THEOSISCyrill of Alexandria
He did not perceive the divine voice. Upon Mount Sinai, he encountered God, who proclaimed, ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord your God is one Lord.’ ‘Thou shalt not make for thyself any graven image, nor any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or on the earth beneath, or in the waters under the earth’ (Deuteronomy 6:4; Exodus 20:4). In defying this command, he carelessly embraced polytheistic beliefs. Thus, his failure to ‘hear the voice’ or the admonition that was delivered to him at Mount Sinai indicates a disregard for correction.
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By neglecting the law that instructs and guides toward righteousness, he turned to human doctrines and traditions, following his own misguided views and straying from the path of righteousness, remaining uninformed and devoid of divine guidance (Isaiah 29:13; Titus 1:14). He placed no faith in the Lord. As conflict loomed and peril threatened, he ought to have exemplified the faith of his forebears, placing his trust in the singular saving God. Instead, he ‘turned to Egypt, and to Assyrians’ for aid (Hosea 7:11), seeking alliances with Syrians or Arabians, which dishonored the divine authority. Yet we are to draw near to our God. Our approach to Him is made possible through a commitment to virtuous conduct and a determination to do that which pleases Him. We draw near to Him in another manner; by believing that He is the one true and living God, the sovereign King of all, and the Creator, while acknowledging no other.