patriarchs and prophets-第82章
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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 went； and in his
confession before God he said； 〃Oh； this people have sinned a great sin； and
have made them gods of gold。 Yet now if Thou wilt forgive their sin； and
if not； blot me； I pray Thee； out of Thy book which Thou hast written。〃 The
answer was； 〃Whosoever hath sinned against Me； him will I blot out of My
book。 Therefore now go； lead the people into the place of which I have
spoken unto thee： behold； Mine Angel shall go before thee： nevertheless； in
the day when I visit； I will visit their sin upon them。〃
In the prayer of Moses our minds are directed to the heavenly records in
which the names of all men are inscribed； and their deeds； whether good or
evil； are faithfully registered。 The book of life contains the names of all
who have ever entered the service of God。 If any of these depart from Him；
and by stubborn persistence in sin become finally hardened against the
influences of His Holy Spirit； their names will in the judgment be blotted
from the book of life； and they themselves will be devoted to destruction。
Moses realized how dreadful would be the fate of the sinner； yet if the
people of Israel were to be rejected by the Lord； he desired his name to be
blotted out with theirs； he could not endure to see the judgments of God
fall upon those who had been so graciously delivered。 The intercession of
Moses in behalf of Israel illustrates the mediation of Christ for sinful
men。 But the Lord did not permit Moses to bear； as did Christ； the guilt of
the transgressor。 〃Whosoever
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hath sinned against Me；〃 He said； 〃him will I blot out of My book。〃
In deep sadness the people had buried their dead。 Three thousand had fallen
by the sword； a plague had soon after broken out in the encampment； and now
the message came to them that the divine Presence would no longer accompany
them in their journeyings。 Jehovah had declared； 〃I will not go up in the
midst of thee； for thou art a stiffnecked people： lest I consume thee in the
way。〃 And the command was given； 〃Put off thy ornaments from thee； that I
may know what to do unto thee。〃 Now there was mourning throughout the
encampment。 In penitence and humiliation 〃the children of Israel stripped
themselves of their ornaments by the mount Horeb。〃
By the divine direction the tent that had served as a temporary place of
worship was removed 〃afar off from the camp。〃 This was still further
evidence that God had withdrawn His presence from them。 He would reveal
Himself to Moses； but not to such a people。 The rebuke was keenly felt； and
to the conscience…smitten multitudes it seemed a foreboding of greater
calamity。 Had not the Lord separated Moses from the camp that He might
utterly destroy them？ But they were not left without hope。 The tent was
pitched without the encampment； but Moses called it 〃the tabernacle of the
congregation。〃 All who were truly penitent； and desired to return to the
Lord； were directed to repair thither to confess their sins and seek His
mercy。 When they returned to their tents Moses entered the tabernacle。 With
agonizing interest the people watched for some token that his intercessions
in their behalf were accepted。 If God should condescend to meet with him；
they might hope that they were not to be utterly consumed。 When the cloudy
pillar descended； and stood at the entrance of the tabernacle； the people
wept for joy； and they 〃rose up and worshiped； every man in his tent door。〃
Moses knew well the perversity and blindness of those who were placed under
his care； he knew the difficulties with which he must contend。 But he had
learned that in order to prevail with the people； he must have helped from
God。 He pleaded for a clearer revelation of God's will and for an assurance
of His presence： 〃See； Thou sayest unto me； Bring up this people： and Thou
hast not let me know whom Thou wilt send with me。 Yet Thou
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hast said； I know thee by name； and thou hast also found grace in My sight。
Now therefore； I pray Thee； if I have found grace in Thy sight； show me now
Thy way； that I may know Thee； that I may find grace in Thy sight： and
consider that this nation is Thy people。〃
The answer was； 〃My presence shall go with thee； and I will give thee rest。〃
But Moses was not yet satisfied。 There pressed upon his soul a sense of the
terrible results should God leave Israel to hardness and impenitence。 He
could not endure that his interests should be separated from those of his
brethren； and he prayed that the favor of God might be restored to His
people； and that the token of His presence might continue to direct their
journeyings： 〃If Thy presence go not with me； carry us not up hence。 For
wherein shall it be known here that I and Thy people have found grace in Thy
sight？ is it not in that Thou goest with us？ So shall we be separated； I and
Thy people； from all the people that are upon the face of the earth。〃
And the Lord said； 〃I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken： for
thou hast found grace in My sight； and I know thee by name。〃 Still the
prophet did not cease pleading。 Every prayer had been answered； but he
thirsted for greater tokens of God's favor。 He now made a request that no
human being had ever made before： 〃I beseech Thee； show me Thy glory。〃
God did not rebuke his request as presumptuous； but the gracious words were
spoken； 〃I will make all My goodness pass before thee。〃 The unveiled glory
of God； no man in this mortal state can look upon and live； but Moses was
assured that he should behold as much of the divine glory as he could
endure。 Again he was summoned to the mountain summit； then the hand that
made the world； that hand that 〃removeth the mountains； and they know not〃
（Job 9：5）； took this creature of the dust； this mighty man of faith； and
placed him in a cleft of the rock； while the glory of God and all His
goodness passed before him。
This experienceabove all else the promise that the divine Presence would
attend himwas to Moses an assurance of success in the work before him； and
he counted it of infinitely greater worth than all the learning of Egypt or
all his attainments as a statesman or a military leader。 No earthly power or
skill or learning can supply the place of God's abiding presence。
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To the transgressor it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the
living God； but Moses stood alone in the presence of the Eternal One； and he
was not afraid； for his soul was in harmony with the will of his Maker。 Says
the psalmist； 〃If I regard iniquity in my heart； the Lord will not hear me。〃
Psalm 66：18。 But 〃the secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him； and He
will show them His covenant。〃 Psalm 25：14。
The Deity proclaimed Himself； 〃The Lord； The Lord God； merciful and
gracious； long…suffering； and abundant in goodness and truth； keeping mercy
for thousands； forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin； and that will
by no means clear the guilty。〃
〃Moses made haste； and bowed his head toward the earth； and worshiped。〃
Again he entreated that God would pardon the iniquity of His people； and
take them for His inheritance。 His prayer was granted。 The Lord graciously
promised to renew His favor to Israel； and in their behalf to do marvels
such as had not been done 〃in all the earth； nor in any nation。〃
Forty days and nights Moses remained in the mount； and during all this time；
as at the first； he was miraculously sustained。 No man had been permitted to
go up with him； nor during the time of his absence were any to approach the
mount。 At God's command he had prepared two tables of stone； and had taken
them with him to the summit； and again the Lord 〃wrote upon the tables the
words of the covenant； the Ten Commandments。〃 ＇* SEE APPENDIX； NOTE 5。＇
During that long time spent in communion with God； the face of Moses had
reflected the glory of the divine Presence； unknown to himself his face
shown with a dazzling light
