The golden calf business was such a disaster (Ex 32). Of course we know it was bad because it epitomised idolatry. Yet the consequences reached farther. You see as a result God wanted to just blow them all away and start over with Moses' descendants (v10).
But Moses was sharp. He could see a problem with this approach. The Egyptians would get to hear of the wipe-out and draw their own conclusions - which would be the opposite of what they should be understanding about God. In short, the mission would suffer a serious set back!
Moses strengthens his case appealing to the foundational covenant of God with Abraham, but note that if God had started over through Moses the original promise to Abraham would still have been fulfilled (albeit with another several hundred years re-population process!).
So the mission purpose of the Exodus journey over-rides quick and instant judgement, even though such a wipe-out was justifiable.
Therefore we see God entertaining and journeying with the Israelites in the messiness of their unbelief and idolatry. Of course their behaviour is not to be condoned, but it is instructive for us today how it appears (at least to some degree) to be tolerated, with the mission purpose being the over-riding factor.
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