Ver. 25. Thus I fell down before the Lord forty days— Having mentioned the above instances of their preservation, he returns to what he had begun to say (ver. 18.) concerning his intercession with God for a pardon, which he could not obtain without great importunity. See the passages in the margin of our Bibles.
REFLECTIONS.—As nothing is more difficult than to be put out of a good conceit with ourselves, Moses brings to their remembrance abundant proof how little reason they had to value themselves on their own righteousness. Their whole conduct, from the day of their coming from Egypt, had been a succession of rebellions; many of which are particularly specified, and many more there were probably during their sojourning in the wilderness. The grand apostacy of all was the calf in Horeb; a scene so shocking, that, after that, they should never dare to lift up their eyes to God but with shame and confusion. Then were they in danger of being abandoned for ever of God, and he had been justified in rejecting them. In fear of such a righteous doom, Moses, with fervent prayer, interposes, to avert, if possible, the fierce displeasure that was awakened against them. Nor had he one plea to make for them of their desert, but acknowledges their aggravated guilt, and only begs that their fathers might be remembered, and that their enemies might not be tempted to blaspheme God, if they should be destroyed. Nor had they been rebels themselves only, but even Aaron had been drawn or forced into compliance with them, and thereby also provoked God most highly, even to threaten to destroy him. And when the calf, their hateful sin, was destroyed, and undeserved mercy vouchsafed to them, the burnings of Taberah, the plague of Massah, the graves of Kibroth-hattaavah, and the slain at Kadesh-barnea, were awful monuments against them, how deep their rebellions were rooted, and how undeserving they were of the least of the mercies vouchsafed to them. Note; (1.) Whoever reviews carefully his own conduct towards God cannot but stand amazed, that, after such repeated provocations, there should be any mercy in store for him; and own how vile and unworthy he is of it. (2.) It is obstinate blindness of heart alone that can ever support in us a good opinion of ourselves.