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such　a　scene；　but　the　exhibition　of　God's　power　had　awed　them　to　repentance；
they　had　been　contemplating　His　glory；　purity；　and　mercy；　until　they　could
approach　nearer　to　Him　who　was　the　subject　of　their　meditations。

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Moses　and　〃his　minister　Joshua〃　were　now　summoned　to　meet　with　God。　And　as
they　were　to　be　some　time　absent；　the　leader　appointed　Aaron　and　Hur；
assisted　by　the　elders；　to　act　in　his　stead。　〃And　Moses　went　up　into　the
mount；　and　a　cloud　covered　the　mount。　And　the　glory　of　the　Lord　abode　upon
Mount　Sinai。〃　For　six　days　the　cloud　covered　the　mountain　as　a　token　of
God's　special　presence；　yet　there　was　no　revelation　of　Himself　or
communication　of　His　will。　During　this　time　Moses　remained　in　waiting　for　a
summons　to　the　presence　chamber　of　the　Most　High。　He　had　been　directed；
〃Come　up　to　Me　into　the　mount；　and　be　there；〃　and　though　his　patience　and
obedience　were　tested；　he　did　not　grow　weary　of　watching；　or　forsake　his
post。　This　period　of　waiting　was　to　him　a　time　of　preparation；　of　close
self…examination。　Even　this　favored　servant　of　God　could　not　at　once
approach　into　His　presence　and　endure　the　exhibitions　of　His　glory。　Six　days
must　be　employed　in　devoting　himself　to　God　by　searching　of　heart；
meditation；　and　prayer　before　he　could　be　prepared　for　direct　communication
with　his　Maker。

Upon　the　seventh　day；　which　was　the　Sabbath；　Moses　was　called　up　into　the
cloud。　The　thick　cloud　opened　in　the　sight　of　all　Israel；　and　the　glory　of
the　Lord　broke　forth　like　devouring　fire。　〃And　Moses　went　into　the　midst　of
the　cloud；　and　gat　him　up　into　the　mount；　and　Moses　was　in　the　mount　forty
days　and　forty　nights。〃　The　forty　days'　tarry　in　the　mount　did　not　include
the　six　days　of　preparation。　During　the　six　days　Joshua　was　with　Moses；　and
together　they　ate　of　the　manna　and　drank　of　〃the　brook　that　descended　out　of
the　mount。〃　But　Joshua　did　not　enter　with　Moses　into　the　cloud。　He　remained
without；　and　continued　to　eat　and　drink　daily　while　awaiting　the　return　of
Moses；　but　Moses　fasted　during　the　entire　forty　days。

During　his　stay　in　the　mount；　Moses　received　directions　for　the　building　of
a　sanctuary　in　which　the　divine　presence　would　be　specially　manifested。　〃Let
them　make　Me　a　sanctuary；　that　I　may　dwell　among　them〃　（Exodus　25：8）；　was
the　command　of　God。　For　the　third　time　the　observance　of　the　Sabbath　was
enjoined。　〃It　is　a　sign　between　Me　and　the　children　of　Israel　forever；〃　the
Lord　declared；　〃that　ye　may　know　that　I　am　Jehovah　that　doth　sanctify　you。
Ye　shall　keep　the　Sabbath　therefore；　for　it　is　holy　unto　you。　。　。　。
Whosoever　doeth　any　work　therein；　that　soul　shall　be　cut　off　from　among　his
people。〃　Exodus　31：17；

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13；　14。　Directions　had　just　been　given　for　the　immediate　erection
of　the　tabernacle　for　the　service　of　God；　and　now　the　people　might　conclude；
because　the　object　had　in　view　was　the　glory　of　God；　and　also　because　of
their　great　need　of　a　place　of　worship；　that　they　would　be　justified　in
working　at　the　building　upon　the　Sabbath。　To　guard　them　from　this　error；　the
warning　was　given。　Even　the　sacredness　and　urgency　of　that　special　work　for
God　must　not　lead　them　to　infringe　upon　His　holy　rest　day。

Henceforth　the　people　were　to　be　honored　with　the　abiding　presence　of　their
King。　〃I　will　dwell　among　the　children　of　Israel；　and　will　be　their　God；〃
〃and　the　tabernacle　shall　be　sanctified　by　My　glory〃　（Exodus　29：45；　43）；　was
the　assurance　given　to　Moses。　As　the　symbol　of　God's　authority　and　the
embodiment　of　His　will；　there　was　delivered　to　Moses　a　copy　of　the　Decalogue
engraved　by　the　finger　of　God　Himself　upon　two　tables　of　stone　（Deuteronomy
9：10；　Exodus　32：15；　16）；　to　be　sacredly　enshrined　in　the　sanctuary；　which；
when　made；　was　to　be　the　visible　center　of　the　nation's　worship。

From　a　race　of　slaves　the　Israelites　had　been　exalted　above　all　peoples　to
be　the　peculiar　treasure　of　the　King　of　kings。　God　had　separated　them　from
the　world；　that　He　might　commit　to　them　a　sacred　trust。　He　had　made　them　the
depositaries　of　His　law；　and　He　purposed；　through　them；　to　preserve　among
men　the　knowledge　of　Himself。　Thus　the　light　of　heaven　was　to　shine　out　to　a
world　enshrouded　in　darkness；　and　a　voice　was　to　be　heard　appealing　to　all
peoples　to　turn　from　their　idolatry　to　serve　the　living　God。　If　the
Israelites　would　be　true　to　their　trust；　they　would　become　a　power　in　the
world。　God　would　be　their　defense；　and　He　would　exalt　them　above　all　other
nations。　His　light　and　truth　would　be　revealed　through　them；　and　they　would
stand　forth　under　His　wise　and　holy　rule　as　an　example　of　the　superiority　of
His　worship　over　every　form　of　idolatry。




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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　28

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Idolatry　at　Sinai


While　Moses　was　absent　it　was　a　time　of　waiting　and　suspense　to　Israel。　The
people　knew　that　he　had　ascended　the　mount　with　Joshua；　and　had　entered　the
cloud　of　thick　darkness　which　could　be　seen　from　the　plain　below；　resting　on
the　mountain　peak；　illuminated　from　time　to　time　with　the　lightnings　of　the
divine　Presence。　They　waited　eagerly　for　his　return。　Accustomed　as　they　had
been　in　Egypt　to　material　representations　of　deity；　it　had　been　hard　for
them　to　trust　in　an　invisible　being；　and　they　had　come　to　rely　upon　Moses　to
sustain　their　faith。　Now　he　was　taken　from　them。　Day　after　day；　week　after
week　passed；　and　still　he　did　not　return。　Notwithstanding　the　cloud　was
still　in　view；　it　seemed　to　many　in　the　camp　that　their　leader　had　deserted
them；　or　that　he　had　been　consumed　by　the　devouring　fire。

During　this　period　of　waiting；　there　was　time　for　them　to　meditate　upon　the
law　of　God　which　they　had　heard；　and　to　prepare　their　hearts　to　receive　the
further　revelations　that　He　might　make　to　them。　They　had　none　too　much　time
for　this　work；　and　had　they　been　thus　seeking　a　clearer　understanding　of
God's　requirements；　and　humbling　their　hearts　before　Him；　they　would　have
been　shielded　from　temptation。　But　they　did　not　do　this；　and　they　soon
became　careless；　inattentive；　and　lawless。　Especially　was　this　the　case　with
the　mixed　multitude。　They　were　impatient　to　be　on　their　way　to　the　Land　of
Promisethe　land　flowing　with　milk　and　honey。　It　was　only　on　condition　of
obedience　that　the　goodly　land　was　promised　them；　but　they　had　lost　sight　of
this。　There　were　some　who　suggested　a　return　to　Egypt；　but　whether　forward
to　Canaan　or　backward　to　Egypt；　the　masses　of　the　people　were　determined　to
wait　no　longer　for　Moses。

Feeling　their　helplessness　in　the　absence　of　their　leader；　they

316

returned　to　their　old　superstitions。　The　〃mixed　multitude〃　had　been　the
first　to　indulge　murmuring　and　impatience；　and　they　were　the　leaders　in　the
apostasy　that　followed。　Among　the　objects　regarded　by　the　Egyptians　as
symbols　of　deity　was　the　ox　or　calf；　and　it　was　at　the　suggestion　of　those
who　had　practiced　this　form　of　idolatry　in　Egypt　that　a　calf　was　now　made
and　worshiped。　The　people　desired　some　image　to　represent　God；　and　to　go
before　them　in　the　place　of　Moses。　God　had　given　no　manner　of　similitude　of
Himself；　and　He　had　prohibited　any　material　representation　for　such　a
purpose。　The　mighty　miracles　in　Egypt　and　at　the　Red　Sea　were　designed　to
establish　faith　in　Him　as　the　invisible；　all…powerful　Helper　of　Israel；　the
only　true　God。　And　the　desire　for　some　visible　manifestation　of　His　presence
had　been　granted　in　the　pillar　of　cloud　and　of　fire　that　guided　their　hosts；
and　in　the　revealing　of　His　glory　upon　Mount　Sinai。　But　with　the　cloud　of
the　Presence　still　before　them；　they　turned　back　in　their　hearts　to　the
idolatry　of　Egypt；　and　represented　the　glory　of　the　invisible　God　by　the
similitude　of　an　ox！

In　the　absence　of　Moses；　the　judicial　authority　had　been　delegated　to　Aaron；
and　a　vast　crowd　gathered　about　his　tent；　with　the　demand；　〃Make　us　gods；
which　shall　go　before　us；　for　as　for　this　Moses；　the　man　that　brought　us　up
out　of　the　land　of　Egypt；　we　wot　not　what　is　become　of　him。＇*　SEE　APPENDIX；
NOTE　4。＇　The　cloud；　they　said；　that　had　heretofore　led　them；　now　rested
permanently　upon　the　mount；　it　would　no　longer　direct　their　travels。　They
must　have　an　image　in　its　place；　and　if；　as　had　been　suggested；　they　should
decide　to　return　to　Egypt；　they　would　find　favor　with　the　Egyptians　by
bearing　this　image　before　them　and　acknowledging　it　as　their　god。

Such　a　crisis　demanded　a　man　of　firmness；　decision；　and　unflinching　courage；
one　who　held　the　honor　of　God　above　popular　favor；　personal　safety；　or　life
itself。　But　the　present　leader　of　Israel　was　not　of　this　character。　Aaron
feebly　remonstrated　with　the　people；　but　his　wavering　and　timidity　at　the
critical　moment　only　rendered　them　the　more　determined。　The　tumult
increased。　A　blind；　unreasoning　frenzy　seemed　to　take　possession　of　the
multitude。　There　were　some　who　remained　true　to　their　covenant　with　God；　but
the　greater　part　of　the　people　joined　in　the　apostasy。　A　few　who　ventured　to
denounce　the　proposed　image