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shadows of good things to come. We have the blessed substance. While we walk in
Him, we need no holy days.
#72.
The golden calf (Exod. 31: 18 - 32: 14).
pp. 67 - 72
The worship of the golden calf and the breaking of the two tables of stone are the
closing incidents of this great section of the book of Exodus.
The worship of the calf is in exact correspondence with the worship of the God of
Israel by the seventy (Exod. 24: 9-11), and the promise of the two tables of stone with
their reception by Moses (Exod. 24: 12-14 and 31: 18):--
A | 24: 9-11. Worship of God of Israel.
B | 24: 12-14. Tables of stone promised.
* * * * * * *
B | 31: 18. Tables of stone given.
A | 32: 1-14. Worship of golden calf.
When Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel
ascended the mountain, we are told that "they saw the God of Israel . . . . . and they did
eat and drink". Then it was that the Lord spoke of the tables of stone:--
"Come up to Me into the mount, and be there: and I will give thee tables of stone, and
the law, and the commandment WHICH I HAVE WRITTEN, that thou mayest teach
them" (Exod. 24: 12). (The R.V. corrects the A.V. here, for the Lord spoke of the law,
not "a" law and the commandment, not "commandments").
If this passage stood alone it would be sufficient for all who bow before the authority
of the Scriptures. The verse distinctly affirms that, before Moses ascended into the
Mount, the Lord had already written the tables of stone. It is of course possible to
explain the passage as being merely a figure of speech, but the number of times the fact is
mentioned leaves no room for doubt. The subject is important enough to warrant a
careful tabulation of all the references, which will now be given.
Did God actually write the Law?
Let us read further evidence on this vital question:--
1.
Exod. 24: 12.--Already quoted above.
2.
Exod. 31: 18.--"And He gave unto Moses, when He had made an end of
communing with him upon mount Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone,
WRITTEN WITH THE FINGER OF GOD."
3.
Exod. 32: 15, 16.--"And 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 sides;