Exodus 32:15-2015And Moses turned, and went down from the mount, and the two tables of the testimony were in his hand: the tables were written on both their sides; on the one side and on the other were they written. 16And the tables were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, graven upon the tables. 17And when Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said unto Moses, There is a noise of war in the camp. 18And he said, It is not the voice of them that shout for mastery, neither is it the voice of them that cry for being overcome: but the noise of them that sing do I hear. 19And it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, that he saw the calf, and the dancing: and Moses' anger waxed hot, and he cast the tables out of his hands, and brake them beneath the mount. 20And he took the calf which they had made, and burnt it in the fire, and ground it to powder, and strawed it upon the water, and made the children of Israel drink of it. (Exodus 32:15‑20)
“AND MOSES turned, and went down from the mount, and the two tables of the testimony were in his hand:... And the tables were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, graven upon the tables.” However, these first tables on which were written the holy commandments were destined never to reach the camp. In rejecting the Lord and in setting up idolatry the people had made a complete breach with God, so that it was not any more a question of obedience on the ground of the law. God must deal with them either in judgment or in sovereign mercy.
When Joshua heard the shouting of the people, he said, “There is a noise of war in the camp.” But Moses who had been so long with God in the mount, more readily understood what was going on and said, “It is... the noise of them that do sing do I hear.” Sure enough as they drew near to the camp they saw the people carrying on their idolatrous worship, singing and dancing around the golden calf — just like the heathen.
“And Moses’ anger waxed hot,” as well it might. He who had pleaded before God for the people on the mountain top now is equally zealous for His glory down below. This was righteous anger in Moses.
When someone speaks evil of the Lord, when His name is dishonored, we ought to feel it keenly. If someone harms us or hurts our feelings, to be angry at such a time would not be righteous anger — rather it would be our old sinful nature coming out. We ought to be ready to forgive the one who has done the wrong, for the Lord tells us we ought to love our enemies.
But Scripture also says, “Be ye angry, and sin not.” Eph. 4:2626Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: (Ephesians 4:26). There are times when we ought to be grieved at shame and dishonor done to the name of Jesus, and show our disapproval of such, for God’s Word says, “Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.” Eph. 5:1111And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. (Ephesians 5:11). The people had substituted a calf for Jehovah, and Moses was grieved and angry at the dishonor done to His name.
When Moses saw the golden calf he threw down the tables of stone and broke them at the base of the mount. Moses surely had the mind of God in doing what he did for had he brought that law into the camp it would have meant certain judgment to the people. Moses who saw the mountain burning with fire and knowing how angry God was at the people’s sin, would not bring the law into the camp to condemn them utterly. In this way the people were spared the awful judgment. Later we shall see how they were put under a mixture of both law and grace instead of pure law, for the sacrifices were instituted. However, grace is not the passing over of sin, for God never passes over sin. He must judge it according to His holy nature. Sin was judged in type in those sacrifices, until Christ, the true sacrifice for sin, came and accomplished the work of redemption on the cross once and for all.
Moses took the calf they had made, burned it in the fire, and ground it to powder. Then he put it in the water and made the people drink it. In this way the people were made to taste the bitterness of their sin. This is a solemn reminder that we have to reap what we sow (Gal. 6:77Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. (Galatians 6:7)). How careful we should be as to what we sow for although God may graciously deliver us from sin, as He did the children of Israel here, we still may have to reap the sorrow that results from it.
ML-01/31/1971