Exodus 32:30

Exodus 32:30 says, And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses said unto the people, Ye have sinned a great sin: and now I will go up unto the LORD; peradventure I shall make an atonement for your sin.  Moses told the people of Israel that they had sinned a great sin and that he would go up the mountain and see if he could make atonement for them with God.  We today have committed a great sin anytime we do not follow God's word, and there is no one in the world who can make atonement for us.  Fortunately, atonement has already been made by Jesus, Who died to make atonement for us.  He is the only One Who can.  We can only point the lost to Jesus.  

Verse thirty-one adds, And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold.  Moses returned to God and confessed the sin of the people to Him.  Moses was there to intercede for the people of Israel, since he himself had not participated in this sin.  If we are to make intercession for others, we must first make sure that we are not guilty of unconfessed sins our self.  Then, we must acknowledge that they need forgiveness, and bring our concern for them to God.  We cannot demand forgiveness for them, but can only ask that God forgive them.  Of course, if they are lost, then we can only ask that God help them to accept Christ as their Savior and Lord.  

Verse thirty-two continues s, Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin—; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written.  Moses told the LORD that he was willing to be blotted out of God's book of life if God would forgive the people of Israel.  We may be willing to be blotted out of God's book of life if He would forgive others, but it doesn't work that way.  There is only One Who can give Himself in our place, and that is Jesus Christ, and He already did.  

Verse thirty-three states. And the LORD said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.  God told Moses that each person was responsible for his or her sin, and that has always been true.  We either attempt to find forgiveness on our own, which we cannot do, or we accept the forgiveness that comes by putting our faith in Christ's atonement, which is already an accomplished fact.  

Verse thirty-four adds, Therefore now go, lead the people unto the place of which I have spoken unto thee: behold, mine Angel shall go before thee: nevertheless in the day when I visit I will visit their sin upon them.  Moses was told to go and lead the people to where God had directed him to go.  God did not say that Moses had obtained forgiveness for their sins.  Their sins would still be dealt with when God visited them.  When Christ returns, God will judge all people, and we will either stand before Him with our sins forgiven because of our acceptance of Christ as our Savior and Lord, or we will stand having to answer for our own sins, for which we cannot find forgiveness without having accepted Christ.  God did not immediately blot out all sinners, just as He doesn't today.  

Verse thirty-five continues, And the LORD plagued the people, because they made the calf, which Aaron made.  God plagued the people of Israel because of their sin of idolatry.  Notice that Aaron was given the responsibility of having made the golden calf.  Even if we have accepted Christ as our Savior and Lord, we may still suffer the consequences of our sins in this world.  We can never take sin lightly, because God certainly doesn't.