Idolatry at Sinai
285
The Lord graciously promised to renew His favor to Israel, and in their
behalf to do marvels such as had not been done “in all the earth, nor in
any nation.”
Forty days and nights Moses remained in the mount; and during all
this time, as at the first, he was miraculously sustained. No man had
been permitted to go up with him, nor during the time of his absence
were any to approach the mount. At God’s command he had prepared
two tables of stone, and had taken them with him to the summit; and
again the Lord “wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the
Ten Commandments.” [
See appendix, note 5.
]
During that long time spent in communion with God, the face of
Moses had reflected the glory of the divine Presence; unknown to
himself his face shone with a dazzling light when he descended from
the mountain. Such a light illumined the countenance of Stephen when
brought before his judges; “and all that sat in the council, looking
steadfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel.”
Acts 6:15
. Aaron as well as the people shrank away from Moses,
and “they were afraid to come nigh him.” Seeing their confusion and
terror, but ignorant of the cause, he urged them to come near. He held
out to them the pledge of God’s reconciliation, and assured them of
His restored favor. They perceived in his voice nothing but love and
entreaty, and at last one ventured to approach him. Too awed to speak,
he silently pointed to the countenance of Moses, and then toward
[330]
heaven. The great leader understood his meaning. In their conscious
guilt, feeling themselves still under the divine displeasure, they could
not endure the heavenly light, which, had they been obedient to God,
would have filled them with joy. There is fear in guilt. The soul that is
free from sin will not wish to hide from the light of heaven.
Moses had much to communicate to them; and compassionating
their fear, he put a veil upon his face, and continued to do so thereafter
whenever he returned to the camp from communion with God.
By this brightness God designed to impress upon Israel the sacred,
exalted character of His law, and the glory of the gospel revealed
through Christ. While Moses was in the mount, God presented to
him, not only the tables of the law, but also the plan of salvation. He
saw that the sacrifice of Christ was pre-figured by all the types and
symbols of the Jewish age; and it was the heavenly light streaming
from Calvary, no less than the glory of the law of God, that shed such a