And the LORD said unto Moses, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people:
God saw Israel as stubborn and persistently resistant to His commands, law and rule, especially in turning to idolatry. The word came to Moses on the mount while he was receiving the law on tables of stone, warning him of the apostasy below and sending him back to the camp without delay. Justice called for their destruction, for they had corrupted themselves, broken the covenant and forfeited His favor, so that He would disown and consume them in wrath. The offer to consume them and make of Moses a great nation tested his love and faithfulness, and when he pleaded God's power in the Exodus and His oath to Abraham, Isaac and Israel, God spared the people as a whole and pardoned the repentant. Persistent rebels were still cut off, with about three thousand falling, as a merciful act to uphold the law, stop the spread of rebellion and protect Israel from ruin.
Words and Historical Setting
The word stiffnecked means stubborn, sullen, and persistently resistant to divine commands, law, and rule, a character shown especially in turning quickly to idolatry after seeing deliverance and glory. It describes a people who would not respect the law or submit to rule, who broke their pledge of loyalty while the law was being given, and whose grave insult threatened judgment and the forfeiture of favor. The declaration was spoken to Moses on the mount while he was receiving the law on tables of stone written with the finger of God, warning him of the apostasy below and directing him to return to the camp without delay. It belongs to the account of apostasy at Sinai in the crisis of idolatry during Moses' absence.
In Moses' absence the people grew discontented and unbelieving, lost faith when he did not return, demanded gods to lead them, and quickly corrupted themselves by turning from command and covenant pledge to make and worship a molten calf. Their rapid turn from the command to worship no other gods came despite their recent covenant, revealing their true deplorable condition and rebellion against God their King. With time to meditate on the law they had heard and prepare their hearts for further revelation, they did not humble themselves and seek clearer understanding but became careless, inattentive, lawless, and impatient to reach the land flowing with milk and honey. Forgetting that the land was promised only on condition of obedience, they determined to wait no longer for Moses whether to go forward to Canaan or back to Egypt.
Feeling helpless without their leader, they returned to old superstitions, led by those who first murmured. The calf was desired at the suggestion of those who had practiced Egyptian ox or calf worship, as an image to represent God and to go before them in place of Moses, though God had given no similitude of himself and had prohibited any material representation. Its making rejected the evidences given of him as the invisible, all-powerful Helper and only true God by miracles in Egypt and at the Red Sea, by the pillar of cloud and fire, and by his glory revealed on Sinai with the cloud still before them. In heart the people turned back to Egypt and represented the glory of the invisible God by the similitude of an ox. That worship was Egyptian sun-worship disguised as worship of Jehovah, professing to worship God while making the sun-god the real object of adoration so that God could not accept the service. It was accompanied by eating and drinking and singing and sensual dancing and other license, which explains terrible anger and the desire to consume them.
The stiffnecked character belonged especially to the mixed multitude, who first murmured and led the return to old superstitions, while the people as a whole were continually disposed to rebel against God, murmur against Moses in difficulty, and grieve him by unbelief and stubbornness. Their conduct provoked destruction and made leading them through to the promised land a laborious, soul-trying work. Aaron, left in charge, proved an unfaithful leader in this severe temptation: when pressed he yielded, gave first permission for wrongdoing that allowed idolatry to take hold, joined in carrying out the people's plans, and by compliance and calm assurance emboldened them to go to greater lengths in sin than had before entered their minds, exposing his weakness. He could have prevented the apostasy by standing for the right irrespective of consequences, unswervingly maintaining his own allegiance to God, citing the people to the perils of Sinai and reminding them of their solemn covenant to obey God's law, which would have checked the evil. Because the course once permitted could not be stopped without stern, decisive action, his failure warns leaders.
Judgment and Moses' Intercession
God had seen the character of the people, that they had corrupted themselves and quickly turned from His commands, and He declared that their sins had disannulled His covenant with them and forfeited His favor, so that He would disown them and consume them in wrath and justice called for their destruction. He could have checked the rebellion at the outset but suffered it to reach this height to teach all a lesson in His punishment of treason and apostasy.
His proposal to consume Israel and make of Moses a mighty and great nation, telling him to let Him alone, was a proving and trial of Moses to test his perseverance, faithfulness, love, and concern for such an erring and ungrateful people. In this crisis He spoke of Israel as Moses' people, testing him with the offer to reject them, while Moses pleaded for them and would not consent to their destruction or being blotted out. Moses' refusal showed he valued the prosperity of God's chosen people more highly than a great name for himself or being made father of a greater nation, and though his long labor among the unfaithful people seemed almost fruitless, he continued to carry the burden God had given him.
Moses besought God by His great power and mighty hand in bringing the people out of Egypt, pleaded that the Egyptians would accuse God of bringing them out for mischief to slay them in the mountains and consume them from the earth, and appealed to God's oath to Abraham and Isaac and Israel to multiply their seed as the stars of heaven and give them the land to inherit forever, and the Lord repented of the evil He had thought to do. God did not destroy the people as a whole or arbitrarily, but spared them, granted Moses' request, and gave Israel another opportunity to return to Him and repent; the humbled and repentant were pardoned. Their hardness and impenitence had threatened terrible consequences, yet Moses pleaded with God on their behalf and judgment was stayed for those who would turn.
Opportunity was still given for all who would turn from idolatry and come to the Lord's side, but persistent stubbornness had to be punished so rebellion would not remain in the camp; only those who stubbornly sided with rebellion were cut off, and about three thousand fell. Prompt punishment was an act of mercy as well as justice: it upheld God's law and authority, prevented the rebellion from spreading, protected Israel from ruin and enemy attack, and spared the transgressors from continuing in a course that would end in hatred and destruction.
Warning for God's People Today
The golden calf apostasy, committed while Moses was receiving the law, broke Israel's pledge of loyalty by worship of a golden image, a grave insult to God that threatened the survival of Abraham's promised line. God did not destroy the people as a whole, but those who stubbornly sided with rebellion were cut off while the humbled and repentant were pardoned, so the event stands as a witness to the guilt and punishment of idolatry and to God's justice and long-suffering mercy. That apostasy brought God's displeasure, seen in Israel's broken ranks and missing numbers, yet the people failed to learn from the punishment and later fell again into temptation.
Leading such a stiff-necked people was a laborious, soul-trying work, for they were continually disposed to rebel, to murmur against Moses in difficulty, and to grieve him by unbelief and stubbornness. Moses felt his own weakness and felt the greatness of the work committed to him as no other man had felt, with God ever as his counselor. Aaron and Miriam wrongly thought they bore the burden of the work as well as Moses because the Lord had spoken by them as well as by Moses. As the Lord looked upon Israel then, He looks upon His church now, which has had great blessings and the living oracles of God opened to its understanding and must be weaned from its idols and purified and made white and tried.
The history warns those guarding the youth to fear God, to trust Him, to walk tremblingly for fear of offending Him, and to learn wisdom and tact for emergencies instead of yielding to popular desire. Aaron, left in charge, proved unfaithful and united with the people in carrying out their plans instead of holding them to God's counsel, and he himself certainly would have been slain for his unfaithfulness had not Moses interceded in his behalf. His failure to stand firm as a rock against the idolatry warns that sentinels of the churches must not encourage anything savoring of idolatry. Faithful men must erect firm barriers to keep the leaven of disaffection and corruption out of the church, for opportunity is still given for all who will turn from idolatry and come to the Lord's side, but persistent stubbornness must be punished so rebellion will not remain in the camp.
God saw Israel as stubborn and persistently resistant to His commands, law and rule, especially in turning to idolatry. The word came to Moses on the mount while he was receiving the law on tables of stone, warning him of the apostasy below and sending him back to the camp without delay. Justice called for their destruction, for they had corrupted themselves, broken the covenant and forfeited His favor, so that He would disown and consume them in wrath. The offer to consume them and make of Moses a great nation tested his love and faithfulness, and when he pleaded God's power in the Exodus and His oath to Abraham, Isaac and Israel, God spared the people as a whole and pardoned the repentant. Persistent rebels were still cut off, with about three thousand falling, as a merciful act to uphold the law, stop the spread of rebellion and protect Israel from ruin.
Words and Historical Setting
The word stiffnecked means stubborn, sullen, and persistently resistant to divine commands, law, and rule, a character shown especially in turning quickly to idolatry after seeing deliverance and glory. It describes a people who would not respect the law or submit to rule, who broke their pledge of loyalty while the law was being given, and whose grave insult threatened judgment and the forfeiture of favor. The declaration was spoken to Moses on the mount while he was receiving the law on tables of stone written with the finger of God, warning him of the apostasy below and directing him to return to the camp without delay. It belongs to the account of apostasy at Sinai in the crisis of idolatry during Moses' absence.
In Moses' absence the people grew discontented and unbelieving, lost faith when he did not return, demanded gods to lead them, and quickly corrupted themselves by turning from command and covenant pledge to make and worship a molten calf. Their rapid turn from the command to worship no other gods came despite their recent covenant, revealing their true deplorable condition and rebellion against God their King. With time to meditate on the law they had heard and prepare their hearts for further revelation, they did not humble themselves and seek clearer understanding but became careless, inattentive, lawless, and impatient to reach the land flowing with milk and honey. Forgetting that the land was promised only on condition of obedience, they determined to wait no longer for Moses whether to go forward to Canaan or back to Egypt.
Feeling helpless without their leader, they returned to old superstitions, led by those who first murmured. The calf was desired at the suggestion of those who had practiced Egyptian ox or calf worship, as an image to represent God and to go before them in place of Moses, though God had given no similitude of himself and had prohibited any material representation. Its making rejected the evidences given of him as the invisible, all-powerful Helper and only true God by miracles in Egypt and at the Red Sea, by the pillar of cloud and fire, and by his glory revealed on Sinai with the cloud still before them. In heart the people turned back to Egypt and represented the glory of the invisible God by the similitude of an ox. That worship was Egyptian sun-worship disguised as worship of Jehovah, professing to worship God while making the sun-god the real object of adoration so that God could not accept the service. It was accompanied by eating and drinking and singing and sensual dancing and other license, which explains terrible anger and the desire to consume them.
The stiffnecked character belonged especially to the mixed multitude, who first murmured and led the return to old superstitions, while the people as a whole were continually disposed to rebel against God, murmur against Moses in difficulty, and grieve him by unbelief and stubbornness. Their conduct provoked destruction and made leading them through to the promised land a laborious, soul-trying work. Aaron, left in charge, proved an unfaithful leader in this severe temptation: when pressed he yielded, gave first permission for wrongdoing that allowed idolatry to take hold, joined in carrying out the people's plans, and by compliance and calm assurance emboldened them to go to greater lengths in sin than had before entered their minds, exposing his weakness. He could have prevented the apostasy by standing for the right irrespective of consequences, unswervingly maintaining his own allegiance to God, citing the people to the perils of Sinai and reminding them of their solemn covenant to obey God's law, which would have checked the evil. Because the course once permitted could not be stopped without stern, decisive action, his failure warns leaders.
Judgment and Moses' Intercession
God had seen the character of the people, that they had corrupted themselves and quickly turned from His commands, and He declared that their sins had disannulled His covenant with them and forfeited His favor, so that He would disown them and consume them in wrath and justice called for their destruction. He could have checked the rebellion at the outset but suffered it to reach this height to teach all a lesson in His punishment of treason and apostasy.
His proposal to consume Israel and make of Moses a mighty and great nation, telling him to let Him alone, was a proving and trial of Moses to test his perseverance, faithfulness, love, and concern for such an erring and ungrateful people. In this crisis He spoke of Israel as Moses' people, testing him with the offer to reject them, while Moses pleaded for them and would not consent to their destruction or being blotted out. Moses' refusal showed he valued the prosperity of God's chosen people more highly than a great name for himself or being made father of a greater nation, and though his long labor among the unfaithful people seemed almost fruitless, he continued to carry the burden God had given him.
Moses besought God by His great power and mighty hand in bringing the people out of Egypt, pleaded that the Egyptians would accuse God of bringing them out for mischief to slay them in the mountains and consume them from the earth, and appealed to God's oath to Abraham and Isaac and Israel to multiply their seed as the stars of heaven and give them the land to inherit forever, and the Lord repented of the evil He had thought to do. God did not destroy the people as a whole or arbitrarily, but spared them, granted Moses' request, and gave Israel another opportunity to return to Him and repent; the humbled and repentant were pardoned. Their hardness and impenitence had threatened terrible consequences, yet Moses pleaded with God on their behalf and judgment was stayed for those who would turn.
Opportunity was still given for all who would turn from idolatry and come to the Lord's side, but persistent stubbornness had to be punished so rebellion would not remain in the camp; only those who stubbornly sided with rebellion were cut off, and about three thousand fell. Prompt punishment was an act of mercy as well as justice: it upheld God's law and authority, prevented the rebellion from spreading, protected Israel from ruin and enemy attack, and spared the transgressors from continuing in a course that would end in hatred and destruction.
Warning for God's People Today
The golden calf apostasy, committed while Moses was receiving the law, broke Israel's pledge of loyalty by worship of a golden image, a grave insult to God that threatened the survival of Abraham's promised line. God did not destroy the people as a whole, but those who stubbornly sided with rebellion were cut off while the humbled and repentant were pardoned, so the event stands as a witness to the guilt and punishment of idolatry and to God's justice and long-suffering mercy. That apostasy brought God's displeasure, seen in Israel's broken ranks and missing numbers, yet the people failed to learn from the punishment and later fell again into temptation.
Leading such a stiff-necked people was a laborious, soul-trying work, for they were continually disposed to rebel, to murmur against Moses in difficulty, and to grieve him by unbelief and stubbornness. Moses felt his own weakness and felt the greatness of the work committed to him as no other man had felt, with God ever as his counselor. Aaron and Miriam wrongly thought they bore the burden of the work as well as Moses because the Lord had spoken by them as well as by Moses. As the Lord looked upon Israel then, He looks upon His church now, which has had great blessings and the living oracles of God opened to its understanding and must be weaned from its idols and purified and made white and tried.
The history warns those guarding the youth to fear God, to trust Him, to walk tremblingly for fear of offending Him, and to learn wisdom and tact for emergencies instead of yielding to popular desire. Aaron, left in charge, proved unfaithful and united with the people in carrying out their plans instead of holding them to God's counsel, and he himself certainly would have been slain for his unfaithfulness had not Moses interceded in his behalf. His failure to stand firm as a rock against the idolatry warns that sentinels of the churches must not encourage anything savoring of idolatry. Faithful men must erect firm barriers to keep the leaven of disaffection and corruption out of the church, for opportunity is still given for all who will turn from idolatry and come to the Lord's side, but persistent stubbornness must be punished so rebellion will not remain in the camp.