Beginning of the End - Ellen G. White

Only a few days had passed since the Hebrews had stood
trembling before Mount Sinai, listening to the words of the Lord,
"You shall have no other gods before Me." The glory of God still
hovered above the mountain in the sight of the congregation; but
"they made a calf in Horeb, and worshiped the molded image. Thus
they changed their glory into the image of an ox" (Psalm 106:19,
20).
On the mountain, Moses was warned of the apostasy in the
camp. "Go, get down," were the words of God; "your people whom
you brought out of the land of Egypt have corrupted themselves.
They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded
them."
God's covenant with His people had been broken, and He
declared to Moses, "Let Me alone, that My wrath may burn hot
against them and that I may consume them. And I will make of you
a great nation." The people of Israel, especially the "mixed
multitude," would be constantly inclined to rebel against God,
complain about their leader, and bring sorrow to him by their
unbelief and stubbornness. Their sins had already lost the favor of
God for them.
If God had decided to destroy Israel, who could plead for
them? But Moses saw ground for hope where there appeared only
discouragement and divine fury. The words of God, "Let Me alone,"
he understood not to forbid but to encourage him to plead their
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