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The Story of Moses began in Egypt, where the Children of Israel had found refuge with Joseph over 400 years before. The beginning
of these events involved the struggle they had to endure under the oppression
of the Pharaoh. The oppression ended, however, when Moses parted the Red Sea for them by the permission of God, and then left it for God to close over the
Pharaoh and his army. From then on, the story of Moses concerned the building
of a nation out of the Children of Israel, guided by God alone. However,
despite being rescued from the Pharaoh and witnessing God’s punishment on him
and his people, the Israelites themselves, or certain groups among them, did
not show the gratitude that they should have. Instead, they became fractious
and contrary, finding fault in what God provided and repeatedly turning against
Him and His representatives, Moses and Aaron, in consequence by seeking deities
other than Him to worship.
Manna from Heaven and Quails
After safely crossing the Red Sea, Moses led his
people southeast towards the holy mountain of Tur.
Yet, even after witnessing the miracle of the crossing and the destruction of
the Pharaoh and his army, there were many who grumbled; who preferred what they
had come from because it had filled their mundane desires such as plentiful
food to eat and water in abundance. Of course these are basic needs, after
breathing. Still, God had saved them from death - the lack of breath - and now
(safely alive) they yearned for these other basic needs. The Quran states that
God sent manna and quails down upon them to fulfill these needs, and the
Bible confirms this. According to the Bible, at first only manna was
sent down, but the Israelites had yearned for meat. God then provided them
with meat for a whole month by sending the quails. Manna would then be
sent down in the morning, and quails would become abundant in the evening. Now
they harked back on the plenty they had had in Egypt. Their complaints
provoked God’s anger, as is reflected by the admonition:
“Eat of the good things we have provided for you, and
do not exceed therein, or my Anger will alight on you, and upon whoever my
anger alights, they will indeed perish.” (Quran 20:81)
As they neared Tur, when the people were
perishing of thirst, Moses prayed to God for water. God said:
‘…Strike the rock with your staff;’ whereupon twelve
springs gushed forth, and each tribe knew its own spring.
‘Eat and drink of God’s sustenance and do not act wickedly, corrupting the
earth.’ (Quran 2:60)
Then the people said:
“O Moses, we cannot bear (only) one kind of food (the
manna), so pray to your Lord for us to produce that which the earth grows: its
herbs, cucumbers, garlic, pulses and onions.
He said, ‘Will you exchange better for worse? Go down
to any town, and you will find what you demand.’
And disgrace and humiliation were stamped upon them. And
they drew upon themselves the wrath of God.” (Quran 2:61)
Some Israelites Turn to Idol Worship
In the vicinity of Tur, they met a people who
worshipped idols in the shape of a cow. The people were Lakhemites according
to some scholars of interpretation; others say they were Edomites coming down
from Canaan. The Judeo-Christian tradition states that the Israelites fought
the Amilekites, who were associated with the Edomites, there and the battle
swayed according to whether Moses lifted or let fall his staff.
In the Quran, however, some of the people merely requested:
“‘O Moses, make for us a god like the gods they have.’
He said, ‘surely you are an ignorant people. Surely
what they are engaged upon shall be shattered, and what they have been doing is
in vain.’”(Quran 7:138-139)
Whether the shattering was done by force of
arms, as is said in the Bible, or by cataclysmic events, is not mentioned.
Rather, it is suggested some Israelites may have seen these people worshipping
cows and been influenced by them. Perhaps this is what encouraged the
disbelievers among them who later worshipped the golden calf.
“He said, ‘shall I seek for you a deity other that
God, while He has given you superiority over other nations’” (Quran 7:140)
Nevertheless, when Moses was called to the
side of the Mountain again, the people strayed. He told Aaron:
“…Take my place among my people, and do right; and do
not follow the way of the corrupt.” (Quran 7:142)
Aaron did his best, as is testified by God
himself:
“Aaron indeed had said to them beforehand, ‘O my
people. You are being tried in this; and verily your Lord is the Most
Gracious, so follow me and obey my order.’” (Quran 20:90)
It was not Aaron who constructed the golden calf
for them, as the Torah accuses him, but a man named Samiri.
It is impossible that a prophet, knowing the
truth more than others, would fall into that which God has forbidden since the
dawn of His message. Indeed if that was the case, then no blame can be put on
their followers if they were associate others with God as well. For God told
Moses, while he was on the mount:
“Verily, we have tried your people in your absence,
and Samiri has led them astray.” (Quran 20:85)
Meanwhile, the people obstinately refused to
listen to Aaron. They said:
“We will not stop worshipping (the golden calf) until
Moses returns to us (with guidance).” (Quran 20:91)
Moses Asks to See his Lord
Moses was away 40 days, which God had appointed
him for fasting before revealing to him the Commandments and the Law. When
Moses came to the time and place he was supposed be, God spoke to him. As
Moses was eager to have more knowledge of Him, he asked God, as a favor, to
show Himself to him. God told
him that man is not able see God in the mundane world. In Exodus, He explained
that any vision of His essence would utterly destroy a man. In fact, nothing
earthly can stand God’s actual presence. God said:
“…‘Look upon the mountain if it stands still in its
place then you shall see Me.’
And when God appeared to the mountain, He made it
collapse to dust, and Moses fell down unconscious. Then, when he recovered his
senses he said: ‘Glory be to You, I turn to You in repentance and I am the
first of the believers.’” (Quran 7:143)
This lesson is clear. If no man can stand the
presence of God, and even mountains collapse in ruin at his presence, then how
can an earthly thing be God? How can a manufactured idol be God? How can a
living human being be God? They cannot. So Moses repented from asking God
this favor even though God fulfilled his request to the limit of not actually
killing him. He said:
“I have chosen you above men by My Messages, and by My
speaking (to you). So hold that which I have given already and be of the
grateful.” (Quran 7:144)
The Tablets
God gave Moses tablets upon which were written
‘a lesson drawn from all things’ and ‘the explanation of all things.’
“…Hold on to these with firmness and enjoin your
people to take the better therein...” (Quran 7:145)
He then told Moses what the rebellious could
look forward to. Like He had hardened the heart of the Pharaoh, He would turn
those who have no right behave arrogantly on the earth as they do, away from His
verses, and condemn them to disbelief, even if they were to see all the Signs.
In fact, though they might see the way of righteousness, they would not adopt
it; rather, they would eagerly adopt the way of clear error when they saw it.
And what reward can they expect, if they refuse to obey God? Nothing but the
Doom of Judgment Day and eternity that is neither death, nor life, but
continual destruction. This is
what the calf worshippers were due, and this is what all the consistent rebels
against God’s religion of strict monotheism will be due, too.
The next article will tell the story of the
Golden Calf, and the event that returned the Israelites to guidance.
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