Beginning of the End - Ellen G. White

Flood people testifies that God's great patience and restraint did not
keep back their wickedness.
The same is true at Sinai. If sin had not been speedily punished,
the same results would have appeared again. The earth would have
become as corrupt as in the days of Noah. Evils would have
followed, greater than those that resulted from sparing Cain's life. It
was the mercy of God that thousands should suffer, to prevent the
need for visiting judgments on millions. To save the many He must
punish the few.
Furthermore, as the people had forfeited divine protection, the
whole nation was exposed to the power of their enemies. They
would soon have fallen prey to their many powerful foes. It was
necessary for the good of Israel that crime should be promptly
punished.
And it was no less a mercy to the sinners themselves to be
stopped in their evil course. If their lives had been spared, the same
spirit that led them to rebel against God would have resulted in
hatred and strife among themselves. They would eventually have
destroyed one another.
Moses' Christlike Love for Israel
As the people began to see how great their guilt was, they
feared that every offender was to be cut off. Moses promised to
plead with God for them once more.
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