VERSES NO. 152 - 154

      The intensive reaction of Moses did well, and the worshippers of the gold calf who were the majority of the population, apprehended their mistake and blasphemous deeds, and were repented and prepared to amend. Of course, repentance alone for getting rid of the consequences of such a heinous sign was not enough; and their evil deed and idolatry left a twofold result behind.

      The wrath of God would soon catch their lapses, and also in the present life of this world, they had to be debased and despised:

      ``Those who took the calf for worship will soon be afflicted by a wrath of God, and an abjection in this world's life.''

      The verse predicts that a wrath of God would soon afflict them in spite of their repentance! True that God is Merciful and forgiving, but the case here is strangely critical, and something unbelievable! The Israelites saw that many signs of God, and miracles of God's two simultaneous prophets. They knew well how heinous and hatefully bad a sin, is idolatry in the sight of God and His prophet. In spite of all that, and forgetting their late rescue and Pass over, they took the image of a cow for their god, and began to worship that idol and gave sacrifices to it!! Theirs was not a simple sin or guilt to be ignored easily.

      It indeed is a universal law of God based on His Mercy to forgive those who do wrong and repent in time, and proceed to amend their deeds; but God's Justice too is to be considered in all cases:

      ``And those who did evil deeds, then repented and believed, your Lord is after that, Forgiving, Compassionate.''