November 4 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading

Exodus 32:30–35

Devotional

Moses made a two-fold proposal to God. “Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin— ; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written.” But God rejected his prayer. Man can make no proposals to God in order to be delivered from sin. God is just and righteous and He demands payment for sin. Moses knew there had to be a sacrifice for sin and, therefore, he immediately added that he would give himself for a sacrifice. He wanted to be the interceding high priest and at the same time the sacrifice. But Moses was only a man, and no human being could provide a remedy for the punishment of sin. He could prescribe as many plans as he willed to the Lord; he could point out to the Lord a sacrifice, even if it was his own life, but if the Lord did not appoint a sacrifice Himself, then all man’s attempts to redeem from guilt would be futile.

Moses was well aware of this, for before he went up the mount, he said to the people: “Peradventure I shall make an atonement for your sin.” Perhaps he would be able to obtain forgiveness for them. “Perhaps,” Moses said. It was only a wavering hope and a doubtful encouragement. Man has no remedy for his guilt. Even the great Moses could not secure forgiveness. The prayer of Moses, the man of God, was rejected. For the Lord said to Moses, “Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.”

Therefore, the three thousand who were killed were not sufficient to appease God’s wrath. Everyone who sins must be blotted out of God’s book. Most of the idol worshippers were still living, but for them it was only a postponement of their coming judgment. The wrath of God was no more against the living than against the dead.

Moses offered to die for the sins of the people, but his proposal to the Lord was rejected. Moses was not able to carry the burden of their sins. He was only a man. He could bring their sins no further than Isaiah, who said: “I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips.” He knew he was no better than these people. Moses was a fallen sinner. Adam was his father and Eve was his mother. The man that Moses had become was only because of God’s grace. How could he pay for the debt of others? No mere man could pay for the sins of the world.

 

From The Everlasting Word by Frans Bakker, compiled and translated by Gerald R. Procee. Reformation Heritage Books and Free Reformed Publications, 2007. Used by permission. For further information, click here.