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of his life. And instead of standing up nobly for the honor of God,
and trusting his life in his hands who had wrought wonders for his
people, he lost his courage, his trust in God, and cowardly yielded to
the wishes of an impatient people, and this, too, in direct opposition to
the commands of God. He made an idol, and built an altar whereon
they offered sacrifice to this idol. And Aaron submitted to hear the
people proclaim, “These be thy gods, O Israel, which have brought
thee up out of the land of Egypt.” What an insult to Jehovah! They
had recently listened to the proclamation of the law of God from Sinai,
amid the most sublime demonstrations of divine power, and when
their faith was tested, by Moses’ being from them for a few weeks,
they engaged in idolatry which had been so recently specified, and
expressly forbidden by Jehovah. By so doing they transgressed the
first and second commandments. God’s anger was kindled against
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them.
“And the Lord said unto Moses, Go, get thee down; for thy peo-
ple, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted
themselves. They have turned aside quickly out of the way which
I commanded them. They have made them a molten calf, and have
worshiped it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and said, These be thy
gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
And the Lord said unto Moses, I have seen this people, and behold, it
is a stiff-necked people. Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath
may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them. And I will
make of thee a great nation.”
God saw that the children of Israel, especially the mixed multitude,
were continually disposed to rebel, and, by their works, provoke him to
destroy them. He knew that they would murmur against Moses when
in difficulty, and grieve him by their continual rebellion. He proposed
to Moses to consume them, and make of him a great nation. Here the
Lord proved Moses. He knew that it was a laborious and soul-trying
work to lead that rebellious people through to the promised land. He
would test the perseverance, faithfulness and love of Moses, for such
an erring and ungrateful people. But Moses would not consent to have
Israel destroyed. He showed by his intercessions with God that he
valued more highly the prosperity of God’s chosen people than a great
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name, or to be called the father of a greater nation than was Israel.