Moses and Aaron
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frankly acknowledged that they had sinned a great sin and had made
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them gods of gold. Then he loses his timidity, and the interest of Israel
is so closely interwoven with his life that he comes with boldness to
God and prays for Him to forgive His people. If their sin, he pleads, is
so great that God cannot forgive them, if their names must be blotted
from His book, he prays the Lord to blot out his name also. When the
Lord renewed His promise to Moses, that His Angel should go before
him in leading the people to the Promised Land, Moses knew that
his request was granted. But the Lord assured Moses that if He was
provoked to visit the people for their transgressions, He would surely
punish them for this grievous sin also. But if they were henceforth
obedient, He would blot this great sin out of His book.
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