EXODUS 32
It would be happy if we could pass directly from what has been before us to the construction of the tabernacle. But to do so would be to ignore matters which, though sorrowful and humbling, are necessary to be known. If there were nothing to consider but the pattern shown in the mount, and the divinely given ability to make things according to it, all would be simple. But there are other elements [p. 275] of a very contrary nature: the power of Satan, and that upon which he can work even in the people of God; that is, the flesh. The result of this is that much has been brought into evidence which has no resemblance to the tabernacle system, but is positively idolatrous. And this has not been done in a corner, but so as to characterize the mass of those who are nominally Christian.
We must all have felt that there is a tremendous contrast between what we have been considering in the types of the tabernacle, and what goes on in the public profession of Christianity. God has given the light of the true tabernacle — the heavenly system — but if we look at the public result in this world we see a state of things which corresponds with the sad history in the chapter now before us. We can see the danger anticipated when Paul warns the Corinthians against idolatry (1 Corinthians 10: 7, 14), and when John exhorts the whole family of God to “keep yourselves from idols” (1 John 5: 21). And we know that there was idolatry in assemblies in Asia while John was in Patmos (Revelation 2: 14, 20). If idolatry had already come in while the apostles were here, we cannot wonder if it has developed since.
Christ has gone on high, and His people are left without a visible leader. But before He went away He said, “Ye believe on God, believe also on me” (John 14: 1). He is the Object of faith, though unseen, and it was getting away from that which led to idolatry coming in amongst the people of God. There were soon to be found those who might well have said of Christ, “We do not know what is become of him”! The affections and interests that should have been bound up with Christ in heaven, and with [p. 276] the whole system of heavenly things of which the tabernacle was a type, became engaged with material objects on earth.. Religious leaders, too, caused the people of God to err. It is sad to think of Aaron — the one marked out for such honour as priest — lending himself to the making of the molten calf. It shows how even good men can come under evil influences. I suppose that much that is idolatrous in its nature has been furthered in christendom by good men — true saints of God.
Jehovah was Israel’s glory — God their Saviour — but how soon they forgot Him, and “changed their glory into the similitude of an ox that eateth grass”! (Psalm 106: 19 - 21). We see here what the flesh is. Ready to forget everything that has come in as light and deliverance from God, and instead of making a sanctuary for God to dwell amongst them, making a calf to shut Him out completely!
The tabernacle was “the figurative representations of the things in the heavens”. It set forth in figure what is connected with Christ in heaven. As soon as that system came into view the enemy was busy at work to introduce elements of idolatry and man-pleasing. His object was that Christ in heaven should be forgotten, that men should rejoice in the works of their own hands, and that material things should displace what is spiritual. He would have men to carry on religious services — burnt-offerings and peace-offerings — and he would connect God’s Name with it all (see verses 5, 6), but all to please men, not God. “The people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to sport”! How many things are carried on as the service of God, and His Name connected with them, which are done to please men, and which are [p. 277] really idolatrous in character because they serve to shut out what God is as revealed in grace in His beloved Son!
Now, we may ask, Why is all this brought before us? Well, in the first place, that we may learn what we are according to the flesh; and that we may see that the flesh is not changed even in those who have had the most remarkable opportunities of knowing the true God and experiencing His saving and sustaining power and grace. This casts faith entirely on God, and brings about a thorough ceasing from man whose breath is in his nostrils. It prepares the exercised soul to see that all must depend on what God is, as known in the sovereignty of mercy, and on what He effects in His people by His own work in the power of the Spirit. It results in the learning of God’s ways and glory much more deeply than before. So that He may have a truly devoted and intelligent people who can make the tabernacle “according to all that Jehovah had commanded”.
None of the precious thoughts set forth in the tabernacle could be established in connection with man in the flesh. That order of man could not make the tabernacle. Indeed this was clearly intimated in chapter 31 by the fact that divine calling and endowment, and a God-given state of heart, were essential to that work. A new order of man characterized by the presence of the Spirit and by divine teaching could alone give effect to what was in the will of God.
Then there is also much instruction here as to the peculiar exercises which faith has to take up in presence of conditions amongst the people of God which are dishonouring to Him. We see the course which faith [p. 278] takes, and by which God is honoured, under such circumstances. This is viewed in several different aspects. We see, too, the faithfulness of God to His promise, but also His dealing in righteous government with that which displeases Him.
God has come out as a Saviour-God that He might be the “glory” of His creature once fallen and lost. A head bowed to glorify Him as God, and a heart uplifted in thankfulness to Him, will preserve us from idolatry (see Romans 1: 21). But “a stiff-necked people” (verse 9) will not bow, will not glorify God as God; there is will at work. This ever marks the actings of the flesh. But if I do not bow in subdued thankfulness before God I shall inevitably bow to something that is of the creature, and lose my true glory. We have adversaries who love to see us stripped of our gold (see verse 25). It is what is of God that is our gold — our true glory — and we give it up if we become idolaters. It would be good for us to cherish our true glory more. Everything that I can glory in according to the flesh is really a shame to me. People glory in their self-will, but that is truly their shame. Man is only in honour when God has His place with him. How careful should we be not to corrupt ourselves! If God is not before us as the One whom we love to glorify, and towards whom we are thankful, and if Christ is not a present reality to us as living in heaven, you may depend upon it that some form of idolatry is not far off.
The intercession of Moses is very beautiful. He would not accept Jehovah’s proposal to make of him a great nation. He reminded God of the great deliverance which He had effected for His people. Then he reminded Him of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, His [p. 279] servants, and of the promise that the seed would be secured for the inheritance. He put all on the ground of redemption and promise. That could not be suffered to fail whatever the people were. In Moses we see one who would view the people from the standpoint of God’s actings and promises, and not from the standpoint of what they were according to the flesh; and this is where faith comes in. He knew God; it says he “besought Jehovah his God”; he addressed One whom he knew personally; it is a beautiful touch. We can always fall back upon what God has done, and upon His promise and purpose, and faith views the people of God in the light of that. It connects them with God; “thy people”; and what a difference that makes!
What a contrast there is here between Aaron and Moses! Aaron afraid of the people and, instead of protesting against their idolatrous wishes, actually making the calf; and then excusing himself in a way which is just a sample of the kind of excuses people make for doing evil (verse 24). Moses comes down in an energy that could take a stand single-handed against six hundred thousand men, that could execute judgment on their sin, and maintain what was due to God. It is just the contrast between the servant who is with men and the servant who is with God. If a man acts with God he always acts in power. He may have plenty of exercise as to his own weakness in secret, but in public he acts in power and with no uncertainty or hesitation.
“Jehovah repented of the evil that he had said he would do to his people”. He would not consume them. But it was evident that the people as in the flesh could not bear the law. It must have utterly [p. 280] condemned them. So it was permitted of God that Moses should shatter the tables, as a striking figure of the fact that, so far as man in the flesh is concerned, His law is a broken and dishonoured thing. But Moses had been told on the mount of the Ark of the testimony. He knew that God had in His mind an Ark in which those tables would be cherished and secure. Before the breakdown of the people God had made known that He had Christ in reserve, and that the Ark and the Mercy-seat were the centre of His system. His will would be secured in Christ, and would be available in pure mercy for the blessing of men. The utter failure of the people was to teach them, and us too, the absolute necessity for this.
Moses coming down from the mountain to expose and judge what was going on in the camp is very much like the Lord’s attitude in Revelation 2, Revelation 3. He takes His place in the midst of the seven lamps to pass judgment upon what is evil and idolatrous, and also to take account of such faithfulness as might answer to what was found in the sons of Levi.
Moses “took the calf that they had made, and burned it with fire, and ground it to powder, and strewed it on the water, and made the children of Israel drink it”. This is very solemn. If I make an idol I shall have to drink it in bitterness; I shall have to taste what it really is. God is set on reality with His people, and if we play with things of an idolatrous nature God will teach us, sooner or later, the real character of what we have played with. “Whatever a man shall sow, that also shall he reap. For he that sows to his own flesh, shall reap corruption from the flesh; but he that sows to the Spirit, from the Spirit shall reap eternal life” (Galatians 6: 7, 8). In thinking much of God’s grace we must also remember His righteous government; it is as certain and inexorable as His grace is rich and free. I suppose there are few saints who have not, at one time or another, had to drink the consequences of idolatry. We got an object before us which for the time displaced God, and we had eventually to taste its true character. This is to make us flee from idolatry. God does not deal with us merely in a punitive way, but as instructing us in love that we may “profit, in order to the partaking of his holiness” (Hebrews 12: 10). He wants us to be as far apart morally from everything that is evil as He is Himself.
Then there is a further thing — a call for action. “Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, He that is for Jehovah, let him come to me. And all the sons of Levi gathered to him. And he said to them, Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel: Put every man his sword upon his hip; go and return from gate to gate through the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his friend, and every man his neighbour”. In a day of departure if we would have the Lord’s approval we must be overcomers. This is manifest in Revelation 2, Revelation 3. The sword must be drawn against every influence that corrupts the people of God, even though it may have place in those nearest to us. It might seem very severe to treat brethren, friends, neighbours in this way, but it was the only way to be consecrated to Jehovah, and to secure His blessing. When what is due to the Lord is in question it is with those nearest to you that you have to be most decided. There is no particular consecration in drawing the sword against people you care nothing about. But to take a definite stand for the Lord [p. 282] against influences which are not of Him even in those that you regard and truly love secures great blessing. See the wonderful blessing Levi got in Deuteronomy 33: 8 - 11!
If I am going on with something that does not recognize the rights of Christ, or maintain what is due to God, the kindest thing you can do is to take a definite stand against it. I may now call you narrow, uncharitable, bigoted! But when I meet you in the light of the judgment seat of Christ I shall thank you for it!
But if we speak of drawing the sword in this way, let us remember that the same man who said in the camp, “Slay every man his brother” went up to Jehovah and said, “And now, if thou wilt forgive their sin ... but if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book that thou hast written”. It was the same Spirit of Christ which led him to take a decided stand in public against those who had allowed what was contrary to God that led him to go up and pray for them in secret with such intense yearning for their good. He went as far as it was possible for man to go in the way of self-sacrifice. He could not be made a curse for them; only the Blessed One could go to that depth; but he was truly in the Spirit of Christ. It might be thought that slaying the people and interceding for them were not consistent. But the same Spirit of Christ that would stand for Jehovah even against the nearest and dearest was the Spirit that would plead with God to be blotted out rather than that they should not be forgiven. The man who takes the strongest ground against me when I am wrong, and when I have set aside what is due to the Lord, is probably the one who prays most for me.
[p. 283] There is a solemn word here as to the government of God. Jehovah’s Angel would go before Moses, “but in the day of my visiting I will visit their sin upon them”. It was more than seven hundred years before the sin was visited in the captivity (see Amos 5: 25 - 27). The wheels of God’s government go round slowly, but very surely.