Saturday, February 19, 2011

The Sin of the Golden Calf

Years ago, when I started questioning things I had learned in the church that had been passed down from generation to generation.  I would talk to other people asking questions about how they felt about these holiday traditions that we were celebrating. I even spoke to one of the pastors at the church and I always received the same answer no matter who I talked to.  "We are worshiping Him, He is happy with us as long as it is focused on Him, it doesn't matter how it is done as long as He is in the forefront, this is how we have always done it, Jesus is the reason for the season." The reasons goes on and on.  But, it just doesn't line up with scripture.

In Exodus, the Israelites were brought out of Egypt and He told them if they will obey His voice and keep His covenant they will be a peculiar treasure, kingdom of priests and a holy nation. In Exo 19:8  "And all the people answered together, and said, All that the LORD hath spoken we will do."  They agreed to this covenant.  Then Moses is told to go get the people ready and to sanctify them and be ready the third day. He is going to come down in the sight of the people.  On the morning of the third day Moses brings the people out to meet Him.  Then in chapter 20 Yahweh begins to give the commandments, all of them not just the ten. But in verse 18  "And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off. 19  And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die."  He wanted an intimate relationship with His people, just like in the Garden of Eden.  But they were too afraid.  So, Yahweh picks up where He left off and continues to tell Moses.  So Moses tells them to the Israelites and they agree to them, "we will do and be obedient".  Then there is a feast with Moses, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel: Exo 24:10  "And they saw the God of Israel: and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness. Exo 24:11  And upon the nobles of the children of Israel he laid not his hand: also they saw God, and did eat and drink."  A wedding feast.  He has married His Bride. Next verse Moses is told to come up and receive the tables.   Exo 24:12  "And the LORD said unto Moses, Come up to me into the mount, and be there: and I will give thee tables of stone, and a law, and commandments which I have written; that thou mayest teach them. Exo 24:13  And Moses rose up, and his minister Joshua: and Moses went up into the mount of God."  So Moses goes up and through chapters 31 He gives Moses His Word. But in Chapter 32 we see when Moses is gone for so long the people tell Aaron to make them gods that will go before them and that brought them out of Egypt.  Of course, we still see a lot of Egypt still in them as you can see in verse 6.  So Aaron makes a golden calf and builds an altar. Exo 32:5  "And when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation, and said, To morrow is a feast to the LORD."  That is interesting,  A feast to the Yahweh? Didn't they just make a golden calf?  Let's go on to Exo 32:6 " And they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play.  Exo 32:7  And the LORD said unto Moses, Go, get thee down; for thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves: Exo 32:8  They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt."  So, in their eyes they were worshipping Him. But, in His eyes they were worshipping other gods.  They broke their covenant with Him.  So Moses broke the tables.  Exo 32:19  "And it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, that he saw the calf, and the dancing: and Moses' anger waxed hot, and he cast the tables out of his hands, and brake them beneath the mount."  We see in Exo 32:21  "And Moses said unto Aaron, What did this people unto thee, that thou hast brought so great a sin upon them?"   We have to always worship Him according to His Ways. Otherwise, it is sin. 

Written by:  Jana D. Pindell

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