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ATALEOF
TWO PROPHETS
byJon
Hill
Mases, speaking as a friend
to a friend, begged God to
repent of His thought of de–
stroying al/ Israel as punish–
ment for their worship of a
golden calf alter the Exodus–
and God repentedl Merciful
Mases "saved" a nation. But
he had yet to understand
God's seeming callousness in
seeking to "destroy"
so
many
people.
G
od had relented and yielded
to Moses' plea to save Israel
that day of the provocation
with the golden calf. Moses went
down the mountain with fury,
power and merey 10 set things
straight. The whole tribe of Levi
joined in his endeavor and qualified
lo become a priesthood tribe. serv–
ing to join Israel to its God. The
immediate crisis partially solved.
Moses returned to God on the
mountain to intercede once more on
behalf of his Hebrews.
Again. boldly approaching the
throne of grace, Moses spoke with
deep and loving emotion lo his Cre–
ator about His people: "Oh. Eterna!
One
(YH V
H).
these people of yours
have sinned a great sin- lhey have
made themselves gods of gold . Yel
now if you will only forgive their
sin-and if not, then kili
me
instead
of them. even blot
me
out of the
book of life that only you can
write!" (Ex. 32:31. 32.)
Surely lhe God of all love could
not help but be moved by such a
selfless. loving, merciful plea! This
One to whom Moses spoke. who
was to become the Christ; lhis One.
who by the design of Himself and
His Father was yet to appear on the
world sccne, emptied of being God,
subject to death as a human being,
willing to give His life to atone for
all sinners; lhis One whose inner
26
thoughts would be so much like
Moses' (only on a much grander
scale) when He would say. al 1he
po int of dealh on the cross. "Father.
forgive lhcm. for lhey know not
whal lhey do!": this One who would
taste death for.
in the stead of,
every–
one; lhis One. the Savior ofall man–
kind; lhis One, to become Jesus the
Christ, lhe only name under heaven
whereby men may be saved: this
One. ever-living. all-powerful. glori–
ous God, willing to sacrifice
ALL
10
save murderous. evil, sinning. God–
defying mankind;
this One fui/y un–
derstood and sympathized complete/y
with Moses' desire for merey . for
grace. lt was Moses who needed to
understand total merey in its total
context.
And
YH VH
was ready lo teach
him.
God's Prerogative
"Whoever has sinned againsl me
wi ll be blotted out of my book.
Moses. Now you go lead 1he people
10 the place
1
told you about, and
1
will punish whom
1
will punish!"
(Verses 33. 34.)
Moses obeyed. The people were
solemnly and soberly asscmbled 10
await their fa le al lhe hand of lheir
God. Moses and God conlinued
their conversation. deliberaling
what was to be done (Ex. 33:5-23).
Moses:
Great
YH VH,
you have
been telling me. "Take lhese people
lo lhe promised land." bul you
haven'l lold me whom you will send
with me. You say you are my friend
and thal 1 have found grace in your
eyes. Please, if lhis is really so. guide
me clearly in lhe way you wanl me
to travel so thal 1 will understand
you and walk acceptably before
you. And never forge1 thal lhis na–
tion is your people!
YH VH:
1myself will go wi th you
and give you success!
Moses:
lf you aren't going with
us, don'l send us. Don't let us move
a step from lhis place. lf you don't
go with us. who will ever know that
1
and my people
have found favor
and grace in your eyes, and thal we
are ditferenl from every o1her
people on the face oflhe earth?
YH VH:
Yes. Moses.
1
will do
what you havc asked. for you have
certainly found grace and favor wi lh
me. and you are my friend.
Moses:
Oh. great and merciful
God. thank you. Dare
1
ask one
more tbing? Permit me to see your
glory!
YHVH:
1
will make my goodness.
my glory. to pass before you. and
1
will announce the full meaning of
my name:
YHVH.
But one 1hing
rou
mus1 understand. Moscs. is thal
·it is l. not you. who must decide
when and
10
whom
10
be gracious.
1
will be gracious 10 whom
1
will be
gracious. and
r
wiU show merey on
whom
l
will show merey. My friend
Moses, your hearl. your altilude.
your intent, your concern. your love
are all in complete harmony wilh
my own. Your purpose is my pur–
pose. But both lhe power 10 perform
il and the time frame in which it
must be done are mine. and mine
alone. Don't be impatient!
Now. you can'l see ·my glory face
10 face or it would destroy you. but
you stand here on this rock beside
me, and when my glory gocs by. l
wi ll pul you in lhe cleft of lhe rock
and cover you wilh my hand until 1
have passed. Then 1will remove my
hand and you shall see my back. but
no1 my face.
Key
of
Timlng
For the lesson in patience Moses
learned. we must cheat a little and
go lo the New Testament. Pe1er tells
us in his second epistle. chapter 3,
verse 8: " But. beloved, be nol igno–
rant of
this one lhing,
that onc day is
wilh the Lord as a thousand years.
and a thousand years as one day.
The Lord is not slack concerning his
The
PLAIN TRUTH May 1977