Exodus 32:7Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

At that point, they deserved to be identified as the followers of Moses rather than the followers of God. Yet, the faithful servant, who truly loves his Lord, would not allow this group of people to be associated with him. So, why did the Lord declare, “Thy people are corrupt”? To inspire them to turn to Him in prayer.

And God addressed Moses, conveying the truth to the leader of the people, saying, "Your people have committed great wrongs, those you led out of the land of Egypt. They have fashioned a calf and declared, ‘This is your God who brought you out of Egypt.’ God shares this with Moses to inspire him to intercede on behalf of the people.

The Lord declares in verse 7, “Thy people,” rejecting those who followed other gods. Furthermore, in verse 10, He proclaims, “I will destroy them, and produce a numerous nation from thee.” As noted in our introduction, God’s words to Moses represent a trial for this devoted servant. In this critical hour, he could have chosen his own glory over the fate of the people entrusted to him by the Lord. The Lord was aware that Moses’ sincere heart would choose the path of righteousness, yet it was essential for experience to draw out from the depths of Moses' being a recognition of himself and the inherent goodness within him. This self-awareness fortified and empowered his actions.