In the midst of the holy time of God giving his covenant to Israel, the people yield to the lure of idolatry and immoral behavior. While the Israelites had left Egypt, Egypt hadn’t left Israel! This is a reminder of how wicked sin is and why the Holy One of Israel had to punish the people because of their sin. Only Moses, standing as a mediator, would prevent God from totally wiping out the nation. How different it is for us under the covenant of grace because THE MEDIATOR has come, perfectly satisfying the justice of God, freeing him to forgive sin.