Idolatry at Sinai
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who had changed that glory into the similitude of an ox. He to whom
God had committed the government of the people in the absence of
Moses, was found sanctioning their rebellion. “The Lord was very
angry with Aaron to have destroyed him.”
Deuteronomy 9:20
. But in
answer to the earnest intercession of Moses, his life was spared; and
in penitence and humiliation for his great sin, he was restored to the
favor of God.
If Aaron had had courage to stand for the right, irrespective of con-
sequences, he could have prevented that apostasy. If he had unswerv-
ingly 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.
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 notwith-
standing 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.
Of all the sins that God will punish, none are more grievous in
His sight than those that encourage others to do evil. God would have
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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.
Though God had granted the prayer of Moses in sparing Israel
from destruction, their apostasy was to be signally punished. The
lawlessness and insubordination into which Aaron had permitted them