Many years
ago I made a proposal to buy the adjoining property right next to our church in
an Argentine city. I talked to the owner, and she expressed interest in
selling the land. Sometime later, everything seemed to be in order for the
transaction to take place without a hitch. On the appointed day, the owner
traveled from a distant city with her accountant and lawyer. I came with
another pastor and an accountant and with my down payment in hand. The legal
papers were all drawn up. All that lacked were the signatures of the seller and
the buyer. Then suddenly, without warning, the lady changed her mind and
decided not to sell the property. We asked her why, and she said, “I don’t know
why; maybe I’ll need this property later on.” It was upsetting to us, but
especially to the pastor who had accompanied me. He pressured the owner to
reconsider, but she became more firm in her position. We walked out of the
meeting asking ourselves what just happened.
Something
similar happened to Moses when he made a proposal to God. Moses put the offer
on the table, and everything looked ready, and then without warning, God
rejected Moses’ offer. The setting for this happens after Israel sinned by
making a golden calf and worshipping it. Moses destroyed the idol and at God’s
command eliminated the instigators of this idolatrous orgy. Then Moses said to
the people, "You have committed a great sin. But now I will go up to the
Lord; perhaps I can make atonement for your sin" (Exodus 32:30).
Moses laid
out his offer to God in this way, "Oh, what a great sin these people have
committed! They have made themselves gods of gold. But now, please forgive
their sin — but if not, then blot me out of the book you have written" (Exodus
32:31-32).
Moses was
beginning to understand the concept of atonement. He hoped he could somehow
provide substitute atonement for the people. However, God flatly turned Moses’
offer down; The Lord replied to Moses, "Whoever has sinned against me I
will blot out of my book. Now go, lead the people to the place I spoke of, and
my angel will go before you. However, when the time comes for me to punish, I
will punish them for their sin" (Exodus 32:33-34). Why did God flatly turn
Moses’ offer down?
Moses couldn’t
atone for the people’s sin because he himself was a sinner. Though Moses grew
to become one of the most exemplary people in the Bible, he was still a sinner.
Early on he had murdered a man, and he had a temper. God, however, used Moses’
life to show us more about Jesus. The more we study the Old Testament, the clearer
the picture of Jesus becomes.
Philip Ryken
provides a good example of understanding the relationship of Moses to Christ.
Imagine Moses as an extra who fills in for the star of a movie during the
filming process. While the star is off doing more important things, the extra
stands in for the star. The techs adjust the lighting, sound and camera so that
when the star finally appears and the director is ready to film the movie,
everything will be ready. God is the Executive Director who used Moses to teach
us about Jesus and his ultimate role as our only savior who alone could atone
for our sins. No matter how much Moses wanted to make atonement for the sins of
the people, he couldn’t because he was a sinner. That role belonged to the
sinless Son of God, who at the right moment in history, when God called for
“Action,” would appear and die on the cross for sinners. [1]
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