Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1881-09-08
IDOLATRY PUNISHED.


Not long after the events connected
with the giving of the law on Sinai,
Moses was again called up into the
noun tain. Here, after some other com.
munications, God met him III glorious
cloud the sight OF which was like de-
vouring fire. Ii was at this time that
God showed to him ihe pattern of the
tabernacle, and gave directions with re.
spect to its furniture and service, and
the consecration of Aaron and his sons
to the priests office. Solemn charges
were added with respect To the keeping
of the Sabbath. Also the two tables OF
testimony were given to him. His stay
lasted forty days and forty nights. dur.
ing which he neither ate nor drank.
Meanwhile, quite other scenes were
transpirng in the camp below. To the
people the absence of Moses seemed
long. More than a month before they
had seen him pass into the luminous
cloud and disappear from sight. What
if the "devouring fire. had consumed
him? In their impatience they lost
faith in God and in Moses. They must
set out anew; undera new leader. which
would be Aaron, and under another
symbol of the divine presence, if not
another God. SO they said, "Up, make
us gods which shall go before US for as
for this Moses, we know not what has
become of him. Aaron had not the
courage and faith to refuse. He took
the earrings and other ornaments Of
gold which they brought him, and made
AN image. Doubtless it was like the
Egyptian Apis, TO the worship OF which
they had been used in Egypt. 1t had
the form OF 2 calf, or agricultural OK,
and represented the powers of nature.
Then he said: These be thy Gods, q
Israel, which brought thee no out OF
the land of Israel
The Lord was greatly displeased. He
told Moses what had been done, and
threatened to destroy the whole people.
so far as appears only the earnest inter.
cession of Moses saved them. As Moses
went down from the Mount he heard
the sound of reyelry in the camp; for
Aaron had proclaimed "a feast to Jeho.
vahn in honor of the idol. In his in.
dignation he cast the tables out OF his
hands and broke them. This lesson is
an account of the punishment Mt inflicted
upon the people for their sin.
One question likely to arise in connec
ton with the lesson Is, What was there
so very sinful in what they did"
1t was direct and plain breaking Of
one of those commandments which had
but Just been given them. Amid great
signs, and in the most solemn manner,
God had Just said to them: Thou shalt
not make unto thee any craven image
or Likeness for the purposes Of worship.
l. & a. |. 4.
the very face of Jehovah. 1t was also
a violation OF corenant VOWS, for they
had said "All that the Lord hath
spoken unto US, we viii do"
But this was not all ldolatry Is a
peculiarly dangerous sin. II IA not like.
ly that Israel meant to cast off Jehovah.
Aaron said when he had finished the
calf, TO morrow Is i feast to the Lord,
ldolatTy is q transgressiOn OF the second
commandment, not OF the first. 1t Is
an attempt to escape the sense Of the
spiritual presence OF a holy God. In
part II is an effort TO make worship
easier, to save the trouble and weariness
of spiritual effort, to escape labor OF the
soul. Then. it Is an attempt to bring
God down 10 mans spiritual level. The
thought OF the worshipper never habit.
ually rises above the moral level OF the
creature II has framed to represent him.
The image never includes--it excludes
the idea of Gods purity. 1t Il a de
vice of men who liked not to retain a
holy God in their knowledge. 1t orig
mates in a sensual tendency, and leads
to sensual practice. This is always the
case. The heather gods never made
I.a l. Il 81
that, having got their calf to represent
Jehovah. Israel should give themselves
to licentious reve.ries.
No special difficulty is to be found in
the manner in which punishment was
inflicted. 1t was needlul that il should
be made to appear that God is earnest
in his commands, and that sin is both
hateful and unsafe. And he may choose
his own agents for the tuhlment of his
righteous will. But was there no dis.
elimination in the judgment inflicted :
Doubtless there was much. First, the
penitent were invited TO stand apart
and show themselves on the Lords side.
Then it is to be remembered that when
Moses stood in the camp che saw that
the people were naked" Many were
fresh from their orgies not yet sobered
to decency and quiet. These still
thropged the camp, while the more
orderly had taken warning, and gone to
their tents. On these grosser offenders
the avepging Levites fell. Thus God
made himself known as holy in his ha.
tired of sin, and discriminatingly just in
his punishment Of it.
There is nothing more touching in
all the story of Moses life than his
manner of speaking to the people after
the sin and its punishment we're over,
together with his prayer in their behalf.
There was truly in it all IAN intensity
and selfdenial OF love, unequalled by
that of any man except Paul. The
result, too, indicates at once the power
and limitations of prayer IL prevailed
in part. BY his angel, God would still
90 before his people. Nevertheless, II
was still needful that, in visiting, he
ehouId Hvisil their ain upou them