Moses has been up on the mountain for nearly forty days and the people wonder if they'll ever see him again. In fact they begin to doubt all that has gone before and so they go to Aaron as the second in command and demand, "Make us a god" (see v.1 and note). They want something visible to worship, they want a visible focus for their worship and, perhaps, something that isn't too awesome. Aaron's courage at this point fails him and perhaps he thinks, "Well it won't do any harm to represent the LORD" so he gets them to collect gold and make a calf or young bull and then he declares, "This is your God" (see v.4 and note). To make it more respectable and perhaps get them to come nearer to the revelation they have received, he suggests they sacrifice and have a celebration the next day. Sacrifice will satisfy their spiritual need and celebration their carnal need.

We have here, a graphic picture of what so many have done down through the ages, made their own religion instead of responding to the revelation of the Almighty I AM. The need for a visible expression of religion, token religious ritual with carnal pleasure so often create a man-made religion that is far from the response to revelation that is real Christianity.

D. Application?

How often do we rely upon "visible religion" (buildings, special clothes etc.) to bolster up our weak faith?

Chapter: Exodus 32

Passage: Exodus 32:7-14

A. Find Out:

1. What did the Lord say the people had become? v.7

2. What had they done? v.8a

3. How did He further describe them? v.9

4. What 2 things did He say He would do? v.10

5. What arguments did Moses use against this? v.11-13

6. With what result? v.14

B. Think :

1. How would you summarise the Lord's assessment of the people?

2. What temptation was there for Moses?

3. How would you summarise his appeal to the Lord?

C. Comment :

The Lord says the people are corrupt, wayward, idol worshippers and stiff necked. They are all of these things, but they are also the people He chose and He knew what they would be like! Never the less they DO deserve punishment so the Lord declares His judgement. He also says He will take Moses and make him into the chosen nation. What a temptation for Moses, to be rid of the grumbling Israelites AND to be the centre of God's blessing, but that would not be fulfilling what God had promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Moses the man of God catches God's heart! Destroying the people is what they deserve but NOT what God wants to do. It is almost as if Moses has been given a test by God and he passes!

So Moses presents the truth to the Lord (which the Lord knows!): why go to the trouble of the exodus, why let the Egyptians deride God's name, why go back on your word to Abraham??? Suddenly it's as if Moses gets insight into why God CAN'T do this, He is stuck with this people! So the Lord "relents", but this conversation has been more for Moses' benefit than the Lord's! Yes Moses has come to realise some wonderful things about the grace of God in all this.

D. Application?

Would we pass such a test? Would we understand the Lord's heart? Would we refuse the possibility of OUR being blessed at the expense of others?

Chapter: Exodus 32

Passage: Exodus 32:15-24

A. Find Out:

1. What did Moses have with him? v.15

2. Who did he have with him? v.17

3. What did he think he heard? v.17

4. What did Moses first do when he saw the calf? v.19

5. What did he then proceed to do? v.20

6. What was Aaron's explanation for the calf? v.24

B. Think :

1. Why were the tablets of stone special?

2. Why do you think Moses smashed them?

3. What sort of leader does Aaron show himself to be?

C. Comment :

First let's note a couple of things about Moses time on the mountain. The Lord wanted Moses to remember exactly what he had said so He, the Lord, wrote it down. Next we observe that Moses had not been alone up on the mountain. Joshua had been with him. The Lord had said priests could be with him and Joshua might have been taken along as Moses assistant.

Second, let's see what happens when Moses returns from the mountain. He should know what to expect for the Lord told him. So noisy is the revelry that Joshua thinks it's a battle when he first hears it. However when Moses first actually sees the calf he cannot contain himself. This man who is described in the Bible as the meekest man in all the earth, burns with holy righteous anger at the shear unadulterated folly of the people. In his anger he smashes the tablets of stone to pieces. Whatever is the point of the Lord instructing this people when they have become so quickly a bunch of idolatrous pagans! He deals with the calf promptly and in such a way that will revolt the Israelites.

Thirdly, let's consider Aaron's position briefly. His feeble excuse reveals that he is NO leader, just a follower of public opinion. Not only that he was unable to say "I was wrong!" as he pathetically tried to justify what happened by half truths.

D. Application?

1. Righteous anger means we have to be righteous!

2. Do we make excuses for our failures, or own up?

Chapter: Exodus 32

Passage: Exodus 32:25-35

A. Find Out:

1. What was the state of the people? v.25

2. Who responded to Moses? v.26

3. How many did they kill? v.27,28

4. What happened to the Levites that day? v.29

5. What did Moses ask of the Lord? v.32

6. What did the Lord do? v.35

B. Think :

1. What does this passage teach us about the Levites?

2. What does it teach us about the Lord?

3. What does it teach us about Moses?

C. Comment :

There are probably none of us who, reading this passage today, do not find it horrific, but that is probably because we have such a low view of the holiness of God. Moses had stood in the camp entrance and called for all who were for God to come to him. Everyone COULD have come, but only the Levites did come. The judgement they brought, we should note, was a) only on a very small proportion of the people, which may mean that only 3000 had been at this orgy before the calf, and b) although no criteria for killing was given, there must have been clear reasons why they picked out only 3000 people i.e. it must have been those obviously involved in the revelry and who probably were unrepentant. Because of their loyalty to the Lord, the Levites are now special and they will soon become the priesthood.

In this passage we also see Moses' willingness to lay down his life for the people as he comes before the Lord and intercedes for the them. The Lord indicates that He will not destroy ALL the people, but He will destroy those who sinned against Him. This He does by plague, presumably taking those who had been involved in the calf worship but missed by the Levites. Interestingly Aaron is not taken!

D. Application?

1. God IS holy. He COULD destroy EVERY SINGLE PERSON who sins,

but instead He provides a way out for all who will receive it.

2. Jesus' blood was shed for..... me!

Chapter: Exodus 33

Passage: Exodus 33:1-6

A. Find Out:

1. Where were they to go? v.1

2. Who would go before them? v.2a

3. How many groups would have to be pushed out? v.2

4. How was the land described? v.3a

5. Why was the Lord not going with them? v.3b

6. How did the people feel about this? v.4

B. Think :

1. How is the promised land identified and described? i.e. what sort of land

is it?

2. Whose responsibility does it appear to be to clear the land?

3. What do the Lord's comments tell us about Him and about the people of

Israel ?

C. Comment :

It's time to move out from Sinai and go on. Now we learn several important things. First, about the LAND. It's the land where Abraham, Isaac and Jacob lived and that God had promised the nation would live in. It was a bountiful land, but it was also inhabited by at least six pagan groups who would need to be driven out. However the responsibility for removing them is put on the Lord's angel.

Second, about the LORD. With His understanding He knows what the people are like and he knows they have a tendency to be proud and rigid in their thinking. He knows they will not be good at submitting to His leading and His care, and as a result they might sin and come under His judgement.

Third, about the PEOPLE. Despite what has just recently happened with some of them turning to idol worship and being destroyed for it, the rest seem grieved that the Lord will not be coming with them. There appears some hope for them after all - but time will tell!

D. Application?

1. God is a Provider, but His provision has to be claimed and taken from

the enemy.

2. If it wasn't for Jesus, most of us would be living under the fear of

constant judgement.

Chapter: Exodus 33

Passage: Exodus 33:7-11

A. Find Out:

1. Where was the tent pitched? v.7a

2. Who would go to it? v.7b

3. What did the people do when Moses went to it? v.8

4. What happened while the Lord spoke to Moses? v.9

5. What did the people do at this? v.10

6. How did the Lord speak to Moses? v.11a

7. Who remained with the tent? v.11b

B. Think :

1. Why was the tent apparently there?

2. What did its position indicate?

3. What does this show about Moses' relationship with the Lord?

C. Comment :

While they were still at Sinai, Moses had this tent which he erected outside the camp as a meeting place with the Lord. This provided a focus point for the people to seek the Lord. The position of the tent indicated the distantness or holiness of God, a need to leave the camp and leave the people to go to God. If you sought the Lord others would see it. Moses was clearly the most common user of the tent and when he went there a pillar of cloud, signifying God's presence would settle there. As the people saw this and acknowledged the relationship that Moses had with the Lord, they each worshipped the Lord from their own tent.

Moses had a unique relationship with the Lord where the Lord spoke "face to face" with Moses i.e. very openly and very directly, not using an intermediary. Within the nation there is another very special person as well, a young man by the name of Joshua who had been on the mountain with Moses (see Exodus 32:17) and is now continually at the Tent. This young man is destined to lead Israel into the Land but for now he is serving his apprenticeship with Moses.

D. Application?

1. Jesus was crucified outside the city and we have to live outside

the city called the "world".

2. Are we clearly seen as worshippers of the One True God?

Chapter: Exodus 33

Passage: Exodus 33:12-23

A. Find Out:

1. What was Moses' first request? v.13a

2. Why did he want that? v.13b

3. What was his second request? v.15

4. Why was he asking that? v.16

5. What was his third request? v.18

6. What did the Lord say He would show him? v.23

B. Think :

1. How does Moses show that his desire is to please the Lord?

2. How does he show he is concerned that the Lord's name is honoured?

3. How are Moses' requests seen as a progression?

C. Comment :

Presumably at the meeting at the tent, Moses raises again the question of their future. The Lord had previously said He wouldn't go with them (v.3). It is with this in mind that Moses speaks.

He first asks to be taught the WAYS of God so that he will be doing the things that please God, the way he leads the people. We can know descriptions of the Lord but if we know His WAYS it means we learn something of His heart, the ways He works, the principles and methods He uses. His ways are thus very important; they are an indication of more deeply knowing Him.

His reply indicates that although He will not be in their midst, something of His presence will be with them to encourage them. How this can be is not made clear. Moses takes courage at this and really asks, "Please make sure you do go with us" as his second request.

When he receives an encouraging reply from the Lord, he asks the ultimate - may I see your glorious being? The Lord indicates that this is only partly possible, perhaps because Moses couldn't cope with the awful purity of God's face, or perhaps because Moses might fall prey to pride if he did see the Lord. The reason for the Lord's refusal is not made clear but it must come from His concern for Moses.

D. Application?

1. Moses wasn't afraid to ask things of God.

2. Relationship means communication.

Chapter: Exodus 34

Passage: Exodus 34:1-7

A. Find Out:

1. What was Moses to do? v.1a

2. What would the Lord do? v.1b

3. Where was Moses to go? v.2

4. How did the Lord identify Himself? v.5

5. List the ways the Lord described Himself. v.6,7a

6. What does He do nevertheless? v.7b

B. Think :

1. How was Moses to go about getting the Ten Commandments a second

time?

2. Why do you think he couldn't write them out himself?

3. How do the characteristics of the Lord in v.6,7a square with what He

says He does in v.7b?

C. Comment :

This passage is all about God's grace. Moses has destroyed the first two tablets of stone in his anger over the golden calf. The tablets had on them the Ten Commandments (see Deuteronomy 5:22 ). Our reaction to Moses destroying the tablets might have been, "Well, tough! You'll just have to do without them!" but the Lord knows they will need them as a constant reminder of His basic requirements for them. Not only that He will write them Himself, perhaps because Moses might have made a mistake. The Lord goes to some trouble, therefore, to ensure that Israel had these basic laws for the future.

Then the Lord reveals something of Himself, the LORD, the I AM who had revealed Himself at the burning bush at this same place (see Exodus 3:1). He also reveals Himself as the compassionate forgiving God, FOR THOSE WHO REPENT AND TURN BACK TO HIM. For the ungodly who are hard of heart, He punishes and allows the punishment to even go through the family to the fourth generation, no doubt in the hope that they will turn to Him in their distress.

D. Application?

1. God's grace allows us second chances.

2. God longs to forgive those who will turn to Him, and so brings pressure

to turn people to Him!

Chapter: Exodus 34

Passage: Exodus 34:8-17

A. Find Out:

1. What did the Lord say He was making? v.10a

2. What did He say He would do? v.10b,11

3. What were they not to do? v.12a,15a

4. Why? v.12b,15b

5. What were they to do? v.13

6. What else were they not to do? v.14,17

B. Think :

1. What sort of people were they going to encounter in the Land?

2. What would be the danger to themselves?

3. How were they to counter that danger?

C. Comment :

On the mountain, in discussion with the Lord, Moses again requests that the Lord goes with them to take the Promised Land. In reply the Lord simply says he will make a covenant (agreement) with Israel . If they will obey Him, He will go ahead and do wonderful things in the way He drives out all the inhabitants of the land. He may not be in their midst but He will certainly be there working on their behalf in the land. Speaking about the people of Canaan , the Lord warns Moses twice not to enter into any treaty with the inhabitants. That will be the main temptation they will face in the land, to take over the land peacefully and allow the inhabitants to remain by treaty.

If Israel do that, the Lord knows that will surely be their downfall, for the people in the land worship idols and if Israel becomes friendly with them and start intermarrying with them, they will soon become idol worshippers as well. This is exactly what happened eventually to Solomon (see 1 Kings 11:1-4) The Lord declares He is a jealous God but there is nothing to worry about in that. Jealousy is a righteous characteristic when there is a committed relationship, such as marriage, and someone threatens that relationship. Jealousy in this context is a protective and right thing.

D. Application?

1. Temptations come through friendship with the enemy.

2. God's jealousy for us is highly protective.

Chapter: Exodus 34

Passage: Exodus 34:29-35

A. Find Out:

1. What was different about Moses? v.29

2. What was the people's response? v.30

3. What did Moses do? v.31,32

4. How did he ease their fear? v.33

5. When would he remove it? v.34

6. What happened when he continued to meet with the Lord? v.35

B. Think :

1. Why do you think this phenomena should have occurred?

2. Why do you think the people reacted as they did?

3. What does it say about the Lord?

C. Comment :

As we come to the end of these current studies on Moses, we leave him with the glory of God shining in his face. Having been in the Lord's presence for forty days, when he rejoins the people, something of the glory of God is still reflected in his face. So unearthly was it that the people were afraid to come near him. All Moses could do was cover it up so it wasn't so obvious. What is interesting is that thereafter, whenever Moses met with the Lord, presumably in the tent, this same glow appeared and remained as an ongoing evidence of him having been with the Lord. Obviously the glow faded after some time. When we have spent any length of time in the Lord's presence it shows, AND others can see it!

In 2 Corinthians 3:7-18 it speaks of this fading glory but says that because WE have the Spirit of God in us today, we also reflect the Lord's glory and are being changed into His glorious likeness (v.18) What an example and a challenge Moses is to us, a man who spent time with the Lord and showed the evidence of it.

D. Application?

1. Do we take time to be with the Lord? Is it a quick word each day or a

conscious pausing to come before Him and know Him?

2. Does our private relationship with the Lord show in the rest of our lives?

RECAP - "Failurte at Sinai" - Exodus Chapter 32-34

SUMMARY :

In these 10 studies we have seen:

- Moses coming down the mountain after 40 days

- Aaron giving way to the people & making the calf

- Moses interceding for the people

- 3000 dying in the judgement

- God sharing with Moses, & Moses at the Tent of Meeting

- Moses petitioning the Lord

- to learn His ways & for the Lord to go with them

- to see the Lord's glory

- The Lord

- instructing about new tablets

- warning about the people of the land

- Moses' face shining with God's glory

COMMENT :

First of all failure (idolatry) and then judgement, but in the midst of it the heart of God expressed through Moses that wants the people to survive. Never the less judgement does come and men die.

Second comes intimacy with the Lord in the conversations of Moses with the Lord. It's easy to miss the wonder of this, God sharing face to face with Moses. What an experience for Moses!

LESSONS :

1. There is a danger of idolatry in the desire for "visible religion"

2. The Lord wants us to sense His heart

3. Righteousness means we face our faults

4. God is holy...... and merciful

5. God's provision for us often has to be taken back from the enemy

6. God looks for worshippers "outside" the world

7. Relationship with God means communication

8. God's grace means second chances

9. Temptations come in friendship with the enemy

10. Real relationship with the Lord shows

PRAY :

Take two of the above lessons and share your response to them with the Lord.

SUMMARY

In this set of studies we have seen:

1. The Escape from Pharaoh where

- God led them to the Red Sea and through it

- Pharaoh pursed them and died

2. The March through the wilderness

- where they run out of clean water

- where they run out of food

- where they run out of any water

- and grumble against God

- but God provides for them in every case

- where they defeat the Amalakites

- where Jethro comes & counsels Moses

3. Their Arrival at Sinai

- where they prepare to meet the Lord

- where the Lord appears in a storm

- where the Lord gives the Ten Commandments

4. Their Failure at Sinai

- when they give up waiting for Moses

- when they make a golden calf & worship it

- when Moses smashes the Tablets of stone

- when the Levites destroy 3000 in judgement

5. Moses Communion with the Lord

- where the Lord

- promises to clear the land for them

- says he won't be in their midst

- where Moses

- meets God at the Tent of Meeting

- asks to be taught God's ways

- petitions the Lord to come with them

- where the Lord

- instructs about new tablets of stone

- reveals more about Himself

- warns against friendship with the Canaanites

- where Moses

- shines with the glory of God

CONCLUSION

1. The Greatness and Holiness of the Lord

First we have seen the POWER and WISDOM of the Lord as He delivers Israel out of Egypt and deals with Pharaoh and his army.

Second we have seen the GRACE and MERCY of the Lord as He graciously provided for His grumbling people as they travelled through the wilderness.

Third we have seen His HOLINESS at Sinai as He reveals something of Himself on the mountain in such a way that the people are left in awe.

Fourth we have seen His JUDGEMENT as he deals with those who turned to idolatry.

Fifth we have seen His GRACE and MERCY again as He shares with Moses.

2. The Sin and Foolishness of the People

First we have seen the UNGRATEFULNESS of the people as soon as they appeared to be in difficult circumstances.

Second we saw their UNBELIEF as they failed to turn to God for help in those circumstances.

Third we saw their UNGODLINESS and UNRIGHTEOUSNESS as some of them quickly turned to idol worship when their God and their leader did not appear.

3. The Faithfulness of the Man of God

First we have seen Moses LEADING them out of Egypt , through the Red Sea , through the wilderness, against Amalek and to Sinai, without flagging and despite all their grumblings.

Second we have seen him SEEKING God on the mountain for forty days.

Third we have seen him INTERCEDING for the people before God and refusing personal honour. What an example!

4. Conclusions

As we gaze back over this episode of Israel 's history may we see again the Holy God with whom we have to deal who is full of love and grace, and who willingly shares with those who will seek Him.

There is also the clear lesson that is repeated elsewhere in Scripture, that those with little understanding are held little accountable. In the wilderness here, God did not judge them for they had little understanding. After Sinai, after revelation, that changed. We can see how that worked out as we follow Israel on from Sinai in a later Series.