32 But now, please forgive their sin—but if not, then blot me out of the book you have written.”
This is one of the great verses in the Scripture. Moses is willing to give up his place in heaven in order to save the nation the Lord has delivered out of Egypt. Moses has come down from the mountain where he received the Law written on the stone tablets by the finger of God. He returns to the camp to find them partying and worship a calf idol that his brother made for them. He broke the tablets, ground the idol to powder and made them drink it. You can hear the anger and disappointment in his actions and words. After inflicting some punishment he ascends the mountain into the Lord’s presence once again. He pleads for this nation, that they might be spared. The Lord has offered to start over with him, to make him into a great nation, but Moses has not taken the Lord up on His offer. Moses wants to lead this rebellious nation. History would have been very different if Moses had accepted the Lord’s offer. The new nation would not have been any less human, any less rebellious, but it would have been a very different history. Rebellion is in each of our hearts. We might not worship a calf-idol, but we do rebel. We choose to not obey the things we do know. We choose to do what we want to do even when we know it is wrong. Apart from Jesus’ death and resurrection, we are not different than they were. We are just as rebellious. Moses had a heart softened toward God’s people. Is your heart softened toward anyone?
The Arnold Journey 