The Patriarchal religion was adapted to the spiritual needs of men at a time when the world was divided into families, tribes or clans. But when tribes multiplied, and came together to live a composite existence, something new was required. All of the provisions of God were made for the ultimate benefit of the whole earth. This required the coming of the Savior to offer the supreme sacrifice once for all. However, to preserve the world until that time, it was necessary to preserve the belief in the one true God. This could be a difficult task when the whole world was creating gods of every description. It could best be achieved by the selection of one people, their separation from others, and their continued segregation. Such a people would need a definite constitution, the basic law of which would be "Thou shalt have no other gods before me," in order that they could be called back to their original purpose when they wandered from it.
Accordingly when every nation had chosen its gods, the God of heaven chose a nation. As a preparatory step He went to the land of Chaldea, and called a man whose father and grandfather were already idolaters (Josh. 24:2). Demanding that this man separate himself from his father's house and all of his relatives, God promised to make of him a great nation. Abraham "sojourned in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob" (Heb. 11:9). But a nomadic life is poor training for a secure national existence, for nomads want to be ever on the move. They know but little about construction of permanent cities, and resent any attempt to confine them for any length of time to a sedentary life.
Thus as a preparation for a strong national existence, the providence of God removed the posterity of Abraham temporarily from the promised land. Making them slaves so they could not escape. He burnt out of their hearts the wanderlust which had been so much a part of their tribal existence, so that even when turned loose, they repeatedly tried to go back, choosing to endure slavery with its regular provisions of the fleshpots than a life in tents pitched in the wilderness. For several hundred years God allowed them to be confined in the most civilized nation of that day, and they were forced to learn the art of brickmaking, and labored in the construction of such storage cities as Pithom and Raamses (Exo. 1:11). Little did the Egyptian taskmasters realize that they were schooling unwilling apprentices whose posterity would erect some of the most beautiful structures ever constructed by human hands on the hills of Zion.
When the proper time had arrived, God directed Moses to go as his ambassador to the proud and haughty court of Pharaoh. The message was, "Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, Let my people go!" Moses enforced his demands with a sufficient demonstration of power that the freed captives stood upon the other side of the Red Sea. Now began the tremendous task of welding this fearful, discouraged, murmuring host of once hopeless slaves into a cohesive nation which would preserve the greatest trust ever committed to any people thus far in history.
The first essential was a constitution which would act as a rallying point. The multitude was led to the foot of a high mountain which would serve as a speaker's platform for God. Here was given one of the most startling promises ever made. First God cited what He had done for them. "You have seen what I did to the Egyptians and how I bore you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself" (Exo. 19:4). Then He declared, "Now therefore, if you will obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my own possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine, and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation" (Exo. 19:5, 6). This implies God's intention of making them a nation of sanctified people, each of whom might serve as a priest in his own right. Citizenship in the kingdom would constitute admission to the priesthood. Observe that this was contingent upon obeying God's voice and keeping His covenant. God proposed that this people who were "His own possession" should be so holy that He could speak and commune with each of them without an earthly mediator or intervening priest.
When God's proposition was placed before the people they gave unanimous consent to it. "All that the Lord hath spoken we will do." Moses was instructed to consecrate the people for two days, so that on the third day God could address them all in a body. The people were required to wash their garments. They were to abstain from all sexual congress. Nothing that would render them unclean or act as a distracting element was to be countenanced. Bounds were placed about the mountain and the instruction was issued, "Do not go up into the mountain, or touch the border of it. Whoever touches the mountain shall be put to death; no hand shall touch him, but he shall be stoned or shot, whether beast or man, he shall not live."
On the morning of the third day there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud settled upon the mountain. A loud trumpet blast caused the people to tremble. Suddenly the whole mountain quaked. The trumpet grew louder and louder. Then the voice of God came, giving the basic constitution of ten commandments. So frightened were the people that they stood afar off and shook. Then they appealed to Moses, "You speak to us, and we will hear; but let not God speak to us, lest we die." Moses explained to them, "God has come to test you, that the fear of Him may be before your eyes." But the people had enough. The heads of their tribes and their elders came to Moses and pleaded with him, "Go near, and hear all that the Lord our God will say; and speak to us all that the Lord our God will speak to you; and we will hear and do it" (Deut. 5:27). They were not ready to dispense with an earthly mediator. God said to Moses, "I have heard the words of this people, which they have spoken to you, they have rightly said all that they have spoken...Go, and say to them, 'Return to your tents!' But you, stand here by me, and I will tell you all the commandments and the statutes and the ordinances which you shall teach them."
While Moses was upon the mount to receive the sacred constitution the people demonstrated their unworthiness to act as a kingdom of priests. "They gathered themselves together to Aaron, and said, 'Up, make us gods, who shall go before us.'" At the instigation of Aaron they took off their golden ornaments, and from the precious metal he formed a calf. An altar was erected before the image, "and they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt offerings and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play" (Exo. 32:6). When Moses returned with the national constitution on two tables of stone, and saw the calf and the dancing, he threw the tables out of his hands and broke them at the foot of the mountain. He took the calf, burnt it, ground it to powder, scattered it upon the water, and made the people of Israel drink it. For once, they literally had a bellyful of idolatry!
Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, "Who is on the Lord's side? Come to me." The sons of Levi gathered themselves unto him. Moses instructed them to take their swords and go through the camp, slaying everyone they met. Three thousand men fell that day. (With the introduction of the law three thousand died; with the introduction of the gospel three thousand were saved. Truly the first brought death, while the second is "the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus".) Moses said to the tribe of Levi, "Today you have ordained yourselves for the service of the Lord, each one at the cost of his son and of his brother, that He may bestow a blessing upon you this day" (Exo. 32:29). The holy nation and the kingdom of priests had failed in two great crises. They could not stand to hear God speak directly, when He tested them; and they had rebelled against the cornerstone of their constitution--the first and second commandments. They must have an earthly mediator and a special priesthood. The ideal of God would reach its fruition in another and a better age.