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The Youth’s Instructor

390/477

November 21, 1901

Apostasy

EGW

“And Moses came and told the people all the words of the Lord, and all the judgments: and all the people answered with one voice, and said, All the words which the Lord hath said will we do.... And he took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people: and they said, All that the Lord hath said will we do, and be obedient.” YI November 21, 1901, par. 1

Thus did the children of Israel pledge themselves to obey the law which, amid awful manifestations of power, God had just spoken from Sinai. YI November 21, 1901, par. 2

When the law was proclaimed, Satan said: “Here is work for us. At the foot of Sinai, in the very presence of God, let us lead the people to break the law.” God called Moses into the mount, and during his absence Satan worked among the people. He told them that Moses would not return, and suggested that they make a golden calf to worship. YI November 21, 1901, par. 3

The enemy obtained all that he wished. The people had entered into covenant relation with God. He had espoused them to himself, promising to make them a kingdom of priests if they would obey him. And they had promised to be obedient. But as soon as Moses left them, they treacherously revolted from their Leader. They changed the glory of God into the similitude of an ox. What a terrible sin! The heathen nations could boast of being true to their false gods; but Israel turned from the One who had done such marvelous things in their behalf, to a golden calf. “Up, make us gods, which shall go before us,” they said to Aaron; “for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.” YI November 21, 1901, par. 4

Aaron saw the fierce determination of the ringleaders, and instead of firmly suppressing the discontent, he weakly yielded. Had he stood firm to principle, God would have vindicated his cause. But his wavering made the instigators of evil yet more persistent. Aaron's history will ever be tarnished by his failure to stand bravely against wrong. By yielding, he sanctioned a great sin, made tenfold greater because the people were in the immediate presence of God and the holy angels. YI November 21, 1901, par. 5

“And all the people brake off their golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them unto Aaron. And he received them at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.” YI November 21, 1901, par. 6

God saw what was going on in the camp. He saw that the people, even while the divine glory still rested upon Sinai, had yielded to the temptations of Satan, and were plotting against the rule which they had promised to obey. He suffered the treason to rise to its height, that he might teach the evil of apostasy. Then he said to Moses, “Go, get thee down; for thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves: they have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshiped it, and have sacrificed thereunto.... I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiff-necked people: now therefore 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.” YI November 21, 1901, par. 7

Many men would have said: “It is the purpose of God. If he wishes to destroy Israel, I can not help it. They will be destroyed.” Not so Moses. He loved his people better than himself, and in the very words, “Let me alone,” he saw encouragement to hope that if God were earnestly importuned, he would spare the people. He resolved to intercede for them, and he chose the strongest argument he could find. He reminded the Lord of the wonderful work he had done in behalf of Israel. He entreated him not to forget how he had brought them forth out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand. “Lord, what will the Egyptians say,” he asked, “if you cut off those for whom you have done so much?” YI November 21, 1901, par. 8

All the nations of the earth had heard how mightily God had worked in delivering his chosen people from Egyptian bondage,—how, because of Pharaoh's resistance, his land had been desolated, and all the firstborn of the Egyptians had been slain. They had heard how the host of Pharaoh, pursuing the Israelites, had been drowned in the Red Sea, and a terrible fear had fallen upon them. They wondered what the God of Israel would do next in defense of his people. And now, if Israel should be blotted out, their enemies would triumph, and the name of God would be dishonored. The heathen would say, Instead of the Israelites being delivered so that they could worship their God, they were taken into the wilderness to be destroyed. YI November 21, 1901, par. 9

“Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants,” Moses said, “to whom thou swarest by thine own self, and saidst unto them, I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have spoken of will I give unto your seed, and they shall inherit it forever. YI November 21, 1901, par. 10

“And the Lord repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people.” Nevertheless, sin must be punished. The people had broken the law, and it was time for God to work. He must show that he is the supreme Ruler, and that his commands must be obeyed. YI November 21, 1901, par. 11

Going down to the camp, Moses stood in the gate, and said, “Who is on the Lord's side? let him come unto me.” Opportunity was given for all to take their stand against idolatry. Those who remained obstinate and defiant must bear the penalty of sin. To those who had taken their position on the Lord's side Moses said: “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.” YI November 21, 1901, par. 12

Thus God showed the fearful result of bold, defiant sin. He commanded that the leaders of the treason should be slain. Thus he bore a public testimony against sin, so that in the future, when God's people condemned idolatry, and their enemies threw at them the taunt that they had themselves deserted God for a calf, they could answer, “It is true; but judgment fell upon the transgressors. God's government is unsullied; for swift punishment overtook those who rebelled against him.” YI November 21, 1901, par. 13

Mrs. E. G. White