act, thus manifested their abhorrence of rebellion and idolatry, and consecrated themselves more fully to the service of the true God. The Lord honored their faithfulness by bestowing special distinction upon the tribe of Levi." PP 324
...
"That the divine government might be maintained justice must be visited upon the traitors. Yet even here God’s mercy was displayed. While He maintained His law, He granted freedom of choice and opportunity for repentance to all. Only those were cut off who persisted in rebellion." PP 325
...
"It was in love to the world, in love to Israel, and even to the transgressors, that crime was punished with swift and terrible severity." PP325