32:15-24 Moses went down the mountain carrying the two stone tablets. These tablets were made by God and inscribed by God on both sides. Joshua heard noise from the camp and thought the people were at war. Moses knew it was "the sound of singing." When he saw the golden calf he was so angry that he threw the stone tablets down and broke them to pieces. The people had already broken their covenant with the Lord. He took the golden calf, melted it down, ground it into powder and threw it in the water supply so the people would have to drink it. Then he dealt with Aaron. Aaron blamed it on the people saying that he only did what they wanted him to do. He said that when he threw the gold into the fire, "out came this calf!" It seems as though Aaron got swept up in the excitement and everything just happened very quickly.

v. 25-35 The people were running wild so Moses had to do something to bring them back under control. He stood at the entrance to the camp and the Levites rallied to his side. The Lord told them to put on their swords and go throughout the camp killing people, even members of their own families, in order to bring peace to the camp again. They killed 3,000 people. This may seem like a lot of people but remember that there were more than a million Israelites in the camp. Moses praised the Levites and blessed them for their loyalty to the Lord. The next day Moses told the people what a great sin they'd committed in making the calf. He went back to the Lord and begged Him to forgive them. Then Moses said, "But if not, then blot me out of the book you have written." Moses was willing to take their place. But the Lord told him, "Whoever has sinned against me I will blot out of my book." Moses was told to lead the people onward and an angel would go before them. The Lord struck them with a plague because of the golden calf they had made.   

33:1-6 The Lord told them to leave and go to the land that He'd promised to give them. He would send an angel before them to drive out the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. He called this land "the land flowing with milk and honey." But He said He would not go with them because they are "stiff-necked." If He went with them He might destroy them on the way. The Israelites were told to take off their ornaments at Mount Horeb. This was probably a sign of mourning.

v. 7-11 Moses used to pitch a tent outside the camp and call it the tent of meeting. This was before the Tabernacle was constructed. Notice that the tent was outside the camp. The Lord would meet with Moses there. Whenever he went out to that tent the people watched from their own tents and the pillar of cloud would come down at the entrance to this tent. "The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend." When they were finished Moses would return to the camp but Joshua stayed at the tent.

v. 12-23 Moses wanted to know who the Lord would send with them. He knew the Lord was pleased with him so he said, "teach me your ways so I may know you." Moses didn't ask for wealth or power or fame. He only wanted to know the Lord better and for Him to remember that the Israelites are His people. The Lord said His Presence would go with them on their journey and He would give them rest. Moses replied that if His Presence did not go with them then He should not send them at all. Moses knew that the only difference between them and other nations was their identity as the Lord's people. The Lord agreed to do what Moses asked because He was pleased with him. Moses wanted to see the Lord's glory but no one can see the face of the Lord and live. However, the Lord agreed to let all His goodness pass in front of him and proclaim His name, "the Lord", in Moses' presence. The Lord will have mercy/compassion on whomever He chooses. Moses was told to stand on a nearby rock and the Lord's glory would pass by him while he's in the cleft of the rock. Moses would be allowed to see the Lord's back but not His face. This was a special privilege given to Moses that the others did not experience. 

34:1-7 Moses had to chisel out two more stone tablets to replace the ones he smashed after the people sinned. This was good news because it meant the Lord was still willing to be in a covenant relationship with them in spite of their sin. The Lord would write on the second set of tablets as He did on the first. The next morning Moses went up the mountain alone carrying the stone tablets. The Lord came down in a cloud and proclaimed His name, the Lord. He passed in front of Moses and announced Himself by stating His attributes:  

• the Lord
• compassionate
• gracious God
• slow to anger
• abounding in love and faithfulness
• maintaining that love to thousands
• forgiving wickedness, rebellion, and sin

"Yet He does not leave the guilty unpunished." Their punishment continues down to the third and fourth generation. All that Lord said about Himself here is sort of a preamble to the agreement they are about to make. He's identifying who He is.

v. 8-14 Moses bowed to the ground and worshiped Him. Again he asked the Lord to go with them on their journey in spite of the fact that they are a stiff-necked people. Moses asked Him to forgive their sin. Then he says something unexpected-- "and take us as your inheritance." Notice Moses does not ask the Lord to give them blessings or provisions but rather asks Him to take them as His own. Moses is offering his people and hoping that the Lord will take them as His possession. The Lord responded by saying He would make a covenant with them. He would do wonders that had never been done before. All the other nations will see His awesome work. The Israelites must obey what He commands and He will drive out the Canaanite nations before them so they can move into the Promised Land. But they must be careful not to make any treaties with those nations. They must break down pagan altars, sacred stones and Asherah poles, and not worship any other nation's gods. The Lord's name is "Jealous" and He is a jealous God. 

v. 18-26 Three times a year the Israelites will have festivals of their own in which all the men must appear before the Lord to give offerings. This is in addition to the weekly Sabbath which they are to keep even when they are busy with planting or harvesting their crops. No one is to appear before Him empty-handed. They must offer the best of their produce to the Lord and He will make sure that no one invades their land while they travel to these annual festivals.

1. Feast of Unleavened Bread: celebrated in the spring along with Passover, commemorating their exodus from Egypt. They must eat unleavened bread for seven days and burn the leftovers of the Passover meal before morning.

2. Feast of Weeks: celebrated with the early wheat harvest. They must bring the firstfruits of the wheat harvest to the Lord.

3. Feast of Ingathering: celebrated at "the turn of the year" when the fall harvest is gathered.

Also, they must offer the firstborn males of all their livestock. They may substitute a lamb for a firstborn donkey. Their firstborn sons are also redeemed by offering an animal sacrifice in his place. We see a strong theme of the sacrifice of the firstborn male; no doubt a shadow of God's willingness to sacrifice His own firstborn Son. Again the Lord repeats the command, "do not cook a young goat in its mother's milk." (I don't know why that command is given.)

v. 27-35 Moses was on the mountain 40 days and 40 nights without eating and drinking while the Lord gave him the terms of this covenant.
Much more next time.
 --Sandy Blank