The Review and Herald
March 14, 1899
A Lesson from Israel's Sin—No. 2
Let us follow the history of Israel further. Moses returned from the mount to find the children of Israel eating and drinking, and dancing and singing around the golden calf. “And he took the calf which they had made, and burnt it in the fire, and ground it to powder, and strewed it upon the water, and made the children of Israel drink of it.” This was their god. RH March 14, 1899, par. 1
Then Moses turned to Aaron and said, “What did this people unto thee, that thou hast brought so great a sin upon them?” The man who might have saved the Hebrews in the hour of their peril is calm. He does not show indignation because of the sins of the people; neither does he reproach himself, nor manifest remorse under the sense of his wrong; but he seeks to justify himself in a grievous sin. He makes the people accountable for his weakness in yielding to their request. RH March 14, 1899, par. 2
Aaron's course, in permitting such a condition of things, was displeasing to God. Notwithstanding the defiant attitude of the people, Aaron should have stood firm as a rock to duty. Had he stood with true moral courage, and in boldness rebuked the leaders in their shameful request, his timely words would have prevented that terrible apostasy. True, noble decision for the right in the hour of Israel's peril would have balanced their minds in the right direction. But his desire to be popular with the congregation, and his fear of incurring their displeasure, led Aaron to sacrifice the allegiance of the Hebrews in that decisive moment. RH March 14, 1899, par. 3
This instance should teach us that in every place the church needs faithful sentinels. God's servants are to be very careful lest they encourage anything savoring of idolatry; for the Lord will charge the sin upon them. The church claiming to believe the truth will have all kinds of temptations to enter into a course of action that will divorce the soul from God; and in all our churches, faithful men should be appointed, who will bear responsibilities nobly for God. Firm barriers should be erected to prevent disaffection and corruption from entering the church. RH March 14, 1899, par. 4
The apostle declares: “A bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not self-willed, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre; but a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate; holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers. For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision: whose mouths must be stopped.” RH March 14, 1899, par. 5
“Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on the Lord's side? let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him. And he said unto them, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Put every man his sword by his side, and go in and out from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbor. And the children of Levi did according to the word of Moses: and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men.” RH March 14, 1899, par. 6
Before this action was taken, opportunity was given for all who would to take sides against idolatry and for God. But when the people stood in sullen stubbornness, God saw that he must punish the transgressors, that there might not be rebellion in the camp of Israel. RH March 14, 1899, par. 7
In the prayer of Moses we may learn something of the burden brought upon him because of the weakness of Aaron in not standing firm for that which he knew to be right: “And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses said unto the people, Ye have sinned a great sin: and now I will go up unto the Lord; peradventure I shall make an atonement for your sins. And Moses returned unto the Lord, and said, O, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold. Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin—; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written. And the Lord said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book. Therefore now go, lead the people unto the place of which I have spoken unto thee: behold, mine Angel shall go before thee; nevertheless in the day when I visit I will visit their sin upon them.” RH March 14, 1899, par. 8
If the people so mercifully spared by God would repent with that repentance which needs not to be repented of; if they would serve God and honor his name, their sin on this occasion would no more be remembered against them. But if, when tempted, they pursued a similar course; if they showed no strength to resist temptation, but repeated their evil work; if they murmured and complained against Moses, these former sins would be placed to their account as unforgiven. RH March 14, 1899, par. 9
The Lord did not look favorably upon his people because of their sin. He said: “I will send an Angel before thee; ... unto a land flowing with milk and honey: for I will not go up in the midst of thee; for thou art a stiff-necked people: lest I consume thee in the way. And when the people heard these evil tidings, they mourned: and no man did put on him his ornaments. For the Lord had said unto Moses, Say unto the children of Israel, Ye are a stiffnecked people: I will come up into the midst of thee in a moment, and consume thee: therefore now put off thy ornaments from thee, that I may know what to do unto thee. And the children of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments by the mount Horeb. And Moses took the tabernacle, and pitched it without the camp, afar off from the camp, and called it the Tabernacle of the congregation. And it came to pass, that every one which sought the Lord went out unto the tabernacle of the congregation, which was without the camp.” RH March 14, 1899, par. 10
The apostle Paul plainly says that the experiences of the Israelites in their travels have been recorded for the benefit of those who live in this age of the world. He says: “With many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness. Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.” “Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples; and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.” RH March 14, 1899, par. 11
Our dangers are not less, but greater, than were those of the Hebrews. There will be temptations to jealousies and murmurings, and there will be outspoken rebellion, as are recorded of ancient Israel. The Hebrews were not willing to submit to the directions and restrictions of the Lord. They wanted to have their own way, to follow the leadings of their own minds, and to be controlled by their own judgment. But God would have his people disciplined, and brought into harmony of action, that they may be of the same mind and of the same judgment. RH March 14, 1899, par. 12
Peter exhorts his brethren: “Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.” The apostle Paul also exhorts his Philippian brethren to love and unity: “If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, fulfil ye my joy, that ye be like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vain-glory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.” Again he says, “Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honor preferring one another.” RH March 14, 1899, par. 13
God designs that his people shall be a unit,—that they shall be of the same mind and of the same judgment. The prayer of Christ for his disciples was that they might be one, as he is one with the Father. “Neither pray I for these alone,” he said, “but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; that they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one; even as we are one. I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.” RH March 14, 1899, par. 14