God Forgives His People

Broken! Yes, broken! The covenant of God!

Shattered! Yes, shattered! The tables of stone!

Raising with anger His menacing rod,

God the Almighty seeks justice alone!

Moses appeals: "Lord, remember Thy Word

Solemnly promised our fathers of yore.

Egypt would mock You if ever it heard!

Pardon their trespasses, Lord, I implore!"

"I am the Lord; great Jehovah's My Name,

Merciful, gracious, abundant in truth;

Mercy for thousands I freely proclaim,

Showing to sinners compassionate ruth.

"Though I shall certainly punish all sin --

No one shall stand when I gaze at his face --

Yet through My promise My people shall win

Pardon and peace in My bountiful grace!"

God had delivered His people from bondage in Egypt. He led them to Mount Sinai, where He gave them the Ten Commandments and other moral, civil, and ceremonial laws. While they were encamped at the foot of Mt. Sinai, Moses ascended the mountain to receive two tables of stone on which the Ten Commandments were written by the finger of God. While Moses was gone, the people fell into the sin of idolatry by worshiping a golden calf. Moses shattered the two tables of stone to show that Israel had broken the covenant.

Later, God told Moses that He wanted to destroy the people, but Moses acted as mediator and persuaded God to forgive them. By so doing, he prefigured the work of Jesus Christ, who is the Mediator that has persuaded His Father to forgive us.