在摩西上山的那段時間，百姓開始忙碌起來……其情其景極其可憎，他們忘了順服上帝的誓言，而且還假設摩西已死在山上了，於是回到埃及異教徒的信仰裡。摩西在義憤填膺之下，摔碎兩塊石版，磨碎金牛犢，再命令利未人殺那些犯罪的人，他那無私的代禱為上帝和選民之間的約定帶來新的契機。當摩西再度從西乃山上下來時──帶著新的石版代替摔碎的那兩塊──他的臉綻放著上帝饒恕的榮耀。

        「自由」的定義是「作決定的機會」，「品格」的定義則是「作正確決定的能力」。如果這是真的，那麼了解一個人品格最好的方法之一，就是給他自由選擇自己的道路。
        以色列的領袖摩西上山了。當他不在的時候，百姓作了一個決定，大部份人選擇敬拜一個黃金鑄造的偶像，他們全然忘記了順服的宣誓，而回去過埃及時代的放蕩日子。只有少數人──與摩西同是利未人的親戚──即使在那些長老、領袖，甚至亞倫自己都默認的時候，他們仍排除眾議、立場堅定的拒絕向金牛犢下拜。「誰是屬上帝的？」摩西問（32：26）。你經常會在聖經中發現，這是個獻身的提醒。請查考約書亞記二十四章十五節和列王記上十八章二十一節，然後問自己：「我是否回應了這個呼召？我每天的生活是否活出我的確有這個呼召？」

        基督裡的生命，因著在西乃山上的死亡，更加綻放。
        「律法本是藉著摩西傳的，恩典和真理都是由耶穌基督來的。」（約1：17）當摩西從西乃山上下來傳講律法的時候，發現百姓在拜金牛犢，隨後的審判有三千人喪生（32：28）。相反的，使徒彼得在五旬節那天，首度宣講拯救的信息，藉著對復活主的信心，有三千人得到新的生命（徒2：41）。

財富與貧窮是品格上兩大測試。

English

        In Moses' absence, the people have been busy. Ignoring their pledge of obedience to God and assuming Moses had died on the mountain, they return to the pagan ways of Egypt. In righteous anger Moses shatters the two stone tablets, destroys the golden calf, and orders the Levites to slay the guilty offenders. His selfless intercession brings about a renewal of the covenant between God and His chosen people. And when Moses returns from yet another trip to
Sinai—this time to replace the shattered tablets—his face radiates the glory of Israel's forgiving God.

        Freedom has been defined as "the opportunity to make decisions," and character as "the ability to make right decisions." If that is true, then one of the quickest ways to reveal the true character of a person is to give him the freedom to choose his own path.
        Israel's leader, Moses, was away, and in his absence the people had to make certain choices. The majority chose to worship a god of gold, to ignore their pledge of obedience, and to return to the debauched lifestyle of Egypt. The minority — Moses' relatives from the tribe of Levi — stood firm against public opinion and refused to worship the golden calf, even when the elders, leaders, and Aaron himself sanctioned it. '"Who is on the LORD'S side?" asked Moses (Exodus 32:26). That's a ringing call to commitment you'll find frequently in the Bible. Look up Joshua 24:15 and 1 Kings 18:21. Then ask yourself, "Have I answered the call yet? Does the way I live daily show that I have?"

        Death on Sinai, Life in Christ
        "For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ" (John 1:17). When Moses came down from Sinai to deliver the law and discovered the people worshiping the golden calf, 3,000 lost their lives in the- ensuing judgment (Exodus 32:28). By contrast, when the Apostle Peter stood up on the day of Pentecost to declare for the first time the message of salvation through faith in a risen Savior, 3,000 found new life (Acts 2:41)!

The two great tests of character are wealth and poverty.