God seems harsh?

‘WHY?’ QUESTIONS No.7

Ex 32:11 But Moses sought the favour of the LORD his God. “O LORD,” he said, “why should your anger burn against your people, whom you brought out of Egypt with great power and a mighty hand?

If it sometimes seems there are many questions about what God is doing or where He is, there are also questions about what He seems to feel about situations. Within Scripture at least, there are times when God’s behaviour is questionable. Those of shallow disposition who refuse to think about these things, just criticise Him – but that is a reflection on them, not Him! Only recently someone said to me, “I prayed for my daughter for a job which I’ sure would be just right for her, but she didn’t get it.” We look at situations and wonder why God didn’t turn up for us. We look at situations and wonder sometimes why everything seems to be going wrong. We look at situations which seem to be of God’s making and wonder whatever He is doing. From our perspective it’s often a confusing world – but then, as we’ve observed before, our perspective is a very limited one. But it’s understanding what God is feeling, that is sometimes particularly difficult.

Let’s see what is happening now with Moses in our verse today. Moses is still up the mountain with God. He’s been there forty days and down below the people first became restive, then impatient and then worried, and the upshot of all that was that they persuaded Aaron to make an image of a golden calf that they could use to focus on in the absence of God and Moses. The Lord sees this and instructs Moses, “Go down, because your people, whom you brought up out of Egypt, have become corrupt” (Ex 32:7) and He explains what they have done, concluding with, “I have seen these people,” the LORD said to Moses, “and they are a stiff-necked people. 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.”

The Lord’s intention is quite clear. He wants to completely destroy this nation and will start again with Moses and make a new nation out of him and his family. This seems incredibly harsh, but what an amazing opportunity for Moses. To be shot of this people who have already been a nuisance to lead, and to simply have a relationship with the Lord without them. What an opportunity! How will He respond to this? Not as we might expect. But Moses sought the favour of the LORD his God. Surely he’s already got the Lord’s favour by what the Lord has offered him. No, he’s going to ask for something completely different. He’s going to ask something that is completely the opposite to what the Lord has said He’s going to do. He asks why the Lord will do this. He is obviously questioning or challenging the Lord as to His intentions. Already there is the implication, why destroy this people that you have taken so much trouble to deliver from Egypt? But see how he continues.

“Why should the Egyptians say,`It was with evil intent that he brought them out, to kill them in the mountains and to wipe them off the face of the earth’? Turn from your fierce anger; relent and do not bring disaster on your people. Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac and Israel , to whom you swore by your own self: `I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and I will give your descendants all this land I promised them, and it will be their inheritance forever.‘” (Ex 32:12,13) What is he saying?  Well first he is saying that if He destroys them, the Lord’s reputation in the world will be nothing: Why should the Egyptians say. He doesn’t want the Lord’s name to be abused by the Egyptians – What a God! All He can do is destroy people! Second, he reminds the Lord of His stated covenant with the Patriarchs to whom He had promised the Land. If he destroys this people now, He will be throwing away that promise.

Now doesn’t the Lord know this? Does He need Moses to remind Him of these things? No of course He doesn’t! So why is it happening? Because He is testing Moses! He wants Moses to reveal his heart, a heart that is willing to lay down his glory for the reputation and glory of the Lord. The Lord always knows how we would respond in given situations but sometimes we need to go through them to know ourselves how we would respond. The revelation will do things for us.

So why do we go through perplexing or difficult situations? To see how we will respond! James wrote, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (Jas 1:2-4) Yes, our faith is tested, we are proved, by such things and they work in us to change us and mature us in variety of ways. So a difficult and perplexing situation comes along and you cry out to the Lord – and He seems to remain silent. How will you respond? With faith, or if you like, faithfully. Will you remain faithful to God’s heart and character when nothing else seems clear? When God’s ways seem unclear and you are left wondering, will you still remain true to His heart of love, peace, gentleness and goodness? Whatever comes along, will you remain true to Him? That is what this is all about. That’s what the Lord is working to achieve in Moses – and in you and me.