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You Make Me So Angry!


Have you ever experienced that moment when your parents are so mad they don’t even spank you? That moment when they are so angry they sputter and stammer and don’t actually say anything? Or maybe they were so furious with you they said something like, “Get out of my sight before I do something I regret!”

Geez Mom, that escalated quickly.

God had a moment like that. It happened in Exodus 33.

God said to Moses: “Now go. Get on your way from here, you and the people you brought up from the land of Egypt. Head for the land which I promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying ‘I will give it to your descendants.’ I will send an angel ahead of you and I’ll drive out the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. It’s a land flowing with milk and honey. But I won’t be with you in person—you’re such a stubborn, hard-headed people!—lest I destroy you on the journey.”
Exodus 33:1-3

‘If I were to go with you I might destroy you.’

That might cause some concern, right?

When the people heard this harsh verdict, they were plunged into gloom and wore long faces. No one put on jewelry.
God said to Moses, “Tell the Israelites, ‘You’re one hard-headed people. I couldn't stand being with you for even a moment—I’d destroy you. So take off all your jewelry until I figure out what to do with you.’” So the Israelites stripped themselves of their jewelry from Mount Horeb on.
Exodus 33:4-6.

So what brought us to this moment? If you were to go back and read Exodus 32 you would find that infamous golden cow incident. Yeah, it had gotten pretty ugly. Moses is on a mountain with God while Aaron is directing a prequel to Hangover with all the Israelites.

But after getting things settled down, Moses actually goes to God and begs for forgiveness on behalf of everyone. In fact, he goes so far as to say that if God won't forgive them, then Moses wants out now. Stop this ride because I want to get off. 

God and Moses end up having a define-the-relationship kind of talk and get things settled. So what can we learn from all this?


  • It pays to be a friend of God. Spending time with Him leads to frank conversations.
  • God will always be faithful to His promises. Moses was able to talk with confidence because he knew what God was wanting to do. 
  • Oh...also....don't make your parents so angry they threaten to destroy you. That doesn't normally work out well for anyone involved. 
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