MOSES' ANGER BURNS

Passage: Exodus 32:15-35

Key verse: 32

NIV

15 Moses turned and went down the mountain with the two tablets of the covenant law(A) in his hands.(B) They were inscribed(C) on both sides, front and back. 16 The tablets were the work of God; the writing was the writing of God, engraved on the tablets.(D)

17 When Joshua(E) heard the noise of the people shouting, he said to Moses, “There is the sound of war in the camp.”

18 Moses replied:

“It is not the sound of victory,
    it is not the sound of defeat;
    it is the sound of singing that I hear.”

19 When Moses approached the camp and saw the calf(F) and the dancing,(G) his anger burned(H) and he threw the tablets out of his hands, breaking them to pieces(I) at the foot of the mountain. 20 And he took the calf the people had made and burned(J) it in the fire; then he ground it to powder,(K) scattered it on the water(L) and made the Israelites drink it.

21 He said to Aaron, “What did these people do to you, that you led them into such great sin?”

22 “Do not be angry,(M) my lord,” Aaron answered. “You know how prone these people are to evil.(N) 23 They said to me, ‘Make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t know what has happened to him.’(O) 24 So I told them, ‘Whoever has any gold jewelry, take it off.’ Then they gave me the gold, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf!”(P)

25 Moses saw that the people were running wild and that Aaron had let them get out of control and so become a laughingstock(Q) to their enemies. 26 So he stood at the entrance to the camp and said, “Whoever is for the Lord, come to me.” And all the Levites rallied to him.

27 Then he said to them, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Each man strap a sword to his side. Go back and forth through the camp from one end to the other, each killing his brother and friend and neighbor.’”(R) 28 The Levites did as Moses commanded, and that day about three thousand of the people died. 29 Then Moses said, “You have been set apart to the Lord today, for you were against your own sons and brothers, and he has blessed you this day.”

30 The next day Moses said to the people, “You have committed a great sin.(S) But now I will go up to the Lord; perhaps I can make atonement(T) for your sin.”

31 So Moses went back to the Lord and said, “Oh, what a great sin these people have committed!(U) They have made themselves gods of gold.(V) 32 But now, please forgive their sin(W)—but if not, then blot me(X) out of the book(Y) you have written.”

33 The Lord replied to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against me I will blot out(Z) of my book. 34 Now go, lead(AA) the people to the place(AB) I spoke of, and my angel(AC) will go before you. However, when the time comes for me to punish,(AD) I will punish them for their sin.”

35 And the Lord struck the people with a plague because of what they did with the calf(AE) Aaron had made.

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ESV

15 Then (A)Moses turned and went down from the mountain with the (B)two tablets of the testimony in his hand, tablets that were written on both sides; on the front and on the back they were written. 16 (C)The tablets were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, engraved on the tablets. 17 When (D)Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said to Moses, “There is a noise of war in the camp.” 18 But he said, “It is not the sound of (E)shouting for victory, or the sound of the cry of defeat, but the sound of singing that I hear.” 19 And as soon as he came near the camp and (F)saw the calf and the dancing, Moses' anger burned hot, and he threw the tablets out of his hands and broke them at the foot of the mountain. 20 He took the calf that they had made and burned it with fire and ground it to powder and scattered it on the water and made the people of Israel drink it.

21 And Moses said to Aaron, (G)“What did this people do to you that you have brought such a great sin upon them?” 22 And Aaron said, “Let not the anger of my lord burn hot. (H)You know the people, that they are set on evil. 23 For (I)they said to me, ‘Make us gods who shall go before us. As for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.’ 24 So (J)I said to them, ‘Let any who have gold take it off.’ So they gave it to me, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf.”

25 And when Moses saw that the people had broken loose (for Aaron had let them break loose, (K)to the derision of their enemies), 26 then Moses stood in the gate of the camp and said, “Who is on the Lord's side? Come to me.” And all the sons of Levi gathered around him. 27 And he said to them, “Thus says the Lord God of Israel, ‘Put your sword on your side each of you, and go to and fro from gate to gate throughout the camp, and each of you (L)kill his brother and his companion and his neighbor.’” 28 And the sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses. And that day about three thousand men of the people fell. 29 And Moses said, “Today you have been (M)ordained for the service of the Lord, each one at the cost of his son and of his brother, so that he might bestow a blessing upon you this day.”

30 The next day Moses said to the people, (N)“You have sinned a great sin. And now I will go up to the Lord; (O)perhaps I can make atonement for your sin.” 31 So Moses returned to the Lord and said, “Alas, (P)this people has sinned a great sin. They have (Q)made for themselves gods of gold. 32 But now, if (R)you will forgive their sin—but if not, please (S)blot me out of (T)your book that you have written.” 33 But the Lord said to Moses, (U)“Whoever has sinned against me, I will blot out of my book. 34 (V)But now go, lead the people to the place about which I have spoken to you; (W)behold, my angel shall go before you. Nevertheless, in the day when I visit, I will visit their sin upon them.”

35 Then the Lord sent a plague on the people, because they made the calf, the one that Aaron made.

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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

1. The broken tablets (1-2

)

Moses carried in his hands the two stone tablets written by the finger of God. But when he saw what the people were doing, his anger burned; he smashed the tablets. He burned the idol, ground it to powder, sprinkled it on the water and made them drink it. This was holy anger!

2. The Levites are consecrated to God (21-29)

Aaron made lame excuses; Moses turned his attention to the people running wild. Drastic action was needed if the nation was to be saved. The Levites stood with Moses on God's side and put to death by the sword their own, out-of-control family members and friends. Order was restored and the nation was saved.

3. Moses' passion and his second prayer (3

-35)

Moses put his own soul on the line as he prayed a second time for his people. Moses had a shepherd's loved for them, but God was not ready to relent.

Prayer: Lord, help me to stand on your side in times of crisis. Teach me the passion and prayer of a shepherd.

One Word: Human compromise won't help