patriarchs and prophets-第81章

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Egypt。〃　It　was　he　who　had　been　with　Moses　on　the　mount；　and　had　there　beheld
the　glory　of　the　Lord；　who　had　seen　that　in　the　manifestation　of　that　glory
there　was　nothing　of　which　an　image　could　be　madeit　was　he　who　had　changed
that　glory　into　the　similitude　of　an　ox。　He　to　whom　God　had　committed　the
government　of　the　people　in　the　absence　of　Moses；　was　found　sanctioning
their　rebellion。　〃The　Lord　was　very　angry　with　Aaron　to　have　destroyed　him。〃
Deuteronomy　9：20。　But　in　answer　to　the　earnest　intercession　of　Moses；　his
life　was　spared；　and　in　penitence　and　humiliation　for　his　great　sin；　he　was
restored　to　the　favor　of　God。

If　Aaron　had　had　courage　to　stand　for　the　right；　irrespective　of
consequences；　he　could　have　prevented　that　apostasy。　If　he　had　unswervingly
maintained　his　own　allegiance　to　God；　if　he　had　cited　the　people　to　the
perils　of　Sinai；　and　had　reminded　them　of　their　solemn　covenant　with　God　to
obey　His　law；　the　evil　would　have　been　checked。　But　his　compliance　with　the
desires　of　the　people　and　the　calm　assurance　with　which　he　proceeded　to
carry　out　their　plans；　emboldened　them　to　go　to　greater　lengths　in　sin　than
had　before　entered　their　minds。

When　Moses；　on　returning　to　the　camp；　confronted　the　rebels；　his　severe
rebukes　and　the　indignation　he　displayed　in　breaking　the　sacred　tables　of
the　law　were　contrasted　by　the　people　with　his　brother's　pleasant　speech　and
dignified　demeanor；　and　their　sympathies　were　with　Aaron。　To　justify
himself；　Aaron　endeavored　to　make　the　people　responsible　for　his　weakness　in
yielding　to　their　demand；　but　notwithstanding　this；　they　were　filled　with
admiration　of　his　gentleness　and　patience。　But　God　seeth　not　as　man　sees。
Aaron's　yielding　spirit　and　his　desire　to　please　had　blinded　his　eyes　to　the
enormity　of　the　crime　he　was　sanctioning。　His　course　in　giving　his　influence
to　sin　in　Israel　cost　the　life　of　thousands。　In　what　contrast　with　this　was
the　course　of　Moses；　who；　while　faithfully　executing　God's　judgments；　showed
that　the　welfare　of　Israel　was　dearer　to　him　than　prosperity　or　honor　or
life。

Of　all　the　sins　that　God　will　punish；　none　are　more　grievous　in　His　sight
than　those　that　encourage　others　to　do　evil。　God

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would　have　His　servants　prove　their　loyalty　by　faithfully　rebuking
transgression；　however　painful　the　act　may　be。　Those　who　are　honored　with　a
divine　commission　are　not　to　be　weak；　pliant　time…servers。　They　are　not　to
aim　at　self…exaltation；　or　to　shun　disagreeable　duties；　but　to　perform　God's
work　with　unswerving　fidelity。

Though　God　had　granted　the　prayer　of　Moses　in　sparing　Israel　from
destruction；　their　apostasy　was　to　be　signally　punished。　The　lawlessness　and
insubordination　into　which　Aaron　had　permitted　them　to　fall；　if　not　speedily
crushed；　would　run　riot　in　wickedness；　and　would　involve　the　nation　in
irretrievable　ruin。　By　terrible　severity　the　evil　must　be　put　away。　Standing
in　the　gate　of　the　camp；　Moses　called　to　the　people；　〃Who　is　on　the　Lord's
side？　let　him　come　unto　me。〃　Those　who　had　not　joined　in　the　apostasy　were
to　take　their　position　at　the　right　of　Moses；　those　who　were　guilty　but
repentant；　at　the　left。　The　command　was　obeyed。　It　was　found　that　the　tribe
of　Levi　had　taken　no　part　in　the　idolatrous　worship。　From　among　other　tribes
there　were　great　numbers　who；　although　they　had　sinned；　now　signified　their
repentance。　But　a　large　company；　mostly　of　the　mixed　multitude　that
instigated　the　making　of　the　calf；　stubbornly　persisted　in　their　rebellion。
In　the　name　of　〃the　Lord　God　of　Israel；〃　Moses　now　commanded　those　upon　his
right　hand；　who　had　kept　themselves　clear　of　idolatry；　to　gird　on　their
swords　and　slay　all　who　persisted　in　rebellion。　〃And　there　fell　of　the
people　that　day　about　three　thousand　men。〃　Without　regard　to　position；
kindred；　or　friendship；　the　ringleaders　in　wickedness　were　cut　off；　but　all
who　repented　and　humbled　themselves　were　spared。

Those　who　performed　this　terrible　work　of　judgment　were　acting　by　divine
authority；　executing　the　sentence　of　the　King　of　heaven。　Men　are　to　beware
how　they；　in　their　human　blindness；　judge　and　condemn　their　fellow　men；　but
when　God　commands　them　to　execute　His　sentence　upon　iniquity；　He　is　to　be
obeyed。　Those　who　performed　this　painful　act；　thus　manifested　their
abhorrence　of　rebellion　and　idolatry；　and　consecrated　themselves　more　fully
to　the　service　of　the　true　God。　The　Lord　honored　their　faithfulness　by
bestowing　special　distinction　upon　the　tribe　of　Levi。

The　Israelites　had　been　guilty　of　treason；　and　that　against　a　King　who　had
loaded　them　with　benefits　and　whose　authority　they　had　voluntarily　pledged
themselves　to　obey。　That　the　divine

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government　might　be　maintained　justice　must　be　visited　upon　the　traitors。
Yet　even　here　God's　mercy　was　displayed。　While　He　maintained　His　law；　He
granted　freedom　of　choice　and　opportunity　for　repentance　to　all。　Only　those
were　cut　off　who　persisted　in　rebellion。

It　was　necessary　that　this　sin　should　be　punished；　as　a　testimony　to
surrounding　nations　of　God's　displeasure　against　idolatry。　By　executing
justice　upon　the　guilty；　Moses；　as　God's　instrument；　must　leave　on　record　a
solemn　and　public　protest　against　their　crime。　As　the　Israelites　should
hereafter　condemn　the　idolatry　of　the　neighboring　tribes；　their　enemies
would　throw　back　upon　them　the　charge　that　the　people　who　claimed　Jehovah　as
their　God　had　made　a　calf　and　worshiped　it　in　Horeb。　Then　though　compelled
to　acknowledge　the　disgraceful　truth；　Israel　could　point　to　the　terrible
fate　of　the　transgressors；　as　evidence　that　their　sin　had　not　been
sanctioned　or　excused。

Love　no　less　than　justice　demanded　that　for　this　sin　judgment　should　be
inflicted。　God　is　the　guardian　as　well　as　the　sovereign　of　His　people。　He
cuts　off　those　who　are　determined　upon　rebellion；　that　they　may　not　lead
others　to　ruin。　In　sparing　the　life　of　Cain；　God　had　demonstrated　to　the
universe　what　would　be　the　result　of　permitting　sin　to　go　unpunished。　The
influence　exerted　upon　his　descendants　by　his　life　and　teaching　led　to　the
state　of　corruption　that　demanded　the　destruction　of　the　whole　world　by　a
flood。　The　history　of　the　antediluvians　testifies　that　long　life　is　not　a
blessing　to　the　sinner；　God's　great　forbearance　did　not　repress　their
wickedness。　The　longer　men　lived；　the　more　corrupt　they　became。

So　with　the　apostasy　at　Sinai。　Unless　punishment　had　been　speedily　visited
upon　transgression；　the　same　results　would　again　have　been　seen。　The　earth
would　have　become　as　corrupt　as　in　the　days　of　Noah。　Had　these　transgressors
been　spared；　evils　would　have　followed；　greater　than　resulted　from　sparing
the　life　of　Cain。　It　was　the　mercy　of　God　that　thousands　should　suffer；　to
prevent　the　necessity　of　visiting　judgments　upon　millions。　In　order　to　save
the　many；　He　must　punish　the　few。　Furthermore；　as　the　people　had　cast　off
their　allegiance　to　God；　they　had　forfeited　the　divine　protection；　and；
deprived　of　their　defense；　the　whole　nation　was　exposed　to　the　power　of
their　enemies。　Had　not　the　evil　been　promptly　put　away；　they　would　soon　have
fallen　a　prey　to　their　numerous　and　powerful　foes。　It　was　necessary

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for　the　good　of　Israel；　and　also　as　a　lesson　to　all　succeeding　generations；
that　crime　should　be　promptly　punished。　And　it　was　no　less　a　mercy　to　the
sinners　themselves　that　they　should　be　cut　short　in　their　evil　course。　Had
their　life　been　spared；　the　same　spirit　that　led　them　to　rebel　against　God
would　have　been　manifested　in　hatred　and　strife　among　themselves；　and　they
would　eventually　have　destroyed　one　another。　It　was　in　love　to　the　world；　in
love　to　Israel；　and　even　to　the　transgressors；　that　crime　was　punished　with
swift　and　terrible　severity。

As　the　people　were　roused　to　see　the　enormity　of　their　guilt；　terror
pervaded　the　entire　encampment。　It　was　feared　that　every　offender　was　to　be
cut　off。　Pitying　their　distress；　Moses　promised　to　plead　once　more　with　God
for　them。

〃Ye　have　sinned　a　great　sin；〃　he　said；　〃and　now　I　will　go　up　unto　the　Lord；
peradventure　I　shall　make　an　atonement　for　your　sin。〃　He