The sin of the people of Israel was a stench to God. They'd made the golden calf even as their Redeemer was cutting a covenant into stone to bind them to Him. In effect, they'd slept with a prostitute on the night before their marriage. The LORD lets them know how serious this really is.
First He strikes them with a plague. Then in chapter 33, He makes the gravity of the situation plain to Israel.
"I'll remove your enemies from the land. So off you go...that's what you want isn't it - a nice peaceful, pleasant land with plenty of milk and honey for your sweet tooth."
Then comes the thunderbolt: "but I will not go up among you lest I consume you...for you are a stiff-necked people." And finally, the Israelites begin to realise how serious their sin is and that without God they might as well be dead.
This side of the Cross we can be even more blasé than Israel were. Expecting God to drive away our problems, bring us a heap of blessings, whilst we keep stubbornly hugging the idols of the world and proudly wearing our ornaments of self-promotion.
God is not pleased. He has been so patient and loving with us, but only wants one thing: that we would go nowhere without Him.
I'm thoroughly challenged. How many plans that we know God wants us to fulfil become so important to us that we fail to notice, He's not among us! Take a lesson from Israel, if you're wandering around in circles in a desert place, perhaps He just wants to convict you of ignoring Him and draw you to Him and Him alone.
Don’t resist! Repent over your sin, lay your pride down and tell the LORD how desperately you desire His presence.
