Week 5 Exodus 33-Leviticus 13
Sandwiched between two multi-chapter blocks of text – the instructions for building the tabernacle (25-31) and the tabernacle building project (35-40) – is a story that catches me by surprise.
I read that some of the people built a golden idol and worshiped it. So that tips me off about how little impression the second commandment had made.
I read that the Lord took action and ordered the execution of the idol worshipers – about 3,000 people. So that tips me off about how serious the offense was.
I stop reading, wondering what to make of it – the crime and the punishment. There are some conclusions for me to jump to, and I’m ready to jump.
I keep reading, see that the Lord makes a closing statement about himself: I am the Lord, the merciful and gracious God. I am slow to anger and rich in unfailing love and faithfulness. I show this unfailing love to many thousands by forgiving every kind of sin and rebellion. Even so I do not leave sin unpunished…
Whatever conclusion I land on has to include these two verses – they’re part of the mix if I’m trying to get to the bottom of things. It’s not exactly as if they resolve all my problems. I guess it would be easier for me to pretend they weren’t there, leave me free to just judge for myself.
Note: quotation is from Exodus 34:6-7 (New Living Translation). The full story is in Exodus 32-34.