Monday, January 11, 2010

Biblical Exegesis: Exodus 32:30-35


This time I would like to interact with Exodus 32:30-35. It was pointed out to me that sometimes people interpret verse 33 as referring to the "Book of Life or the "Lamb's Book of Life" discussed in Revelations. This book refers to the list containing all those who will be saved. from Hell. See Revelation 20:15 , Revelation 3:5; 20:12; and Philippians 4:3.  and Revelation 13:8; 21:27. This is confused with the "book of life" in Psalm 69:28: “Let them [David’s enemies] be blotted out of the book of the living.”. This is the "book" is Moses and God are discussing. Look at the context in the passage itself.

 30 The next day Moses said to the people, "You have committed a great sin. But now I will go up to the LORD; perhaps I can make atonement for your sin."
 31 So Moses went back to the LORD and said, "Oh, what a great sin these people have committed! They have made themselves gods of gold. 32 But now, please forgive their sin—but if not, then blot me out of the book you have written."
 33 The LORD replied to Moses, "Whoever has sinned against me I will blot out of my book. 34 Now go, lead the people to the place I spoke of, and my angel will go before you. However, when the time comes for me to punish, I will punish them for their sin."
 35 And the LORD struck the people with a plague because of what they did with the calf Aaron had made.

I see this as totally not talking about the book in Revelations because in the context these events take place right after 3000 people were killed after Moses found Israel worshiping the Golden calf. I read about this issue in an article that defends the doctrine of "Eternal Security" also known as "Perseverance of the Saints". We know that as a nation, Israel was punished by lots of the people dying by the sword and by that plague.

Source
What is the Book of Life?

Reblog this post [with Zemanta]

No comments:

Post a Comment