Tim Maas Retired Quality Assurance Specialist with the U.S. Army

I would say that God would have been totally justified in destroying the Israelites without even involving Moses. However, as noted in Exodus 32:10, God did not do so, but instead said to Moses, "Now leave me alone so that my anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them. Then I will make you into a great nation.”

To me, this indicates that God was not unalterably set on His course of destruction, but could even have been considered as "inviting" Moses to intercede on their behalf, implying that such pleading could influence His judgment.

Under those circumstances, Moses' intercession -- in which he recounted God's prior promises to Israel regarding its future, and also (in commendable humility) did not even consider God's offer to make of him (Moses) a great nation -- were able to sway God to relent from His original intention. 

This was a foreshadowing of the way in which Christ (of whom Moses was a type) would intercede -- and continues to this day to intercede -- with God the Father on behalf of a fallen humanity, for whose salvation He gave His own life.

April 15 2022 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report