Exodus 32:11-16: a reflection

11Moses begged the LORD his God, and said, “LORD, why does your wrath burn hot against your people, that you have brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? 12Why should the Egyptians talk, saying, ‘He brought them out for evil, to kill them in the mountains, and to consume them from the surface of the earth’? Turn from your fierce wrath, and turn away from this evil against your people. 13Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, to whom you swore by your own self, and said to them, ‘I will multiply your offspring as the stars of the sky, and all this land that I have spoken of I will give to your offspring, and they shall inherit it forever.’” 14So the LORD turned away from the evil which he said he would do to his people. 15Moses turned, and went down from the mountain, with the two tablets of the covenant in his hand; tablets that were written on both their sides. They were written on one side and on the other. 16The tablets were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, engraved on the tablets.

After Israel makes the golden calf, God speaks of destroying them; but Moses stands between them and God's wrath, and intercedes. And notice the ground of his plea: he appeals to God's own promises. Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, to whom you swore by your own self, and said, I will multiply your offspring and give them this land. Moses pleads God's own sworn promise back to him, holding him to what he has committed; and the LORD relents.

Notice how Moses interceded: by appealing to God's promises. He did not argue that the people deserved to be spared, for they plainly did not; he appealed to God's own word, the promise God had sworn to the patriarchs. He held God to his own commitment, praying, in effect, you have promised this; be true to your word. And God, who honors his promises, relented. Moses' bold intercession rested on the sure ground of God's own word.

That teaches us a way to pray. When we intercede for others, or ask God for what he has promised, we can pray on the ground of God's own promises, holding him to his word. This is not presumption, but faith; it takes God at his word, and asks him to be true to it. When you pray, especially when you cannot appeal to anyone's deserving, appeal to God's promises, as Moses did. Find what God has promised in his word, and pray it back to him: you have said this; be true to your word. God delights to honor his promises; pray them back to him with confidence, resting your prayers on the sure ground of what God has committed himself to do.

Lord, when you spoke of destroying rebellious Israel, Moses interceded by appealing to your own promises, praying, remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, to whom you swore to multiply their offspring and give them this land; he held you to your word, and you relented. Teach me that way to pray. When I intercede for others, or ask you for what you have promised, help me pray on the ground of your own promises, holding you to your word. This is not presumption, but faith; it takes you at your word, and asks you to be true to it. When I pray, especially when I cannot appeal to anyone's deserving, help me appeal to your promises, as Moses did. Help me find what you have promised in your word, and pray it back to you: you have said this; be true to your word. You delight to honor your promises; help me pray them back to you with confidence, resting my prayers on the sure ground of what you have committed yourself to do. Thank you that you keep your word.