Exodus 32:25-35 Click here for Bible Verses
Hi GAMErs!
Today’s passage is Exodus 32:25-35. Let’s go!
Exodus 32:25 (NIV)
25 Moses saw that the people were running wild and that Aaron had let them get out of control and so become a laughingstock to their enemies.
On verse 25: The great news of the gospel is that although our sins separated us from God’s presence (see Exodus 32:33), although God could easily have edited us out of His book, instead in love God sent Jesus Christ to receive all the punishment for our sins. By dying on the cross, Jesus paid for all our sins (past, present and future) and restored us to God’s presence. That indeed is the best news ever. But remember this: when we sin, especially in public ways, we still affect two types of people.
First, when we sin in public, we become a stumbling block to other believers. Verse 25 says that because of Aaron and the Israelites’ sin, God’s people were “running wild” and “out of control” (v25). Whenever we sin in public ways, we confuse other Christians, discourage their faith, and tempt them to sin in the same ways. So let’s be careful. Like Paul said to Timothy, let’s “set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity” (1 Timothy 4:12).
Second, when we sin in public, we become a laughing stock to non-believers. Verse 25 also says that because of Aaron and the Israelites’ sin, they became “a laughing stock” to their enemies (v25). A reason non-Christians often cite for not believing in Jesus is “because I see so much hypocrisy among Christians”. To be fair, sometimes I need to remind my non-Christian friends that the common denominator among Christians is not perfect behaviour, but the need for a Saviour. Until the day we reach heaven, we will never follow Christ perfectly because we’re all works in progress. Even so, unchurched people expect Christians to live upright and moral lives. So when we sin in public ways, we give our non-Christian friends one more reason not to believe in Jesus. So let’s “[b]e careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God…” (1 Peter 2:12 (NLT))
Let’s not be a stumbling block to other Christians or a laughing stock to non-Christians because we sin. Instead of driving people away from Him, may our words and actions lead people to see their need for the Saviour as well.
Exodus 32:26-27 (NIV)
26 So he stood at the entrance to the camp and said, “Whoever is for the LORD, come to me.” And all the Levites rallied to him.
27 Then he said to them, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Each man strap a sword to his side. Go back and forth through the camp from one end to the other, each killing his brother and friend and neighbor.'”
On verses 26-27: You might ask, “How could Moses authorize the killing of His own people this way, even if they were worshiping an idol?” In Exodus 22:20, as part of His law, God warned the Israelites that, “Whoever sacrifices to any god other than the LORD must be destroyed.” Then in Exodus 24:7, Moses took the law and read it to the people, who responded, “We will do everything the LORD has said; we will obey.” Moses was holding the people accountable to God’s law and their own promise, effectively administering the law of God concerning those who had sacrificed to the golden calf.
It’s also a reminder for us that the wages of our sin – in other words, the consequence of us turning away from God and worshiping something else (usually ourselves) – is death, that is, eternal separation from God. As the LORD says in verse 33, “Whoever has sinned against me I will blot out of my book.”
Praise God that in the New Testament, when we had sinned against God, Jesus came and took on the death that we were supposed to die for our sins. Jesus was killed so that we could be spared.
Exodus 32:28 (NIV)
28 The Levites did as Moses commanded, and that day about three thousand of the people died.
On verse 28: As Pastor Jon Courson points out, Moses came down with the law and 3,000 people died. Later in Acts 2, the Holy Spirit would come down and 3,000 were saved. The letter of God’s law kills, but the Spirit of God gives life. (2 Corinthians 3:6).
Exodus 32:29 (NIV)
29 Then Moses said, “You have been set apart to the LORD today, for you were against your own sons and brothers, and he has blessed you this day.”
On verse 29: Moses commended and God blessed the Levites who decided to put following God’s commands above their own families. Centuries later, Jesus would say:
Matthew 10:37 (NIV)
37 “Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me;
and
Luke 14:26 (NIV)
26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters–yes, even his own life–he cannot be my disciple.
It’s not that we need to destroy our families in order to follow Jesus. Rather, God wants to make sure that in our hearts He retains the number one place and centre stage.
Exodus 32:30-32 (NIV)
30 The next day Moses said to the people, “You have committed a great sin. But now I will go up to the LORD; perhaps I can make atonement for your sin.”
31 So Moses went back to the LORD and said, “Oh, what a great sin these people have committed! They have made themselves gods of gold.
32 But now, please forgive their sin–but if not, then blot me out of the book you have written.”
On verses 30-32: Moses goes back up the mountain to the LORD to plead that He would forgive the sins of the Israelites. Moses even offers that his own name be blotted out instead of the Israelites. Paul would say something similar in Romans 9:3-4: “For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, those of my own race, the people of Israel.” Jesus would go one step further, actually dying on the cross to pay for our sins and telling the Father, “Forgive them for they do not know what they do.” (Luke 23:34). Who are the people that God uses the most? The ones who are unselfishly put themselves in danger if it means sparing or helping the lives of those he or she loves.
Exodus 32:33-35 (NIV)
33 The LORD replied to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against me I will blot out of my book.
34 Now go, lead the people to the place I spoke of, and my angel will go before you. However, when the time comes for me to punish, I will punish them for their sin.”
35 And the LORD struck the people with a plague because of what they did with the calf Aaron had made.
On verses 33-35: Responding to Moses’ plea, God forgives the people for their sin. However, the people are still struck with a plague. It’s a reminder that even though there is forgiveness from God, there are also natural consequences that will flow from our sin: broken relationships, bruised reputations, wasted resources, to name just a few. Though God is merciful and works in all things for our good, we are always better off following the LORD than sinning.
Father, thank You for showing me how wide-reaching the effects of sin can be. Thank You for sending Jesus Christ to pay for my sins. I realize today that given all the negative effects that sin brings, I’m always better off following You than living in sin. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!
