And the Lord sent a sore punishment to the people who had sinned, and three thousand of them died.
The next day Moses went up to the Lord again, and his words of entreaty are most touching—
"Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods 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."
"And the Lord said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against Me, him will I blot out of My Book."
This is an awfully solemn story. We do not read that the people themselves repented—if they had, the Holy God would have forgiven them out and out.
For He says in the 55th of Isaiah—
"Let him return unto the Lord, and He will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon."
[XVIII. THE NEXT TWO COMMANDMENTS:
AND HOW THEY MAY BE KEPT]
III. "Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord My God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh His Name in vain."