New Tablets

Scripture: Exodus 34:9 – “[Moses] said, ‘If now I have found favor in your sight, my Lord, I pray, let my Lord go with us. Although this is a stiff-necked people, pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for your inheritance.’” (NRSVUE)

Mel Brooks is one of the greatest comedic filmmakers of all time, but I’ve always found his 1981 film, History of the World, Part I to be hit or miss, which makes sense as it is a series of sketches rather than a feature narrative. But one of those sketches is an all-time classic. Brooks plays Moses, who is commanded by God to ascend the mountain to receive the Law. Brooks returns carrying three unwieldy stone tablets. He says to the people, “The Lord Jehovah has given unto you these fifteen—”, but then he drops one of the tablets, which shatters on the ground. Whispering, “oy”, under his breath, he continues, “Ten! Ten commandments for all to obey!”

There are a lot of ways I could ruin this joke with a theological explanation, but I want to focus on the broken tablet. Because in the story of Exodus, Moses destroys the two tablets he received from God intentionally. He smashes them in anger when he sees how the people have begun to worship an idol of God as a golden calf in his absence.

Both God and Moses are furious. God is ready to destroy all of them and make Moses the father of a new people, but Moses gets God to relent. However, there is still a poisoning, a massacre, and a plague given to them as punishments. God’s glorious gift to the people becomes a disaster because of their confusion, impatience, and lack of trust.

But the story does not end there. Moses goes back up Mount Sinai with new tablets and God remakes them. However, when Moses returns, the emphasis is not just on obedience, but forgiveness. Moses asks for a second chance, and God grants it.

I think we all have shattered tablets in our lives. We have forgotten important things. We have missed the point of something. We have put our faith in the old ways of doing things rather than seeing the new thing God is creating in our midst. We have hurt people we love or neighbors we should have loved more. But the story of Exodus reminds us that our God is a God of second chances. And God restores not only love, but also truth. God does not just let us get away with things but corrects us and shows us the right way to go. Like a loving parent.

This week, think about what you need to remake or restore. It may be a return to a healthy virtue, or it may be trying to repair a strained relationship. Pray for forgiveness and guidance, and you will find that God can fix anything, even a shattered stone tablet.

Prayer: God, restore my faith and cure my unbelief. Let me love you and others as you have commanded. Amen.

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