Maybe you are wondering why Moses made such an offer to God. Bridgeway
Bible Commentary provided Moses’ commitment to Israel: “In a display of
genuine love for the unbelieving people, Moses offered to die on their behalf
and so be punished for them.”[1]
What occurred that God became incensed with anger against Israel?
Moses took longer than expected to receive God’s Tablet of Stones at Mount
Moriah. Here’s what happened:
“When the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the
mountain, the people gathered themselves together to Aaron and said to him,
“Up, make us gods who shall go before us. As for this Moses, the man who
brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him”
(32:1).
While in the mountain, God told Moses what the people did in his
absence:
“And the LORD said to Moses, “Go down, for your people, whom you
brought up out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves. 8They have
turned aside quickly out of the way that I commanded them. They have made for
themselves a golden calf and have worshiped it and sacrificed to it and said,
‘These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!’”
9And the LORD said to Moses, “I have seen this people, and behold, it is a
stiff-necked people. 10Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may burn hot
against them and I may consume them, in order that I may make a great nation of
you” (32: 7-10).
After hearing what God wanted to do, Moses interceded on behalf of
Israel and offered his life instead. However, God said no to his offer. Bridgeway
Bible Commentary shared, “But God would not accept the death of one person
for another, for all were sinners, though the extent of their sin varied. God
would hold each person responsible for his or her actions. He would show mercy
on the unfaithful nation, but he would punish individuals who rebelled against
him.”[2]
Although God acknowledged the intercession of Moses for his people
as a righteous act, unfortunately, his life is not considered a sufficient
payment for the sins of Israel. Moreover, God reserved the right as far as His
justice is concerned based on His prerogative. Simply stated, “33. . .the
LORD said to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against me, I will blot out of my book. 35 Then the LORD sent a plague on the people because they made the calf, the
one that Aaron made.” (32:33, 35).
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God didn’t accept Moses’ life because of God’s requirement of an
unblemished life. Moses, even as God’s chosen individual, overstated his
status.
God, in this
episode, provided the qualification of anyone doing so. God’s plan and purpose
became
evident. Thus, Jesus’s sacrifice paid for the penalty of sin, i.e.,
death on the cross became the only sufficient payment required by God. John the
Baptist, in seeing Jesus declared: “The next day he saw Jesus coming toward
him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”
(John 1:29 ESV).
What Jesus did become
the only acceptable payment for the sins of humanity: “Yet it was the will
of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an
offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the
will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand (Isaiah
53:10 ESV).
When God sent
Jesus, He fulfilled what anyone, including Moses, cannot do, i.e., redemption
from God’s wrath against sin. Most importantly, without Jesus and His sacrifice
for us at the Cross of Calvary, we remain in our sin and cannot expect
forgiveness from God.
In addition, the
author of Hebrews has made it abundantly clear that Jesus fulfilled in His
death what the Old Testament sacrificial system could only point to. In Hebrews
10:1-4 (ESV), it stated:
“For since
the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of
these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually
offered every year, make perfect those who draw near. 2Otherwise, would they
not have ceased to be offered, since the worshipers, having once been cleansed,
would no longer have any consciousness of sins? 3But in these sacrifices there
is a reminder of sins every year. 4For it is impossible for the blood of bulls
and goats to take away sins.”
There’s no doubt
that Jesus embodied the fulfillment of God’s requirement. Between Moses and
Jesus, there’s no comparison as to who fulfilled the redemption requirements
against God’s wrath. Knowing this, why wouldn’t anyone put their trust in
Jesus?
Let’s talk again!
[1] https://www.studylight.org/commentary/exodus/32-32.html#:~:text=In%20a%20display,him%20(30%2D35).
[2] https://www.studylight.org/commentary/exodus/32-32.html#:~:text=In%20a%20display,him%20(30%2D35).
[3] https://www.studylight.org/commentary/exodus/32-32.html#:~:text=He%20chose%20not%20to%20take%20Moses%E2%80%99%20life%20as%20a%20substitute%20for%20the%20guilty%20in%20Israel%20since%20this%20would%20not%20have%20been%20just.%20Moses%20being%20a%20sinner%20himself%20could%20not%20have%20served%20as%20a%20final%20acceptable%20substitute%20for%20other%20sinners%20in%20any%20case.
