Exodus 32: 1-10
When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the
mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said, “Come, make us gods[a] who will
go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t
know what has happened to him.” 2 Aaron answered them, “Take off the gold
earrings that your wives, your sons and your daughters are wearing, and bring
them to me.” 3 So all the people took off their earrings and brought them to
Aaron. 4 He took what they handed him and made it into an idol cast in the
shape of a calf, fashioning it with a tool. Then they said, “These are your
gods,[b] Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.” 5 When Aaron saw this, he
built an altar in front of the calf and announced, “Tomorrow there will be a
festival to the Lord.” 6 So the next day the people rose early and sacrificed
burnt offerings and presented fellowship offerings. Afterward they sat down to
eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry. 7 Then the Lord said to Moses,
“Go down, because your people, whom you brought up out of Egypt, have become
corrupt. 8 They have been quick to turn away from what I commanded them and
have made themselves an idol cast in the shape of a calf. They have bowed down
to it and sacrificed to it and have said, ‘These are your gods, Israel, who
brought you up out of Egypt.’ 9 “I have seen these people,” the Lord said to
Moses, “and they are a stiff-necked people. 10 Now leave me alone so that my
anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them. Then I will make you
into a great nation.”
Title: Idolatry in
Moses’ Absence
Message:
Unreliability and ungratefulness are two sides of human nature and these basically
lead people to sinning. God provided the Israelites a leader to follow, had
demonstrated miracles for their salvation and above all vowed to bring them to
the Promised land. However, they forgot all these and grew impatient of waiting
until they came up with an idol which they worshiped. The act angered God, thus
making Him think of destruction against them.
Promise to Claim: God will make
a great nation out of people who faithfully serve Him. He sees and knows our obedience,
sacrifices, faithfulness and gratefulness and He guarantees reward for all of
what we have been doing.
Command to Obey: Do not
worship any other god. Be patient. Be faithful.
Warning to Heed: God abhors
idolatry. He will destroy those who practice it.
Application: I will not
practice idolatry and discourage others to do the same. I will neither serve nor
worship any other god. I will draw my attention away from those that may hinder
me from worshiping the real God and the Lord of lords.
