The Signs of the Times
May 13, 1880
The Idolatry of Israel
At the command of God, Moses again ascended the mountain, and took with him Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, with seventy of the most influential elders in Israel. These were placed where they might behold the majesty of the divine presence, while the people should worship at the foot of the mount. “And they saw the God of Israel; and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness. And upon the nobles of the children of Israel he laid not his hand; also, they saw God, and did eat and drink.” ST May 13, 1880, Art. A, par. 1
They did not behold the person of God, but only the inexpressible glory which surrounded him. Previous to this, had they looked upon such a scene, they could not have lived, for they were unprepared for it. But the exhibitions of God's power had filled them with fear, which wrought in them repentance for their past transgressions. They loved and reverenced God, and had been purifying themselves, and contemplating his glory, purity, and mercy, until they could approach nearer Him who had been the subject of all their meditations. God had enshrouded his glory with a thick cloud, so that the people could not behold it. The office of the elders whom Moses took with him, was to aid him in leading the host of Israel to the promised land. This work was of such magnitude that God condescended to put his spirit upon them. He honored them with a nearer view of the glory which surrounded him, that they might have a clear sense of his greatness and majesty and power, and thus be prepared with wisdom to act their part in the great work assigned them. ST May 13, 1880, Art. A, par. 2
Moses and “his minister Joshua” were next summoned to meet with God. The decalogue was to be delivered, inscribed on two tables of stone, and as the time of absence was to be a long one, the leader had appointed Aaron and Hur, assisted by the elders, to act in his stead, giving them the injunction, “Tarry ye here, until I come again unto you.” “And Moses went up into the mount, and a cloud covered the mount. And the glory of the Lord abode upon Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days; and the seventh day he called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud. And the sight of the glory of the Lord was like devouring fire on the top of the mount, in the eyes of the children of Israel. And Moses went into the midst of the cloud, and gat him up into the mount; and Moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights.” ST May 13, 1880, Art. A, par. 3
Even Moses could not go up at once into the mount; for he could not immediately approach so nigh unto God and endure the exhibitions of his glory. Six days was he preparing to meet with God. His common thoughts and feelings must be put away. During six days he was devoting his thoughts to God, and sanctifying himself by meditation and prayer, before he could be prepared to converse with his Maker. ST May 13, 1880, Art. A, par. 4
The Lord then gave Moses directions for the building of a sanctuary, in which the divine presence would be specially manifested; he also gave further instructions in regard to the Sabbath. Finally there was delivered to Moses, by the hand of Divine Majesty, the testimony, or ten commandments, engraven on two tables of stone. ST May 13, 1880, Art. A, par. 5
But while Moses was thus receiving instruction from God, the people were corrupting themselves at the foot of the mount. The mixed multitude that came from Egypt with the Israelites were the principal movers in this dreadful departure from God. They were called a mixed multitude, because the Hebrews had intermarried with the Egyptians. ST May 13, 1880, Art. A, par. 6
The people had seen Moses ascend the mount and enter the cloud, while the summit of the mountain was all in flames. They watched for his return; and as he did not come as soon as he expected, they became impatient, and persisted that he had been slain by the burning flame. ST May 13, 1880, Art. A, par. 7
A large company assembled around the tent of Aaron, and told him that Moses would never return—that the cloud which had hitherto led them now rested upon the mount, and would no longer direct their route through the wilderness. They desired something which they could look upon to resemble God. The gods of Egypt were in their minds, and Satan was improving this opportunity, in the absence of their appointed leader, to tempt them to imitate the Egyptians in their idolatry. They suggested that if Moses should never return to them, they could go back into Egypt, and find favor with the Egyptians, by bearing this image before them, acknowledging it as their god. ST May 13, 1880, Art. A, par. 8
Aaron remonstrated against their plans, until he thought they were determined to carry out their purpose, and he then ceased reasoning with them. So violent were their clamors that he feared for his own safety. And instead of standing up nobly for the honor of God, and trusting his life in the hands of Him who had wrought wonders for his people, Aaron lost his courage, his trust in the Lord, and cowardly yielded to the wishes of an impatient multitude; and this, too, in direct opposition to the recent commands of God. ST May 13, 1880, Art. A, par. 9
He told them to collect the golden earrings among the people, and bring the gold to him. He supposed this would deter them from their purpose. But not so; they willingly gave up their ornaments, and from these he made a calf in imitation of the gods of Egypt, and built an altar whereon to sacrifice to this idol. And he submitted to hear the people proclaim, “These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.” What an insult to Jehovah! Aaron himself “made proclamation and said, Tomorrow, is a feast to the Lord. And they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt-offerings, and brought peace-offerings; and the people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.” They had recently listened to the proclamation of the law of God from Sinai, amid the most sublime demonstrations of divine power; and now, when their faith was tested by the absence of Moses for a few weeks, they engaged in idolatry, which had been so recently specified and expressly forbidden by Jehovah. God's anger was kindled against them. ST May 13, 1880, Art. A, par. 10
Moses was warned to hasten back to the camp, for the people had turned again to the heathen worship. God said to him, “Let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them; and I will make of thee a great nation.” ST May 13, 1880, Art. A, par. 11
God saw that the children of Israel, especially the mixed multitude, were continually disposed to rebel, and by their works, provoke him to destroy them. He knew that they would murmur against their leader, when in difficulty, and grieve him by their continual rebellion. He therefore proposed to Moses to consume them, and make of him a great nation. Here the Lord proved his servant. ST May 13, 1880, Art. A, par. 12
He knew that it was a laborious and soul-trying work to lead that rebellious people through to the promised land. He would test the perseverance, faithfulness, and love of Moses, for such an erring and ungrateful people. But the man of God would not consent that Israel should be destroyed. He showed by his intercessions that he valued the prosperity of God's chosen people more highly than a great name, or to be called the father of a greater nation than was Israel. ST May 13, 1880, Art. A, par. 13
“And Moses besought the Lord his God, and said, Lord, why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people which thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt, with great power, and with a mighty hand? Wherefore should the Egyptians speak and say, For mischief did he bring them out, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth?” And he begged that the people for whom God had so signally manifested his power, might be spared. ST May 13, 1880, Art. A, par. 14
The thought that the heathen nations, and especially the Egyptians, would triumph over Israel, and reproach God, was overwhelming to Moses. He could not let Israel go, notwithstanding all their rebellion, and their repeated murmurings against himself. The news of their wonderful deliverance had been spread among all nations, and all people were anxiously watching to see what God would do for them. And Moses remembered well the words of the Egyptians, that he was leading them into the wilderness that they might perish, and he receive their possessions. And now if God should destroy his people, and exalt him to be a greater nation than Israel, would not the heathen triumph and claim that the God of the Hebrews was not able to lead them to the land he had promised them? As Moses interceded for Israel, his timidity was lost in his deep interest and love for that people for whom he had, in the hands of God, been the means of doing so much. He presented before God his promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He prayed with firm faith and determined purpose. The Lord listened to his pleadings, and regarded his unselfish prayer, and promised that he would spare Israel. ST May 13, 1880, Art. A, par. 15
Nobly did Moses stand the test, and show that his interest in Israel was not to obtain a great name, nor to exalt himself. The burden of God's people was upon him. God had proved him, and was pleased with his faithfulness, his simplicity of heart, and integrity before him, and he committed to him, as to a faithful shepherd, the great charge of leading his people through to the promised land. ST May 13, 1880, Art. A, par. 16