In this week’s reading, Moses receives the two tables of
stone upon which were written––in “the writing of God”
(Ex. 32:16)––the laws to govern Israel. When Moses
returned to deliver these precepts to Israel, however, he
found them engaged in the heathen idol worship that
characterized the nations of Canaan they were supposed
to displace. Moses is displeased to find that his brother
Aaron (the high priest) had directed these outrageous
activities at the people’s bidding. When Moses asked,
“Who is on the LORD’s side?” the Levites answered the
call and slew three thousand men whom we might
presume to have given the initiative for this sin. When
Moses returned to the LORD, he pled for His forgiveness
on behalf of the people and even entreated Him to blot
his name out of His book for the people’s sake (Ex.
32:30–32). The LORD explained briefly to Moses that
every man would bear the guilt of his own sin, and He
sent a plague upon the people to punish them for their
folly (vv 33–35).

Despite their wickedness, God showed Moses that He
would still give them the land of Canaan, for this He had
sworn to their fathers (Ex. 33:1). Nevertheless, God told
Moses that He would not go with them, but would send
an angel with them instead (vv 2–3). Moses (as well as
all Israel) was distressed at this news, and he removed
the tabernacle from the midst of the camp and pitched it
without, and thither he went to plead with the LORD
again (vv 7–8). Here the LORD met Moses and spoke with
him through the “cloudy pillar,” even “face to face, as a
man speaketh unto his friend” (v 10). Moses petitions
God: “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 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” (vv 15–16). God grants Moses’ request and
promises to go with Israel into the Promised Land. What
a delight it is to know that under the new covenant (the
“ministration of the spirit,” 2 Cor. 3:8), God has
promised always to go with us (Heb. 13:5)!

After reading the text listed below, see if you can
answer the following questions.

Non-trivial Questions (Exodus 32:1–33:23)

1. Where did Aaron obtain gold to make the calf?
2. Who was the first to inform Moses of what
Israel had done?
3. What kind of noise did Joshua hear coming
from the camp?
4. How many men of Israel were slain on this
occasion?
5. Where did God meet with Moses in the form
of a “cloudy pillar?”
6. What part of Himself did God allow Moses to
see?