(Exodus) Exodus 32:30-35 — J. Vernon McGee

Moses Offers Atonement for Israel

Now, will you notice, we move on to verse 30, "...it came to pass on the morrow that Moses said unto the people, Ye have sinned a great sin, and now I will go up unto the Lord. Peradventure I shall make an atonement for you.".

Atonement as the Covering of Sin

That is, an atonement was that which was made to cover up sin. That's the way it was handled before Christ came and then it was removed. Now, verse 31 is actually another reason that Moses gives to God for him not destroying the people but taking them up into the promised land.

Confessing Israel’s Sin Before God

We saw three last time. Now, here is the fourth. "...And Moses returned unto the Lord, and said, O this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold.". What is that? Confession. If you want to get along with God, you will have to agree with Him about sin.

Sin is sin, and it must be confessed. And I don't care who it is, and these are God's people. And Moses goes up and said, we've sinned. This people have sinned. It's a great sin. They've made gods of gold, and he spelled out the sin.

And I think that's the thing we ought to do when we confess our sins. Spell it out before God. Now, listen to Moses. Verse 32. "...Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin...". I don't know what Moses was going to say after that, because now he changes his tack and listen to him.

Moses Identifies Himself with the People

"...And if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written.". And Moses said, I take my place with the people. I identify myself with them. And if you intend to blot them out, blot me out.

Remember, God told him, I can make good my covenant to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob by just simply making a nation from you. Moses said, now, I identify myself with the people. If you don't intend to bring them into the land, then blot me out with them.

God’s Individual Judgment on Sin

Now, notice, this is what moves the heart of God that moves the hand of God. "...And the Lord said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.". God deals individually and personally with sin.

God Leads Israel Through His Angel

Verse 34. "...Therefore now go, lead the people unto 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.".

Now, God says, I'll deal with it personally. And I will take the people up, though. I'll take those up that have not sinned. And my angel will go with me. Now, the angel of the Lord in the Old Testament, we said, is the visible presence of Christ, the pre-incarnate Christ.

The angel of the Lord always reveals the presence of deity, God appearing to man.