Exodus 32-34, pt. 2

These chapters recount the famous "golden calf" incident, where Israel convince Aaron to set an idol in the form of gold bull and they worship it as their god who led them out of Egypt. In a real, sense this is the fall of Israel.

What makes it even more tragic and offensive is that they have just entered into their covenant with Yahweh less than 2 months ago and now they have violated that covenant. When Moses throws down and breaks the two tablets of the covenant, that action embodies what Israel has done.

The covenant is broken.

So now, the threat of God's absence hangs over the camp of Israel. God has said he will not move in among... it's an act of mercy protecting them from his own holiness.

But Moses intervenes.

And God relents, agreeing to be with Moses and to go with the people.

One very important moment in part 2 is when God shows himself to Moses. He passes by and declares, "The Lord, the Lord God, compassionate and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in faithfulness and truth; 7 who keeps faithfulness for thousands, who forgives wrongdoing, violation of His Law, and sin; yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, inflicting the punishment of fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations.”

This is who God is and how he desires to be known. This is the most quoted passage of the Bible in the Bible. Our understanding of God should start here.

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