Exodus 32:7-14 (I); How Quickly They Forget (I)!

[*Professor Childs passed away on June 23, 2007 in Connecticut. He was one of the most significant OT scholars of our generation. I wrote a couple of essays about him, with the personal "angle" of having enjoyed a pizza with him in Tuebingen, Germany, overlooking the Neckar River in 1981. His 1974 commentary Exodus (Old Testament Library) demonstrated his groundbreaking method of biblical scholarship. I use his commentary for background help in preparing these essays today.]

Here is the OT lesson for today, in the NRSV:

"The Lord said to Moses, “Go down at once! Your people, whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt, have acted perversely; 8 they have been quick to turn aside from the way that I commanded them; they have cast for themselves an image of a 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! 9 The Lord said to Moses, “I have seen this people, how stiff-necked they are. 10 Now let me alone, so that my wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them; and of you I will make a great nation.” 11 But Moses implored the Lord his God, and said, “O Lord, why does your wrath burn hot against your people, whom you brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? 12 Why should the Egyptians say, ‘It was with evil intent that he brought them out to kill them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth’? Turn from your fierce wrath; change your mind and do not bring disaster on your people. 13 Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, how you swore to them by your own self, saying to them, ‘I will multiply your descendants like the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have promised I will give to your descendants, and they shall inherit it forever.’“ 14 And the Lord changed his mind about the disaster that he planned to bring on his people."

I. Introduction

Moses had seemingly disappeared from the people. He went up on Mount Sinai with the elders in Ex. 24 to receive the law from God. He was on the mountain 40 days and 40 nights, communing with God. While Moses was experiencing this rare time of intimacy the people were down in the camp waiting for him. Finally, they concluded he had stayed away too long, and in 32:1-7 they convinced Aaron to help them out by fashioning a golden calf. Actually, the language of 32:1 is very strong; it gives the impression that the people are giving Aaron an ultimatum, forcing him to go along with their wishes. Aaron, who had been "second in command" for some time, now has his big chance. He can put his definitive "stamp" on the ministry.

Exodus 32-34 is a theological treasure trove. These chapters explore the three theological themes of fault, divine presence and redemption. In our reading for today we see the divine reaction to the people's fault; their desire for a more "visible" example of the divine presence. In ch. 33, we have the old story of the way Moses used to commune with God "as a person speaks to a friend" (33:11). Finally, in ch. 34 we have the moving account of God's merciful acceptance of the people. Thus, the reading for today recounts a portion of the story where the people get into trouble. They, like us, need tangible signs of the divine presence. Since Moses had left them bereft for so long, they decided that they needed another reminder--the calf. It was the product of their treasures (golden rings). They hoped it would be, like the sacrament, a visible sign of an invisible grace. It would symbolize the continuing divine presence with them. It would be their "gods," which the people demanded. With Aaron compliantly working overtime to fulfill their wishes, they were ready for the "post-Moses" experience. The only thing they didn't count on, however, was the character of God who called them to a life of unique commitment and would shower on them the blessings of presence and land in the ensuing years.

The passage for the morning richly explores several themes. I will focus on: (1) the contrast between the mountain and the valley; (2) the debate between Moses and God; and (3) God's change of heart.

II. Of Mountains and Valleys

Moses is on the mountain with God; the people are in the valley with Aaron. In the difference between those two locations is a difference in spiritual and ethical experience. The mountain is the place of awe; it is the place of divine presence; it is the place of sheer grace--of law given, of voice heard, of inspiration received. It is the place of personal transformation. The people were not permitted to ascend the mountain. Moses was, as it were, the people's representative, and they would have to draw some of the divine presence from the reflected radiance of Moses' face. The valley, in contrast, was the place of the people, and in this case it was a place of corruption and stubbornness.

The language of vv. 7-10 captures this contrast nicely, with most emphasis on the life "in the valley." Notice the urgency and pointedness of the divine word. God gives Moses a command, "Go down at once!" It is the most urgent language in Hebrew, as if nothing could take precedence over this command. So urgent is it that Moses has to leave the divine presence to go see what is happening. Then, God frames his command in language that distances the divine from the chosen people. The people of Israel are "your (i.e., Moses') people." As if Moses has forgotten, God reminds Moses, "whom you have brought up out of the land of Egypt." No longer do we hear of Yahweh's "strong hand and outstretched arm" or God's divine power that parted the sea, drowned the Egyptians and led the people on the dry land. All we hear is of the perversity of the people whom Moses had brought up out of Egypt (v. 7). People distance themselves from others by their language and actions. God's words and "body language" are clear.

God wants not only to tell Moses that the people are perverse; God recounts word for word (with 32:1-6) the nature of their sin. It is as if every word of the people has sunk into the divine heart and stabbed it. And so, God tells Moses that "they have cast for themselves an image of a calf" and that they have "worshiped it and sacrificed to it" (v. 8). It is as if God has been sitting on the sidelines in amazement watching the performance of the heedless people. It broke the divine heart. And, so God reaches a conclusion about the people. They are a "stiff-necked" people, a stubborn people, people who really are not worthy of the love God has showered up on them.

And so God has decided to destroy them. Verse 10 is interesting because it tells us that God wants Moses to go down to the people for two reasons--to see for himself exactly what has happened but also to leave God alone. God wants to be alone when the terrible judgment is executed. This seemingly is a repeat of Genesis 6, but now with the chosen people acting like the generation of Noah. The solemnity of the occasion requires the divine solitude.

Yet, even in the resolve to destroy is a sense that mercy can triumph. In this case God makes a promise to Moses that God will not destroy him with the people. Moses will continue to be special, and Moses will be the foundational person for God's next "great work." But notice what has happened. As Professor Childs pointed out, in giving these last words God has left the divine open for negotiation and intercession. It is not as if God is giving Moses an invitation to talk back, but there are ideas now floating "out there" that are more than just anger, stubbornness and destruction. God will "save" Moses. Moses will take this verse as an opening to respond to God.

One more essay will complete these thoughts.

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