Moses- The Friend of God- Part 9- A Right Response

Introduction

Last week we considered the instruction that Moses received from his father in law regarding involving others.

Moses wisely recognized the wisdom of the counsel he received and immediately implemented it.

He began to teach them the ways of God and also appointed men to bear some of the burden of leading the congregation thereby extending his own ministry and improving the effectiveness of ministry overall among the people.

It is never good when the burden of any ministry is place upon one person alone.

It is also beneficial to allow others to be involved that they may have the opportunity to develop leadership and grow spiritually.

Shortly after the events of Exodus 18 Moses received detailed instructions and commandments from God to deliver to the people and at one particular time God even spoke directly to the people.

He gave to them what would come to be known as the ten commandments particularly.

One command in particular is of special significance when considered with the passage before us today.

Exodus 20:3–5 (KJV 1900)

Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;

We are not so much going to deal with the sin of the children of Israel tonight but rather with Moses response.

There are valuable lessons that you and I can learn from his response to these circumstances.

The People’s Sin (Vs. 1-6)

While Moses is spending time upon Mount Sinai communing with God the people grow impatient.

They are ready to move forward and they are frustrated with the waiting that they have done.

Finally their impatience reaches a boiling point and they approach Aaron seeking a solution.

They are sure that Moses is not returning and that they must move on without him.

It seems that Aaron provided little resistance and quickly created a golden calf to stand in for God which the people could worship and look to for leadership.

How often in the scriptures we find impatience leading to sin.

Examples: Abraham and Sarah devised their own means of fufilling God’s promise of a child, Saul overstepped his authority and offered sacrifice in Samuel’s place, and many modern day believers have grown impatient and made hasty decisions which have led to sin.

Moses Response (Vs. 7-35)

While Moses is on the mountain, God tells him of the circumstances developing in the valley below.

He tells how the peopel have disobeyed Him and have made a golden calf and have worshipped and sacrificed to it.

God expresses His severe displeasure and His intent to destroy the people and to raise up another people.

Moses Concern (Vs. 11-13)

Moses response is certainly not what one would expect. After all the difficulty, complaining, and accusations that he has dealt with one would expect Moses would be in agreement with God concerning the destruction of the people.

Yet Moses instead beseeches God not to destroy them.

His concern is not primarily for the people but for God’s glory.

If God were to destroy the people, the Egpytians would have reason to mock God and would have reason to disparage the God of the Israelites.

This is of great significance. There are many people who believe that cental unifying theme of all that God has done and is doing is soteriological meaning everything is about the salvation of man.

Yet this can not explain much of the activity of God. Others rightly insist that the unifying theme of all things is doxological meaning that ultimately the underlying theme of all things is the glory of God!

If this is God’s purpose it ought to be our purpose also. Moses was concerned for the glory of God and approached God with a sincere desire to prevent the Egyptians from speaking evil of Him.

He was also concerned that men might view such a destruction as God breaking His covenant with His people.

Moses Care (Vs. 15-29)

When Moses arrived back at the Israelite camp, what he found must have been a shock as the people danced and sang to the idol of their own making.

Moses was angry as one would expect and he immediately took steps to correct the situation and to teach the people the seriousness of their sin.

Moses took the calf and basically made dust of it to show the worthlessness of the idol.

He then took the dust and cast it into the drinking water making the people drink of it likely as a means of consequence to cause them to be reminded of what they had done.

He then turns his attention to Aaron whom he sharply rebukes for his role in the rebellion.

He was intent on causing the people to recognize their sin and its seriousness and then he stood in the gate of the camp and called out “Who is on the Lord’s side?”

This was meant to identify those who were willing to stand for God as well as those who were leaders in the rebellion.

Then Moses commands the Levites to slay those they found continuing to stand against God in their rebellious idolatry.

Some three thousand men were then slain as a result

Moses Compassion (Vs. 30-35)

Once this task had been completed Moses speaks to the remainder of the people of their sin and his desire to make an atonement for them with God.

He comes to God now pleading for mercy and forgiveness for the people even to the point of being willing to lay down his own life.

God did indeed show mercy to the people and did not immediately consume them but there would still be consequences for such a serious sin against God.

The people would now move forward an angel from God leading them onward and yet God would plague them for their idolatrous behavior.

What a powerful example Moses provides of love and compassion.

Though he was angry with the people for their sin, yet he cared enough for them to plead with God on their behalf.

Moses was willing to put his own life on the line for the sake of the people.

We ought to exhibit this same compassion and care for those who are entangled in sin and rebellion against God.

Conclusion

Moses response is a great pattern for you and I in responding to sin.

May our primary concern always be the glory of God and may nothing else be more important in our eyes.

May we not fear to address the sin and identify it and even confront it where necessary.

May we at the same time have compassion on the sinner and may we go to God on their behalf.