Idolatry at Sinai
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By the divine direction the tent that had served as a temporary
place of worship was removed “afar off from the camp.” This was still
further evidence that God had withdrawn His presence from them. He
would reveal Himself to Moses, but not to such a people. The rebuke
was keenly felt, and to the conscience-smitten multitudes it seemed
a foreboding of greater calamity. Had not the Lord separated Moses
from the camp that He might utterly destroy them? But they were not
left without hope. The tent was pitched without the encampment, but
Moses called it “the tabernacle of the congregation.” All who were
truly penitent, and desired to return to the Lord, were directed to repair
thither to confess their sins and seek His mercy. When they returned to
their tents Moses entered the tabernacle. With agonizing interest the
people watched for some token that his intercessions in their behalf
were accepted. If God should condescend to meet with him, they might
hope that they were not to be utterly consumed. When the cloudy pillar
descended, and stood at the entrance of the tabernacle, the people wept
for joy, and they “rose up and worshiped, every man in his tent door.”
Moses knew well the perversity and blindness of those who were
placed under his care; he knew the difficulties with which he must
contend. But he had learned that in order to prevail with the people,
he must have help from God. He pleaded for a clearer revelation of
God’s will and for an assurance of His presence: “See, Thou sayest
unto me, Bring up this people: and Thou hast not let me know whom
Thou wilt send with me. Yet Thou hast said, I know thee by name, and
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thou hast also found grace in My sight. Now therefore, I pray Thee, if
I have found grace in Thy sight, show me now Thy way, that I may
know Thee, that I may find grace in Thy sight: and consider that this
nation is Thy people.”
The answer was, “My presence shall go with thee, and I will give
thee rest.” But Moses was not yet satisfied. There pressed upon his
soul a sense of the terrible results should God leave Israel to hardness
and impenitence. He could not endure that his interests should be
separated from those of his brethren, and he prayed that the favor of
God might be restored to His people, and that the token of His presence
might continue to direct their journeyings: “If Thy presence go not
with me, carry us not up hence. For wherein shall it be known here
that I and Thy people have found grace in Thy sight? is it not in that