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zeal of Phinehas in some measure counterbalances the sin and fall of Aaron, for the Lord
says:--
"Behold, I give unto him My covenant of peace: And he shall have it, and his seed
after him for an everlasting priesthood; because he was zealous for his God, and made an
atonement for the children of Israel" (Numb. 25: 12, 13).
This passage illuminates the true meaning of atonement; it is no "covering up" of sin:
"Phinehas . . . . . hath turned My wrath away . . . . . and made an atonement for the
children of Israel." In this case the atonement did not save; in our case wrath is turned
away, but the atonement is made by death other than our own. In both cases plague
follows the idolatry and uncleanness, and with the solemn words of Rom. 1: 27 in mind,
some medical men believe this is to be the origin of one disease that is spreading among
mankind to-day. The sons of Levi had an awful consecration that day (Exod. 32: 29).
Moses had called: "Who is on the Lord's side? Let him come unto me", and there
followed the slaughter of the three thousand men by the sword of Levi.
Once more Moses is the intercessor, this time going so far as to say: "And if not, blot
me, I pray thee, out of the book which Thou hast written." But, just as he himself had
pleaded the grace of God to save Israel from being blotted out, so the Lord in His turn
rejects Moses' suggestion, saying: "Whosoever hath sinned against Me, him will I blot
out of My book." Whether Moses had the thought in mind that he could thereby make an
atonement, we do not know--he had said to the people: "Peradventure, I shall make an
atonement for your sin"--but the passage foreshadows the greater Mediator between God
and man, the man Christ Jesus, Who gave Himself a ransom for all.
Israel's sin, while it did not bring about their extinction, yet put them at a greater
distance from the Lord: "Therefore now go, lead the people unto the place of which I
have spoken unto thee: behold, My angel shall go before thee . . . . . I will send an angel
before thee . . . . . I will not go up in the midst of thee" (32: 34 - 33: 3). While
angelic leading may be blessed, it was by comparison a severe loss to Israel, for they had
forfeited the Lord's presence in their midst. We shall see more of this as we consider
chapter 33: The lessons are so many and so solemn that reiteration and application
seem out of place. Exod. 32: is a chapter to read before the Lord, praying that there
may be no present-day parallel with the position of Aaron and the people in our own
walk.
Let us not say that the Lord delayeth; let us watch and pray; let us worship God in
spirit, boasting in Christ Jesus, and having no confidence in the flesh.