Moses Kneeling in Prayer Above the Camp of IsraelBible World
32:32Exodus 32:32
Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin—; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written.
After Israel's great sin of making gods of gold in calf worship while Moses was delayed on Sinai, Moses returns to the Lord, openly confesses their guilt, and pleads for forgiveness, asking if not to be blotted himself out of God's book and to share their fate rather than be separated from them. He does not excuse or minimize their idolatry but throws himself and Israel upon mercy in selfless love, willing to forgo personal advantage and give his own life rather than see the people abandoned and destroyed. God refuses to let the righteous suffer for the sinner but holds each sinner accountable for his own sin, pardoning the humbled and repentant whose repentance leads to obedience while blotting out whoever continues in transgression without repentance, confession and forsaking. The book is the heavenly book of life where every name and deed of sin and obedience is faithfully recorded, from which a name is erased when by stubborn persistence in sin a person becomes finally hardened and devoted to destruction, and from which the record of sin is blotted when there is true repentance. His intercession illustrates the love and mediation of Christ for the sinful race, with the difference that Moses was not permitted to bear the guilt of the transgressor as Christ did, and it remains the pattern of self-renouncing, intercessory love for souls entrusted with responsibility in the last days.
Setting and Occasion
The plea belongs to Israel's worship of the calf while Moses was delayed on Mount Sinai. The people grew impatient in waiting for him and became careless, inattentive and lawless under the leading of the mixed multitude. They wanted a visible image to represent God and to go before them in place of Moses.
No likeness of God had been given, and every material representation of Him had been forbidden. The miracles in Egypt and at the Red Sea, with the pillar of cloud and fire and His glory displayed on Sinai, had been given to establish faith in Him as the invisible, all-powerful Helper, the only true God. Yet with the cloud of His presence still before them, the people turned back to Egyptian idolatry and represented the glory of the invisible God by the similitude of an ox or calf.
That apostasy was made worse by Aaron's weakness in not standing firmly for right and in yielding to the people's insubordination. Had he stood unswervingly for right irrespective of consequences, maintained his own allegiance to God, cited the people to the perils of Sinai, and reminded them of their solemn covenant to obey the law, the evil would have been checked. Instead his compliance with their desires and the calm assurance with which he carried out their plans emboldened them to go to greater lengths in sin than had before entered their minds.
The calf worship belonged to an apostasy at Sinai that should have made an impression so deep as never to be effaced. God's remarkable power in deliverance from Egypt and His care all along the journey should have inspired faith and forever closed every expression of ingratitude. Fresh marks of His displeasure were already seen in broken ranks and missing numbers for repeated offenses against the Angel leading them, and those lessons were meant to be taken to heart in faithful obedience to redeem past failure. Instead Israel let the least apprehension of want and fear of danger outweigh blessings received in greatest danger, took glory to themselves when prospered and charged hardships from hunger or warfare to Moses, and, overlooking blessings and failing to learn, was again overcome by temptation.
Moses's Self-Sacrificing Plea
Moses openly acknowledged the great sin of making gods of gold and pleaded for forgiveness, asking that if the people could not be forgiven he himself be blotted out of the book God had written. His life was so bound up with theirs that he identified himself with them and asked to share their fate rather than be separated from them. His plea was compassion for the erring and willingness to forgo personal advantage rather than see them lose mercy and preservation, and his earnest prayer prevailed. The answer given was that the one who had sinned would be blotted out, while Moses was still commanded to lead and assured that the Angel would go before them, with the people remaining accountable and with promise that obedience thereafter would bring blotting out of this sin.
He did not excuse or minimize the idolatry but humbly threw himself and Israel upon mercy without excusing sin. He returned to the Lord to make atonement for the people, pausing because the request was great, then offering himself in their place to be erased if they could not be forgiven. The offer unveiled depth of love and compassion which was known and honored, yet taught that those continuing in transgression without repentance, confession, and forsaking would be dealt with according to their works.
When anger was kindled against Israel for unbelief, murmurings, and grievous sins and it was proposed to destroy them and make a mighty nation of Moses alone, his love was tested and he held fast to the nation as God's people and would not let it go. He refused that offer and urged that this nation was God's people, obtaining promise notwithstanding their perversity. He had no faith they would have victories separated from God, so he required the assurance that the Lord Himself would go with them, that they would follow the Lord God of Israel whatever test came, humbling their hearts and not hardening them in crisis.
The offer expressed great love, compassion, and selfless concern: willingness to forgo personal advantage, bear the loss himself, imperil himself, and give his own life rather than see the people abandoned, destroyed, or perish. He realized how dreadful it is to be blotted out to be remembered no more for good and devoted to destruction, yet chose it rather than endure seeing wrath and judgments fall upon those so graciously delivered and for whom such wonders had been wrought. His willingness to share their fate and have his name blotted from the book of life rather than see Israel perish was shown even when they answered his concern with blame and murmuring.
He promised the distressed people after their dishonor in worshiping the calf that he would intercede for them. He carried their burden so deeply that he felt their sin with keen remorse as though himself guilty. He was pressed by the terrible result if God gave them up to darkness, impenitence, and hardness of heart. He feared they might kill Moses, fall to their enemies, and bring dishonor on the divine name, and he prayed that favor be restored and the token of the presence continue to direct their journey and separate them from all other peoples on the earth.
God's Answer and Justice
God would not let Moses suffer for the guilt of the people, for the righteous shall not suffer for the sinner, but whoever has sinned against Him will be blotted out of His book. The book is the heavenly record where every name is recorded and acts of sin and obedience are faithfully written, the book of life containing the names of all who have ever entered the service of God. A name is erased when sins become too grievous for pardon and the person by stubborn persistence in sin becomes finally hardened against the Holy Spirit, and in the Judgment when a person departs from God; such are devoted to destruction to be remembered no more for good. Those who continue in transgression without repentance, confession and forsaking will be dealt with according to their works.
Moses was still commanded to lead the people, with the renewed promise that His Angel would go before Israel, yet the people remained accountable for their sin. He warned that He would punish their grievous sin when He visited, but if they were obedient thereafter He would blot this sin out of His book. Forgiveness was conditional and individual: if the people repented with a repentance that needeth not to be repented of and then served God and honored His name, their sin on this occasion would be remembered no more. But if when tempted they pursued the same course, showed no strength to resist, repeated the evil and murmured against Moses, those sins would stand to their account as unforgiven.
Not all were destroyed: those who stubbornly sided with rebellion were cut off, while the humbled and repentant were mercifully pardoned. The second tables of stone in Moses' hand were the pledge of reconciliation with His people. The account stands as lasting testimony to idolatry's guilt and punishment and to justice and long-suffering mercy. Love no less than justice demanded judgment on the traitors who had forfeited divine protection, for as guardian as well as sovereign God cuts off the determinedly rebellious lest they lead others to ruin. Unless punishment had been speedy the corruption after sparing Cain and before the Flood would have followed until the earth was as corrupt as in Noah's days, so in mercy thousands suffered to save millions.
Swift severity was love to the world, to Israel, to succeeding generations, and even to the transgressors themselves, who having cast off allegiance were exposed to enemies and would otherwise have broken out in hatred and strife until they destroyed one another. Moses' earnest prayer prevailed and his petition not to blot out Israel was granted. His special intercession also saved Aaron, with whom God was very angry for leading Israel into sin and would have destroyed. God did not reprove Moses for breaking the tables, because the broken tables represented that Israel had broken the covenant by worshiping the work of man in place of the living God.
The Book of God
The book Moses means is the heavenly book of records, in which every name is recorded and every act of sin and of obedience is faithfully written, the book of life containing the names of all who have ever entered the service of God. It holds the names of all men with their deeds whether good or evil faithfully registered, so that the question whether a name is found in God's book belongs to being weighed in the sanctuary and judged at the final settlement. A name written there can be blotted out and recorded among the names of the unjust.
A name is erased when sins become too grievous for pardon and the person by stubborn persistence in sin becomes finally hardened against the Holy Spirit. Such persons are devoted to destruction, to be remembered no more for good. Moses realized how dreadful that fate is, yet chose it rather than endure seeing the fullness of God's wrath and judgments fall upon those so graciously delivered and for whom he had wrought and labored. Blotting from the book of life takes place in the Judgment when a person departs from God.
Continuing in mistaken ideas and in unlikeness to Christ that greatly dishonors the Lord leads toward that blotting out. When people truly repent of past wrongs written in God's book, He blots that record out of His book. If after grievous sin they are obedient thereafter, He will blot this sin out of His book, but at the final settlement a person may be found wanting in love and obedience.
Foreshadowing of Christ
Moses' plea to be blotted out with Israel rather than see judgment fall on those so graciously delivered shows his great love for the people and illustrates Christ's love and mediation for the sinful race. It expresses the mercy that ruled his leadership, the same mercy that spoke through Christ's words and deeds, with no thread of harshness in it. He was willing to share their fate and to be erased with them rather than endure witnessing the fullness of God's wrath come upon those for whom he had labored and wrought such wonders.
Yet with that likeness there is a decisive difference, for God did not permit Moses to suffer for his backsliding people and bear the guilt of the transgressor as Christ did. The righteous shall not suffer for the guilt of the sinner, but whoever has sinned against God will be blotted out of His book, each sinner held accountable for his own sin. The one to whom Moses returned to make atonement was the Lord who is Jesus Christ, pledged for the propitiation of the sins of the world. Moses spoke to Him who gave Himself as a propitiation for the world, pausing because the request was so great before offering himself in their place, an offer whose depth of love and compassion God knows and honors.
That prayer revealed a longing for the salvation of men shared with Christ, as a co-laborer with Christ who had endured suffering and sorrow for men. Because of it Moses could sympathize with Jesus in the trial of His earthly life. Therefore he was chosen above every angel around the throne to come with Elijah to commune with Jesus about His suffering to be accomplished at Jerusalem and to comfort Him with the assurance of heaven's sympathy. The same self-sacrificing, intercessory love made him weep with distress and anguish when he saw Christ bid farewell to the rejecting nation and leave their house desolate.
Pattern for Believers Today
The verse means self-renunciation, a self-sacrificing, intercessory love that was willing to have one's own name blotted from the Book of Life that fellow men might be saved. Like all the great events and solemn transactions of Old Testament history, it has been and is repeating itself now, with its accumulated truth bound up with the treasures of the Bible for the last generation. Moses is still speaking it and teaching that self-renunciation to the church in these last days, presenting it in force that they may profit by it and be awakened to energy and intensely increased earnestness for the salvation of souls to the ends of the earth. That same love made him weep with distress and anguish when he later saw Christ bid farewell to the rejecting nation and leave their house desolate.
Though by nature diffident, slow of speech, hesitating and self-distrustful, he was made great by divine revelation and commission and became eloquent in intercession. His sense of inability drove him to God, and in constant reliance on Christ's wisdom he talked with God face to face as a man talks with a friend. He stood often as mediator between the people and the wrath of God, greater than any who had lived before him, highly honored to be permitted to see the bright light and excellent glory enshrouding the Father and to be used to deliver Israel from Egyptian bondage. His prayer after their dishonor in worshiping the golden calf reveals intimate communion with the Most High, sincerity and unselfish purpose, and the burden of one who carried Israel and felt their sin with keen remorse as if guilty himself. He was pressed by the terrible result if God gave them up to darkness and impenitence, and prayed that favor be restored and the token of His presence continue to direct their journey and separate them from all other peoples on the earth.
His prayer is the sentiment of every soul entrusted with responsibility for souls who strives to do the will of God. Such a one bears the burdens of the people with kindness, patience, long-suffering and gentleness, imparting received grace to others, rather than abandoning those in charge. His care for those under his leadership leads him to intercede in selfless concern and dependence on God, and earnest prayer of that kind prevails with God.
His plea is driven by zeal for God's honor, asking God not to let His name be dishonored among the heathen but to reveal His power and carry out His purposes without failure. He pleads day and night that God forgive and exalt His own name among the nations and before the world, in disinterested self-devotion and self-forgetting concern for God's glory. It is faith that asks greatly because God can fulfill His promise, joined with concern for souls who are perishing.
True zeal for the Lord and for the spiritual interest of brethren is self-sacrificing intercession and earnest prayer for sinners. It is not an accusing spirit, evil surmisings and judging of messengers, nor opposition, accusation and contention among God's people. Nor is it excited natural feelings of chagrin and vexation in supposed defense of truth.
After Israel's great sin of making gods of gold in calf worship while Moses was delayed on Sinai, Moses returns to the Lord, openly confesses their guilt, and pleads for forgiveness, asking if not to be blotted himself out of God's book and to share their fate rather than be separated from them. He does not excuse or minimize their idolatry but throws himself and Israel upon mercy in selfless love, willing to forgo personal advantage and give his own life rather than see the people abandoned and destroyed. God refuses to let the righteous suffer for the sinner but holds each sinner accountable for his own sin, pardoning the humbled and repentant whose repentance leads to obedience while blotting out whoever continues in transgression without repentance, confession and forsaking. The book is the heavenly book of life where every name and deed of sin and obedience is faithfully recorded, from which a name is erased when by stubborn persistence in sin a person becomes finally hardened and devoted to destruction, and from which the record of sin is blotted when there is true repentance. His intercession illustrates the love and mediation of Christ for the sinful race, with the difference that Moses was not permitted to bear the guilt of the transgressor as Christ did, and it remains the pattern of self-renouncing, intercessory love for souls entrusted with responsibility in the last days.
Setting and Occasion
The plea belongs to Israel's worship of the calf while Moses was delayed on Mount Sinai. The people grew impatient in waiting for him and became careless, inattentive and lawless under the leading of the mixed multitude. They wanted a visible image to represent God and to go before them in place of Moses.
No likeness of God had been given, and every material representation of Him had been forbidden. The miracles in Egypt and at the Red Sea, with the pillar of cloud and fire and His glory displayed on Sinai, had been given to establish faith in Him as the invisible, all-powerful Helper, the only true God. Yet with the cloud of His presence still before them, the people turned back to Egyptian idolatry and represented the glory of the invisible God by the similitude of an ox or calf.
That apostasy was made worse by Aaron's weakness in not standing firmly for right and in yielding to the people's insubordination. Had he stood unswervingly for right irrespective of consequences, maintained his own allegiance to God, cited the people to the perils of Sinai, and reminded them of their solemn covenant to obey the law, the evil would have been checked. Instead his compliance with their desires and the calm assurance with which he carried out their plans emboldened them to go to greater lengths in sin than had before entered their minds.
The calf worship belonged to an apostasy at Sinai that should have made an impression so deep as never to be effaced. God's remarkable power in deliverance from Egypt and His care all along the journey should have inspired faith and forever closed every expression of ingratitude. Fresh marks of His displeasure were already seen in broken ranks and missing numbers for repeated offenses against the Angel leading them, and those lessons were meant to be taken to heart in faithful obedience to redeem past failure. Instead Israel let the least apprehension of want and fear of danger outweigh blessings received in greatest danger, took glory to themselves when prospered and charged hardships from hunger or warfare to Moses, and, overlooking blessings and failing to learn, was again overcome by temptation.
Moses's Self-Sacrificing Plea
Moses openly acknowledged the great sin of making gods of gold and pleaded for forgiveness, asking that if the people could not be forgiven he himself be blotted out of the book God had written. His life was so bound up with theirs that he identified himself with them and asked to share their fate rather than be separated from them. His plea was compassion for the erring and willingness to forgo personal advantage rather than see them lose mercy and preservation, and his earnest prayer prevailed. The answer given was that the one who had sinned would be blotted out, while Moses was still commanded to lead and assured that the Angel would go before them, with the people remaining accountable and with promise that obedience thereafter would bring blotting out of this sin.
He did not excuse or minimize the idolatry but humbly threw himself and Israel upon mercy without excusing sin. He returned to the Lord to make atonement for the people, pausing because the request was great, then offering himself in their place to be erased if they could not be forgiven. The offer unveiled depth of love and compassion which was known and honored, yet taught that those continuing in transgression without repentance, confession, and forsaking would be dealt with according to their works.
When anger was kindled against Israel for unbelief, murmurings, and grievous sins and it was proposed to destroy them and make a mighty nation of Moses alone, his love was tested and he held fast to the nation as God's people and would not let it go. He refused that offer and urged that this nation was God's people, obtaining promise notwithstanding their perversity. He had no faith they would have victories separated from God, so he required the assurance that the Lord Himself would go with them, that they would follow the Lord God of Israel whatever test came, humbling their hearts and not hardening them in crisis.
The offer expressed great love, compassion, and selfless concern: willingness to forgo personal advantage, bear the loss himself, imperil himself, and give his own life rather than see the people abandoned, destroyed, or perish. He realized how dreadful it is to be blotted out to be remembered no more for good and devoted to destruction, yet chose it rather than endure seeing wrath and judgments fall upon those so graciously delivered and for whom such wonders had been wrought. His willingness to share their fate and have his name blotted from the book of life rather than see Israel perish was shown even when they answered his concern with blame and murmuring.
He promised the distressed people after their dishonor in worshiping the calf that he would intercede for them. He carried their burden so deeply that he felt their sin with keen remorse as though himself guilty. He was pressed by the terrible result if God gave them up to darkness, impenitence, and hardness of heart. He feared they might kill Moses, fall to their enemies, and bring dishonor on the divine name, and he prayed that favor be restored and the token of the presence continue to direct their journey and separate them from all other peoples on the earth.
God's Answer and Justice
God would not let Moses suffer for the guilt of the people, for the righteous shall not suffer for the sinner, but whoever has sinned against Him will be blotted out of His book. The book is the heavenly record where every name is recorded and acts of sin and obedience are faithfully written, the book of life containing the names of all who have ever entered the service of God. A name is erased when sins become too grievous for pardon and the person by stubborn persistence in sin becomes finally hardened against the Holy Spirit, and in the Judgment when a person departs from God; such are devoted to destruction to be remembered no more for good. Those who continue in transgression without repentance, confession and forsaking will be dealt with according to their works.
Moses was still commanded to lead the people, with the renewed promise that His Angel would go before Israel, yet the people remained accountable for their sin. He warned that He would punish their grievous sin when He visited, but if they were obedient thereafter He would blot this sin out of His book. Forgiveness was conditional and individual: if the people repented with a repentance that needeth not to be repented of and then served God and honored His name, their sin on this occasion would be remembered no more. But if when tempted they pursued the same course, showed no strength to resist, repeated the evil and murmured against Moses, those sins would stand to their account as unforgiven.
Not all were destroyed: those who stubbornly sided with rebellion were cut off, while the humbled and repentant were mercifully pardoned. The second tables of stone in Moses' hand were the pledge of reconciliation with His people. The account stands as lasting testimony to idolatry's guilt and punishment and to justice and long-suffering mercy. Love no less than justice demanded judgment on the traitors who had forfeited divine protection, for as guardian as well as sovereign God cuts off the determinedly rebellious lest they lead others to ruin. Unless punishment had been speedy the corruption after sparing Cain and before the Flood would have followed until the earth was as corrupt as in Noah's days, so in mercy thousands suffered to save millions.
Swift severity was love to the world, to Israel, to succeeding generations, and even to the transgressors themselves, who having cast off allegiance were exposed to enemies and would otherwise have broken out in hatred and strife until they destroyed one another. Moses' earnest prayer prevailed and his petition not to blot out Israel was granted. His special intercession also saved Aaron, with whom God was very angry for leading Israel into sin and would have destroyed. God did not reprove Moses for breaking the tables, because the broken tables represented that Israel had broken the covenant by worshiping the work of man in place of the living God.
The Book of God
The book Moses means is the heavenly book of records, in which every name is recorded and every act of sin and of obedience is faithfully written, the book of life containing the names of all who have ever entered the service of God. It holds the names of all men with their deeds whether good or evil faithfully registered, so that the question whether a name is found in God's book belongs to being weighed in the sanctuary and judged at the final settlement. A name written there can be blotted out and recorded among the names of the unjust.
A name is erased when sins become too grievous for pardon and the person by stubborn persistence in sin becomes finally hardened against the Holy Spirit. Such persons are devoted to destruction, to be remembered no more for good. Moses realized how dreadful that fate is, yet chose it rather than endure seeing the fullness of God's wrath and judgments fall upon those so graciously delivered and for whom he had wrought and labored. Blotting from the book of life takes place in the Judgment when a person departs from God.
Continuing in mistaken ideas and in unlikeness to Christ that greatly dishonors the Lord leads toward that blotting out. When people truly repent of past wrongs written in God's book, He blots that record out of His book. If after grievous sin they are obedient thereafter, He will blot this sin out of His book, but at the final settlement a person may be found wanting in love and obedience.
Foreshadowing of Christ
Moses' plea to be blotted out with Israel rather than see judgment fall on those so graciously delivered shows his great love for the people and illustrates Christ's love and mediation for the sinful race. It expresses the mercy that ruled his leadership, the same mercy that spoke through Christ's words and deeds, with no thread of harshness in it. He was willing to share their fate and to be erased with them rather than endure witnessing the fullness of God's wrath come upon those for whom he had labored and wrought such wonders.
Yet with that likeness there is a decisive difference, for God did not permit Moses to suffer for his backsliding people and bear the guilt of the transgressor as Christ did. The righteous shall not suffer for the guilt of the sinner, but whoever has sinned against God will be blotted out of His book, each sinner held accountable for his own sin. The one to whom Moses returned to make atonement was the Lord who is Jesus Christ, pledged for the propitiation of the sins of the world. Moses spoke to Him who gave Himself as a propitiation for the world, pausing because the request was so great before offering himself in their place, an offer whose depth of love and compassion God knows and honors.
That prayer revealed a longing for the salvation of men shared with Christ, as a co-laborer with Christ who had endured suffering and sorrow for men. Because of it Moses could sympathize with Jesus in the trial of His earthly life. Therefore he was chosen above every angel around the throne to come with Elijah to commune with Jesus about His suffering to be accomplished at Jerusalem and to comfort Him with the assurance of heaven's sympathy. The same self-sacrificing, intercessory love made him weep with distress and anguish when he saw Christ bid farewell to the rejecting nation and leave their house desolate.
Pattern for Believers Today
The verse means self-renunciation, a self-sacrificing, intercessory love that was willing to have one's own name blotted from the Book of Life that fellow men might be saved. Like all the great events and solemn transactions of Old Testament history, it has been and is repeating itself now, with its accumulated truth bound up with the treasures of the Bible for the last generation. Moses is still speaking it and teaching that self-renunciation to the church in these last days, presenting it in force that they may profit by it and be awakened to energy and intensely increased earnestness for the salvation of souls to the ends of the earth. That same love made him weep with distress and anguish when he later saw Christ bid farewell to the rejecting nation and leave their house desolate.
Though by nature diffident, slow of speech, hesitating and self-distrustful, he was made great by divine revelation and commission and became eloquent in intercession. His sense of inability drove him to God, and in constant reliance on Christ's wisdom he talked with God face to face as a man talks with a friend. He stood often as mediator between the people and the wrath of God, greater than any who had lived before him, highly honored to be permitted to see the bright light and excellent glory enshrouding the Father and to be used to deliver Israel from Egyptian bondage. His prayer after their dishonor in worshiping the golden calf reveals intimate communion with the Most High, sincerity and unselfish purpose, and the burden of one who carried Israel and felt their sin with keen remorse as if guilty himself. He was pressed by the terrible result if God gave them up to darkness and impenitence, and prayed that favor be restored and the token of His presence continue to direct their journey and separate them from all other peoples on the earth.
His prayer is the sentiment of every soul entrusted with responsibility for souls who strives to do the will of God. Such a one bears the burdens of the people with kindness, patience, long-suffering and gentleness, imparting received grace to others, rather than abandoning those in charge. His care for those under his leadership leads him to intercede in selfless concern and dependence on God, and earnest prayer of that kind prevails with God.
His plea is driven by zeal for God's honor, asking God not to let His name be dishonored among the heathen but to reveal His power and carry out His purposes without failure. He pleads day and night that God forgive and exalt His own name among the nations and before the world, in disinterested self-devotion and self-forgetting concern for God's glory. It is faith that asks greatly because God can fulfill His promise, joined with concern for souls who are perishing.
True zeal for the Lord and for the spiritual interest of brethren is self-sacrificing intercession and earnest prayer for sinners. It is not an accusing spirit, evil surmisings and judging of messengers, nor opposition, accusation and contention among God's people. Nor is it excited natural feelings of chagrin and vexation in supposed defense of truth.