How long does it take to learn that relationships involve responsibility, and sin is a bad idea?
Moses heads down the mountain with a heavy heart and two heavy tablets. Solemnly the Scripture says, “Now the tablets were the work of God” (Ex 32:16). Three times they had said, “All the words which the Lord has said we will do” (24:3), but Moses couldn’t get the samples down the mountain before they had broken them. In wordless eloquence, he lifted the tables over his head and smashed them on the ground. Then he burned the idol, ground it to powder, scattered the gold dust on the water, “and made the children of Israel drink it” (32:20). That gold would never be used again! After hearing Aaron’s pitiful excuse and blame game, Moses called across the now silent crowd, “Whoever is on the Lord’s side—come to me” (v 26). Levi, Aaron’s own tribe, in open repentance took their stand with God, and no doubt with broken hearts executed His judgment, leaving in their wake about 3,000 funerals (v 28), perhaps the ringleaders of the rebellion. Thus is the effect of the law, what Paul calls “the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones” (2 Cor 3:7). With what remarkable contrast do we have the pronouncement of grace on the day of Pentecost. As the disciples wield “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Eph 6:17), we find that the battlefield of this world is already littered with the spiritually dead, for we read, “death spread to all men, because all sinned” (Rom 5:12). But look! As the Spirit’s sword is thrust into hearts, doing its work of convicting and converting, dead souls come to life before their eyes! “Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them” (Acts 2:41). About 3,000 slain. About 3,000 saved. Grace triumphs!