In the hearing of all Israel, God had spoken in awful majesty upon Mount Sinai, declaring the precepts of His law. The people, overwhelmed with the sense of guilt, and fearing to be consumed by the glory of the presence of the Lord, had entreated Moses, “Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die.” God called Moses up into the mount that He might communicate to him the laws for Israel, but how quickly the solemn impression made upon that people by the manifestation of God’s presence passed away. Even the leaders of the host seemed to have lost their reason. The memory of their covenant with God, their terror when, falling upon their faces, they had exceedingly feared and quaked, all had vanished like smoke. Although the glory of God was still like devouring fire upon the top of the mount, yet when the presence of Moses was withdrawn, the old habits of thought and feeling began to assert their power. The people wearied of waiting for the return of Moses and began to clamor for some visible representation of God. {TM 99.2}

Under hele Israels påhør, havde Gud talt i frygtindgydende majestæt på Sinajbjerget, og bekendtgjort hans lov. Folket, overvældes med skyldfølelse, og frygtede for at blive fortæret af tilstedeværelsen af Herrens herlighed, havde bønfaldt Moses, »Tal du med os, så vil vi lytte til; men lad ikke Gud tale med os, at vi ikke skal dø!« Gud kaldte Moses op på bjerget da han skulle overbringe ham loven til Israel, men nej hvor hurtigt forsvandt dog ikke det højtidelige præg som folket havde ved tilkendegivelsen af Guds nærværelse. Selv lederne af hæren synes at have mistet deres fornuft. Erindringen om deres pagt med Gud, deres rædsel når de, faldende ned på deres ansigter, havde gået for vidt frygtet og skælvet, var alle forsvundet som røg. Helt igennem var Guds herlighed stadig som fortærende ild oppe på toppen af bjerget, alligevel da Moses´ tilstedeværelse var trukket bort, begyndte de gamle sædvanlige tanker og følelser at hævde deres kraft. Folket trættes ved at vente på at Moses kom tilbage og begyndte at råbe efter nogle synlige åbenbaringer af Gud.