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#73.
The mediation of Moses (Exod. 32: - 33: 3).
pp. 113 - 117
In connection with the worship of the golden calf, there are some solemn features that
could not be dealt with in the previous article. The language used by the Lord concerning
Israel indicates a change in their relationship: "Go, get thee down, for thy people, which
thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves" (Exod. 32: 7).
The Lord does not speak of "My" people, but "thy" people. He does not say that He,
the Lord, brought Israel from Egypt, but speaks of Moses as their leader. Israel had, for
the time, fallen out of covenant with God and had become lo ammi, "not My people".
There is much the same intention in these words as in those of the Lord Jesus concerning
Jerusalem: "Your house is left unto you desolate."
Israel had corrupted themselves. The word used here occurs also in Hosea 13: 9
where we read: "O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself." We first meet the word in
Gen. 6:--an ominous context: "The earth also was corrupt before God . . . . . And God
looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted his way
upon the earth" (Gen. 6: 11, 12). We have some small conception of the depth of
corruption that filled the earth at the time of the flood--the same word is used of Israel in
Exod. 32: It is also rendered "destroy" in Genesis: "I will destroy them with the
earth"; "I will destroy all flesh" (Gen. 6: 13-17).
The relation between "corruption", destruction", "idolatry" and the "covenant" is
seen in Deut. 4::--
"Lest ye corrupt yourselves, and make you a graven image, the similitude of any
figure, the likeness of male or female."
"Take heed unto yourselves, lest ye forget the covenant of the Lord your God, which
He made with you, and make you a graven image or likeness of any thing, which the
Lord Thy God hath forbidden thee . . . . . and shall corrupt yourselves, and make a graven
image . . . . . if thou shalt seek Him . . . . . He will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee,
nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which He sware unto them" (Deut. 4: 16, 23, 25,
29, 31).
Here we have the same word, shachath, translated both "corrupt" and "destroy". We
expect our readers to prove all statements made in these pages, and therefore anticipate
the findings of some who may consult The Companion Bible on verse 31. The word
there is marked with the reference figure to verse 26, as though shamad is used in
verse 31. This is not correct, however, and users of the C.B. would be well advised to
cross out the reference to 26 in verse 31. [This comment is in the cause of truth, and
entirely after the heart of the editor of the C.B.; it is made by a sincere admirer of this
valuable work. We say this lest any should think that we have anything but admiration
for the witness of the late Dr. Bullinger].
As we read Deut. 4:, we sees how Israel's corruption of true worship reverted in its
corrupting and destroying effect upon themselves. The inspiration that governs all