But let us attend to the prayer. _Oh! this people have sinned a great sin; yet now, if thou will, forgive their sin; and if not, blot me, I prey thee, out of thy book_.
We know the occasion. Israel had fallen into idolatry while Moses was on the mount--had made an idol, and bowed in adoration before it. G.o.d told Moses what they had done--threatened to destroy them--excused Moses from praying for them, which had before been his duty, and promised to reward his faithfulness among so perverse a people, if he would now "hold his peace, and let G.o.d alone to destroy them."
But Moses preferred the good of Israel to the aggrandis.e.m.e.nt of his own family, earnestly commended them to the divine mercy, and obtained the forgiveness of their sin--"The Lord repented of the evil which he thought to do unto them." But he gave at that time no intimation of his merciful purpose toward them.
When Moses came down and found the congregation holding a feast to their idol, he was filled with grief and indignation; and took measures immediately to punish their sin and bring them to repentance.
He first destroyed their idol and then about three thousands of the idolaters, by the sword of Levi, who at his call, ranged themselves on the Lord"s side. The next day, fearing that G.o.d would exterminate the nation, agreeably to his threatening, Moses gathered the tribes, set their sin before them, and told them that he would return to the divine presence and plead for them, though he knew not that G.o.d would hear him. "Ye have sinned a great sin; and now I will go up unto the Lord; _peradventure_ I shall make an atonement for your sin. _And Moses returned unto the Lord and said, Oh! this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them G.o.ds of gold. Yet, now, if thou wilt, forgive their sin; and if not blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written_."
Moses meaning, while praying for Israel, is obvious; but the pet.i.tion offered up for himself is not equally so--_blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book_.
Four different constructions have been put on the is prayer--Some consider Moses as imprecating d.a.m.nation on himself, for the good of his people--Some as praying for annihilation, that they might find mercy--Some as asking G.o.d that he might die with them, if they should die in the wilderness--Others, that his name might be blotted out of the page of history, and his memory perish, should Israel be destroyed and not reach the promised land.
"Blot me" (saith Mr. Cruden) "out of thy book of life--out of the catalogue, or number of those that shall be saved--wherein Moses does not express what he thought might be done, but rather wisheth, if it were possible, that G.o.d would accept of him as a sacrifice in their stead, and by his destruction and annihilation, prevent so great a mischief to them." *
* Vid. Concordance, under BLOT.
Docr. S. Clark expresseth his sense of the pa.s.sage to nearly the same effect.
Did Moses then ask to be made an expiatory sacrifice for the sin of Israel! Or did he solemnly ask of G.o.d what he knew to be so unreasonable that it could not be granted!
There is no hint in the account given of this affair, that Moses entertained a thought of being accepted in Israel"s stead. He did not ask to suffer _that they might escape_--he prayed _to be blotted out of G.o.d"s book_, if his people could not be forgiven--_If thou wilt, forgive their sin; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written_.
Mr. Pool considers Moses as praying to be annihilated that Israel might be pardoned! "Blot me out of the book of life--out of the catalogue, or number of those that shall be saved. I suppose Moses doth not wish his eternal d.a.m.nation, because that state would imply both wickedness in himself and dishonor to G.o.d; but his annihilation, or utter lose of this life, and that to come, and all the happiness of both of them. Nor doth Moses simply desire this, but only comparatively expresseth his singular zeal for G.o.d"s glory, and charity to his people; suggesting that the very thoughts of the destruction of G.o.d"s people, and the reproach and blasphemy which would be cast upon G.o.d by means thereof, were so intolerable to him, that he rather wished, if it were possible, that G.o.d would accept him as a sacrifice in their stead, and by his utter destruction prevent so great a mischief." *
* Vid. Pool in loc.u.m.
Could the learned and judicious Mr. Pool seriously believe that inspired Moses prayed for annihilation! Or consider him as entertaining a suspicion that a soul could cease to exist! Or could he conceive him as deliberately asking of G.o.d to make him an expiatory sacrifice! Or harboring a thought that the sin of his people might be atoned by his being blotted out from among G.o.d"s works!--Strange!
Mr. Henry considers Moses as praying to die with Israel, if they must die in the wilderness.--"If they must be cut off, let me be cut off with them--let not the land of promise be mine by survivorship. G.o.d had told Moses, that if he would not interpose, he would make him a great nation--No said Moses, I am so far from desiring to see my name and family, built on the ruins of Israel, that I choose rather to die with them." *
* Vid. Henry in loc.
If such is the spirit of this prayer, Moses does not appear resigned to the divine order, but rather peevish and fretful at the disappointment of his hope, which he had till then entertained. He had expected to lead Israel to the land of promise; if not indulged, seems not to have cared what became of himself or his family; and is thought here to address his maker, offering distinguishing favors to him, as Daniel did Belthazzar--"thy gifts be to thyself, and give thy rewards to another--I desire none of them for myself or mine--If Israel die in the wilderness, let me die with them"--From angry Jonah such a reply to the kind offers of a gracious G.o.d might not surprize us; but it was not to have been expected from the meekest of mankind. DOCT. HUNTER, in his biographical lectures, explodes this idea of Moses" asking to be d.a.m.ned for the salvation of Israel, and shews the absurdity of that construction of the text, but understands him as praying to die himself, before sentence should be executed on his people, if they were not pardoned. And in the declaration, _whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book_, he discovers an intimation, that that offending people should die short of the promised land! A discovery without a clew. This sin of Israel was pardoned. Sentence of death in the wilderness was occasioned by a subsequent act of rebellion, as will be shewn in the sequel.*
* Vid. Hunter"s Lect. Vol. iv. Lect. iv
Mr. Fismin considers Moses as here praying to be blotted out of the page of history, if Israel were not pardoned; so that no record of his name, or the part which he had acted in the station a.s.signed him, should he handed down to posterity. An exposition differing from the plain language of sacred history--_Blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book, which thou hast written_. The page of history is written by man.
Such are the constructions which have been put on this scripture. The considerations which have been suggested, oblige us to reject them all, as founded in mistake. Our sense of the pa.s.sage, and the reasons, which in our apprehension, support it, will be the subject of another discourse.
SERMON VIII.
Moses" Prayer to be blotted out of G.o.d"s Book.
Exodus x.x.xii. 31, 32.
"And Moses returned unto the Lord and said. Oh! this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them G.o.ds of gold. Yet now, if thou--wilt, forgive their sin; and if not, blot me, I pray they, out of thy book which than hast written."
In the preceding discourse we endeavored to show that the idea of being willing to be d.a.m.ned for the glory of G.o.d is not found in the text--that the sentiment is erroneous and absurd--then adduced the constructions which have been put on the text by sundry expositors, and offered reasons which oblige us to reject them as misconstructions.
It remains, _to give our sense of the pa.s.sage--the grounds on which it rests--and some reflections by way of improvement_.
As _to our sense of the pa.s.sage_--We conceive these puzzling words of Moses to be no other than a prayer for himself--that his sins which might stand charged against him in the book of G.o.d, might _be blotted out_, however G.o.d might deal with Israel. "SINS are compared to debts, which are written in the creditor"s book, and crossed, or blotted out, when paid.* Man"s sins are written in the book of G.o.d"s remembrance, or accounts; out of which all men shall be judged hereafter.+ And when sin is pardoned it is laid to be blotted out.++ And not to be found any more, though sought for." +++
* Matthew vi. 32. + Revelations xix. 12. ++ Isaiah xliv. 22.
+++ Jeremiah l. 20.--Vid. Cruden"s Concord. under BLOT.
When a debtor hath paid a debt, we are at no loss for his meaning, if he requests to be crossed, or blotted out of the creditor"s book; nor would doubt arise should one to whom a debt was forgiven prefer like pet.i.tion. "You will please to blot me out of your book."
Though Moses had taken no part in this sin of Israel. he knew himself a sinner; and when praying for others: it is not likely he would forget himself. The occasion would naturally suggest the value, yea the necessity of forgiveness, and dispose him to ask it of G.o.d. When others are punished, or but just escape punishment, we commonly look at home, and consider our own state; and if we see ourselves in danger, take measures to avoid it. To a sinner the only way of safety is, repairing to divine mercy, and obtaining a pardon. That Moses would be excited to this by a view of Israel, at this time, is a reasonable expectation.
That such was the purpose of Moses" prayer for himself is clearly indicated by the answer which was given to it--For the _blotting out of G.o.d"s book_, is doubtless to be understood in the same sense in the prayer, and in the answer; and the latter explains the former.
_Oh! this people have sinned a great sin--Yet now, if thou wilt, forgive their sin; and if not_--if thou wilt not forgive their sin --_blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book, which thou hast written. And the Lord said unto Moses_, WHOSOEVER _hath sinned against me, HIM will I blot out of my book_: THEREFORE _now go lead the people unto the place of which I have spoken unto thee_.
The pa.s.sage thus presented to our view, seems scarcely to need a comment; but such sad work hath been made of this text, and such strange conclusions been drawn from it that it may be proper to subjoin a few remarks.
That G.o.d had threatened to "destroy that people and blot out their name from under heaven"--that Moses had prayed for them--and that "the Lord had repented of the evil which he thought to do unto them" we have seen above. And here Moses is ordered to resume his march, and carry up the tribes to the promised land, and the reason is a.s.signed-- "_whosoever_ hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book, _therefore_, now go lead the people to the place of which I have spoken unto thee."
When we thus view the subject can a doubt remain respecting the sense of this text? (But keeping in view the reason here a.s.signed for the renewed order given to Moses to conduct the tribes to Canaan, namely, G.o.d"s determination _to blot of his book--whosoever had sinned against him_, in this affair) let us try it in the different senses which have been put upon it.
I. We will suppose _blotting out of G.o.d"s book_, to mean destroying soul and body in h.e.l.l. The divine determination to shew no mercy to Israel, is then the reason a.s.signed for the order here given to Moses.
The prayer and answer stand thus--_Now if thou wilt, forgive this people_--Answer--_I will not hear thy prayer for them--no mercy shall be shewn them, but utter, eternal destruction be their portion_-- THEREFORE _now go lead them to the promised land_!
II. Suppose _blotting out of G.o.d"s book_ to mean annihilation, and his answer to the prayer stands thus--_I will destroy this people, and blot them from among my works_--THEREFORE _go lead them to the place of which I have spoken unto thee_!
III. Suppose with Mr. Henry, and Doct. Hunter, that it is to be understood of destruction in the wilderness, and the answer stands thus--_My wrath shall wax hot against Israel and consume them--they shall all die in the wilderness_, THEREFORE, _now go lead them to Canaan_!
The whole people, save Moses and Joshua, seem to have partic.i.p.ated in the revolt. We have no account of another exception; _and whosoever had sinned, G.o.d would blot out of his book_. Surely had either of these been the meaning of _blotting out of G.o.d"s book_, it would not have been given as the reason for Moses" resuming his march and carrying up the tribes to the land of promise. Common sense revolts at the idea.
But if we understand _blotting out of G.o.d"s book_ in the sense we have put upon it, we see at once the propriety of the order given to Moses, founded on this act of grace. G.o.d"s having "repented of the evil which he thought to do unto them." If this is the meaning of the words, the answer to Moses" prayer amounts to this--"I have heard and hearkened to your prayer, and pardoned the sin of this people, proceed _therefore_ in your march, and lead them to the place of which I have spoken unto thee." The _therefore go now_, doth not surprize us. We see the order rise out of the divine purpose; but on any of the other constructions of the text, thwarts and contradicts it; or cannot surely be a.s.signed as the reason of it. SEVERAL other considerations ill.u.s.trate the subject, and confirm our construction of it.
When Moses returned to intercede for Israel, he certainly asked of G.o.d to pardon their sin. _Oh! this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them G.o.ds of gold--Yet now, if than wilt forgive their sin_ --That he was heard and obtained his request appears not only from the history contained in our context, but from Moses" rehearsal of it just before his death. He recounted the dealings of G.o.d with Israel, when taking his leave of them on the plains of Moab--In that valedictory discourse he reminded them of their sin on this occasion--of G.o.d"s anger against them--his threatening to destroy them, and how he pleaded with G.o.d in their behalf, and the success which attended his intercessions for them--"I was afraid of the anger and hot displeasure wherewith the Lord was wroth with you, to destroy you, but _the Lord hearkened unto me at that time also_." *
* Deuteronomy ix. 19.
Sentence of death in the wilderness was afterwards denounced against those sinners, and executed upon them, but not to punish this sin; but the rebellion which was occasioned by the report made by the spies who were sent to search out the land. On that occasion Moses prayed fervently for his people, and not wholly without effect--G.o.d had threatened to "smite them with the pestilence, and disinherit them,"
but receded from his threatening through the prevalence of that intercessor in their behalf--"the Lord said I have pardoned according to thy word;" but at the same time, denounced an irrevokable sentence of death in the wilderness against those rebels. Then Moses was not ordered to "lead the people to the place of which G.o.d had spoken," but commanded to go back into the wilderness which they had parted--"turn you, and get ye into the wilderness by the way of the red sea." +
+ Numbers xiv.
At that time, the exception from the general sentence, was not in favor of Moses and Joshua, who had been on the mount, and taken no part in Israel"s sin in making the golden calf, but in favor of Caleb and Joshua, who dissented from the report made by the other spies; though no intimation is given that Caleb was not with the people, and did not sin with them in the matter of the golden calf. There is therefore no doubt respecting the sin which shut that generation out of Canaan. Nor do we apprehend more occasion for doubt relative to the prayer of Moses, _to be blotted out of G.o.d"s book_.