Mime-Version: 1.0 Date: Tue, 5 Mar 1996 10:00:49 +-100 Reply-To: Christian explanation of the Scriptures to Israel Sender: Christian explanation of the Scriptures to Israel From: Teus Benschop Subject: ChrExp, The Scriptures opened, 73 To: Multiple recipients of list CHR-EXP Contents ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Exodus 32 - The golden calf 2. 1 Peter 3:1-6 - Advice for women 1. Exodus 32 - The golden calf ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Weekly reading: Exodus 30:11 - 34:35 Exodus 32. 1 And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of They saw that Moses delayed to the mount, the people gathered come back, and therefore they themselves together unto Aaron, wished to have gods going before and said unto him, Up, make us them. Didn't they know then, that gods, which shall go before us; not Moses was their leader, but for as for this Moses, the man God Himself, the LORD? Were they that brought us up out of the so blinded that they looked upon land of Egypt, we wot not what is Moses as if he were their leader? become of him. And because Moses delayed, they wished to have other gods going before them. We see that they looked upon a man, and not upon God. They trusted Moses, but could not lift up their eyes to the God of heaven and earth. 2 And Aaron said unto them, Break off the golden earrings, which How is it possible that Aaron are in the ears of your wives, of yields to the people's idolatrous your sons, and of your daughters, wish! But it might be that Aaron and bring them unto me. meant that they rather kept their proud finery then that they broke it off to make a calf of it. So he dared not resist the people openly, and therefore tried it with some policy. Let's learn from this, that policy has no place in the service of God, because then the end will be idolatrous. 3 And all the people brake off the golden earrings which were in Aaron was mistaken. They chose their ears, and brought them unto rather to have the calf then to Aaron. be adorned. 4 And he received them at their hand, and fashioned it with a Aaron made a molten calf from graving tool, after he had made their golden earrings. In Egypt, it a molten calf: and they said, the idol Apis was worshipped in These be thy gods, O Israel, the form of a calf. So, the which brought thee up out of the Israelites seem to have aped land of Egypt. this. After this was done, Aaron said that the calf was Israel's god. He changes the spiritual God, dwelling in heaven, Creator of both heaven and earth, and of the whole universe, with a calf of gold. Aaron, you introduce idolatry! You are the first! Are you a priest of the living God, or are you a servant of the adversary? How dare you lead the people astray! 5 And when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it; and Aaron "Tomorrow is a feast to the made proclamation, and said, To LORD", says Aaron. He tries to morrow is a feast to the LORD. mix the worship of the calf with the spiritual worship of the Lord. 6 And they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt They offered offerings, and then, offerings, and brought peace after the Egyptian custom, they offerings; and the people sat ate and drunk, and rose up to down to eat and to drink, and play. Does then God's worship rose up to play. consist in playing? How misled were they! 7 And the LORD said unto Moses, This is the real truth! Any self- Go, get thee down; for thy made worship is condemned here: people, which thou broughtest out "they have corrupted themselves". of the land of Egypt, have Aaron meant to serve both God and corrupted themselves: the people, but he has corrupted both himself and the people. Note also that Israel is no longer called "God's people", but Moses' people. God does not say "My people", but "thy people". God hereby rejects Israel as His people. "They are no longer Mine", He says, "because they have made other gods". 8 They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded In the law, given at Sinai, God them: they have made them a clearly had said that they should molten calf, and have worshipped make no graven image. And no it, and have sacrificed sooner they have heard the law, thereunto, and said, These be thy they make that same forbidden gods, O Israel, which have image. Have they been deaf then? brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. 9 And the LORD said unto Moses, I have seen this people, and, As the LORD always speaks truth, behold, it is a stiffnecked so also here: Israel is "a people: stiffnecked people". They refuse to observe the law. 10 Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against The LORD is preparing Himself to them, and that I may consume consume Israel. He says, "let Me them: and I will make of thee a alone", that I may consume them. great nation. So, as long as Moses is still with God, He will restrain Himself, but as soon as Moses will have gone away, God will consume Israel. 11 And Moses besought the LORD his God, and said, LORD, why doth Moses is the defender for the thy wrath wax hot against thy people. He prays for their well- people, which thou hast brought being, that they may be spared, forth out of the land of Egypt and not be consumed. His first with great power, and with a argument is, that Israel is God's mighty hand? people, and that He has brought them of Egypt, with might and power. 12 Wherefore should the Egyptians speak, and say, For mischief did The second argument of Moses is, he bring them out, to slay them that God's Name will be in the mountains, and to consume dishonoured among the Egyptians. them from the face of the earth? When God should consume Israel, Turn from thy fierce wrath, and then the Egyptians will think repent of this evil against thy that God was unable to bring them people. in Canaan, and therefore killed them. 13 Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants, to whom The third argument of Moses is thou swarest by thine own self, the oath of God to Abraham, Isaac and saidst unto them, I will and Jacob. Moses does not plead multiply your seed as the stars on anything good in the present of heaven, and all this land that people, but he pleads on the old I have spoken of will I give unto promise given to the forefathers. your seed, and they shall inherit So, it is not thanks to the it for ever. present people, that they will be spared, but thanks to the oath of God. 14 And the LORD repented of the evil which he thought to do unto The LORD thought to consume the his people. entire people, but after Moses' plea He repented. That is, He was contented with the death of 3000 instead of the whole people (see Exod. 32:28). See herein the undeserved grace of our Lord. They had transgressed and done evil in His sight, but He forgave the sins of multitudes, and repented of the evil which He thought to do unto them. 15 And Moses turned, and went down from the mount, and the two Moses has in his hand the two tables of the testimony were in tables of stone. One table his hand: the tables were written contains the commandment not to on both their sides; on the one make graven images of God. side and on the other were they written. 16 And the tables were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, graven upon the tables. 17 And when Joshua heard the noise of the people as they It was written that the people shouted, he said unto Moses, "sat down to eat and to drink, There is a noise of war in the and rose up to play". And now, camp. hear what their playing means: Even on the mount, Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted. Their playing was accompanied by so much noise and shout, that you could hear it on the mount. Is this a spiritual worship of the LORD? Is God worshipped by eating, drinking, playing, noise and shouting? Look how carnal the people were, to pervert the holy worship of God into a carnal feast. 18 And he said, It is not the voice of them that shout for It is not the noise of war or mastery, neither is it the voice evil, but it is the noise of of them that cry for being their carnal feast (which is overcome: but the noise of them worse then war). that sing do I hear. 19 And it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, No wonder that Moses cast the that he saw the calf, and the tables on the ground, that they dancing: and Moses' anger waxed brake. Even before Moses brake hot, and he cast the tables out them, the people had already of his hands, and brake them broken these commandments by beneath the mount. their calf and their carnal feast with dancing and shouting. 20 And he took the calf which they had made, and burnt it in He takes the right measures: the fire, and ground it to burning the calf. All idols will powder, and strawed it upon the be burnt, because they are dead, water, and made the children of take away God's honour, and Israel drink of it. deserve the fire. He made the children of Israel drink the powder of their god, so that they understood that their god was dead and drinkable. 21 And Moses said unto Aaron, What did this people unto thee, When the idol is removed, Moses that thou hast brought so great a is going to inquire about the sin upon them? causes of this great sin. We learn from this to remove the sin first, and afterwards to inquire about the causes; not the other way around. 22 And Aaron said, Let not the anger of my lord wax hot: thou Though it is true that Israel is knowest the people, that they are set on mischief, yet Aaron cannot set on mischief. hide himself under this cloak. 23 For they said unto me, Make us gods, which shall go before us: This is true. The people asked for as for this Moses, the man for gods instead of Moses. that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him. 24 And I said unto them, Whosoever hath any gold, let them Aaron, did you cast it into the break it off. So they gave it me: fire, and that calf came out? then I cast it into the fire, and Aaron, you again hide yourself there came out this calf. under lies, because this is not true; at least it is but a half truth. You didn't throw gold into the fire, and the calf itself came out. But you have toiled much to make a calf as well-built as possible. 25 And when Moses saw that the people were naked; (for Aaron had The people were naked. They were made them naked unto their shame without ornaments, but what is among their enemies:) worse, they also were without the protection of God. They had rejected God, and therefore had lost also His protection. By his making the calf, Aaron had naked the people, that they might fall before their enemies. 26 Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on The sons of Levi were on the the LORD'S side? let him come LORD'S side. They had not unto me. And all the sons of Levi participated in the idolatry and gathered themselves together unto that carnal feast. At least, most him. of the Levites had not participated in it. Of Aaron, a Levite, we know that he also had sinned. 27 And he said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Put The Levites are commanded to every man his sword by his side, "slay every man his brother, and and go in and out from gate to every man his companion, and gate throughout the camp, and every man his neighbour". You see slay every man his brother, and that the honour of God is more every man his companion, and important than the life of your every man his neighbour. sinful neighbour, brother or companion. 28 And the children of Levi did according to the word of Moses: The Levites suppressed their and there fell of the people that natural affections for their day about three thousand men. brothers, and killed about three thousand of them. Obedience of God, that is more important then own affections. Let us subdue ourselves to God, and willingly execute His orders. 29 For Moses had said, Consecrate yourselves to day to the LORD, Why were the Levites so obedient even every man upon his son, and to God, that they chose to kill upon his brother; that he may their sons and brothers in the bestow upon you a blessing this case they also had sinned? day. Because Moses had promised them the blessing of the LORD in the case of their obedience. Justice and punishing the evildoers is the will of God. He delights in that. We should learn to do His will always and ever, no matter what the people might think of it. 30 And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses said unto the Moses said the people that they people, Ye have sinned a great were great sinners, and that is sin: and now I will go up unto was necessary to make an the LORD; peradventure I shall atonement for them. make an atonement for your sin. 31 And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, Oh, this people They have put golden gods instead have sinned a great sin, and have of the living God. made them gods of gold. 32 Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin--; and if not, blot me, Moses so much loves his people I pray thee, out of thy book that he rather wished to be which thou hast written. blotted out of the book of live, than that their sin will not be forgiven. "Forgive them, o God, and if not, blot me out of the book of live". This is the attitude of a right minister. Moses was willing to perish eternally instead of the people. Where is the present minister that is prepared to give his own life for his flock? 33 And the LORD said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, "Moses, I will not blot you out him will I blot out of my book. of My book, because you haven't sinned. But the ones that have sinned against Me, them will I blot out", says God. 34 Therefore now go, lead the people unto the place of which I God says that no longer He have spoken unto thee: behold, Himself will go before Israel, mine Angel shall go before thee: but that He will give them to nevertheless in the day when I Moses and the Angel. As for their visit I will visit their sin upon sins, they are not forgiven, but them. God delays the punishment. "But I will visit their sins in future". 35 And the LORD plagued the people, because they made the The great punishment for their calf, which Aaron made. idolatry is delayed. This does not mean that they notice nothing of their sins for the present, because God plagued the people. We have seen in this chapter that the people caused Aaron to make a golden calf. God is displeased with it, and Moses intercedes. He breaks the tables of the lay and destroys the golden calf. Further we heard Aaron's excuse, and we read that the idolaters were slain. At the end, Moses prayed for the people. Shortly after the people had received the law, forbidding idolatry, they committed this very crime. The law, we see, doesn't help. Obedience is not coming from the law, because we are stiffnecked and refuse to hear God's voice. We also have seen in this chapter that atonement is necessary, to wash away the committed sins. The law, therefore, does not give us life, being hindered by our stiffneckedness. We have need of atonement, which is given us in Christ Jesus. The sins of all them that believe in Him, are forgiven. But if there is any one that still expects life through the law, he will perish eternally. 2. 1 Peter 3:1-6 - Advice for women ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 Peter 3:1-6 1 Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives; The apostle Peter says the wives that they should be in subjection, every one to her own husband. Why? Why should the wives be in subjection to their own husbands? To please them? No, but that the unbelieving husbands might be won for the Word of God. Some husbands are disobedient, and refuse to walk in the ordinances of the gospel. They don't listen to the preaching and the explanation of the Scriptures, but go their own way, alienated from God and His people. If they then refuse to listen to the Word, then they might be converted by the conversion of their wives, without the Word. When they see the Christian behaviour of their wives, subjecting themselves to their own husbands, then they might see and understand that this conversation of the wives is a result of that same gospel they reject. Therefore the apostle says "Wives, be in subjection to your own husbands. Why? That, if any obey not the Word, they also may without the Word be won by the conversation of the wives". 2 While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear. They may perhaps be won by the conversation of the wives, "while they behold your chaste conversation, coupled with fear". Therefore, wives, behave yourself chastely, and be always in the fear of the Lord. Give a good example to your husbands. 3 Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; Many wives adorn themselves, and paint themselves with several colours. They consider their natural appearance not beautiful enough, and therefore adorn themselves. Their natural appearance is given them by the Creator of heaven and earth, but they despise this gift of God. They think that too mean, and paint themselves. They, in fact, think that they better know than God how their appearance should be. But, says Peter, wives, let your adorning not be like that outward adorning of plaiting the hear, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel. Don't think, wives, that your unbelieving husbands will be won by that outward painting of you. How can anybody be won for the Word by you, if you yourself despise God's natural gift? Some wear gold and silver, and if they be not so rich, they wear fake gold. Eye shadow is sold, and lipstick, together with all kinds of paint, that they may hurt their skin. They also are loaded with all kinds of apparel. No wives, in that way you will win nobody for the Word. 4 But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. Let your ornament then not be in the outward things, but let it be the hidden man of the heart. Let your apparel be in your heart. All outward gold and clothing and the like is corruptible, but a renewed heart is not corruptible. Let your ornament be a meek and quiet spirit. These are the things which are very valuable in God's sight. Maybe, when it pleases God, through your behaviour and spiritual ornaments, you may win your present unbelieving husbands for the Word. 5 For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands: After Peter has admonished the women, he continues with the examples of old. In the old time the holy women have adorned themselves, not with outward, perishing things, but by trusting in God, and by the spiritual ornaments, that please God. After this manner the women of old times adorned themselves. While doing that, they were in subjection unto their own husbands. Think of the good examples, given by Rebekah, and Hannah the mother of Samuel, and Abigail the wife us Nabal. Think also of Esther. 6 Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement. Sara is another example of the holy women of old times. She called Abraham her "lord", and obeyed him. Listen to her, when she calls Abraham her lord: "Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?", Gen. 18:12. Wives, then you do well; and when you are not afraid with any amazement, then you are Sara's daughters. You should then walk in her footsteps, and do her works, having also her faith. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- chr-exp@nic.surfnet.nl "A Christian explanation of the Scriptures to Israel" Institute Practical Bible-education Web: http://www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/ipb-e/ipbe-home.html Written by Teus Benschop -- t.benschop@pobox.ruu.nl ---------------------------------------------------------------------- file: /pub/resources/text/ipb-e/so: s-open-073.txt .