7th.: For My Sake, Lord
When Moses left God, and returned to the Israelites, he saw why God was made.
The sins of the Israelite people angered Moses.
Moses busted the stone on which God had written the Ten Commandments.
God told Moses to take two more stone tablets. God had to duplicate the Ten Commandments.
Moses then went into Mount Sinai, where the Lord passed by as He promised (Exo. 33:19-23), proclaiming His own goodness, and mercifulness.
Moses then bowed his head and worshipped as the Lord passed by (Exo. 34:8).
Moses took this opportunity to make another request to the Lord,
“If now I have found grace in thy sight, O Lord, let my Lord, I pray thee, go among us, for it is a stiff-necked people,
and pardon our iniquity, and our sin, and take us for thine inheritance.” (Exo. 34:9).
Moses knew this particular generation of Israelites was not able to ask the Lord for forgiveness.
Therefore, Moses prayed that God would show mercy to the nation of Israel.
Specifically, Moses asked God to not wipe them out – not for their sakes, but for his [Moses’] sake (if now I have found grace in thy sight), if for no other reason.
Moses again had interceded for his people
- as Job had done (see bottom of page) -
- as we should do - for those whom we know.
“Job … offered burnt offerings according to the number of his sons. … Job said, ‘It may be that my sons have cursed God in their hearts.’ Thus did Job continually.” (Job 1:5)