Exodus 32:1-25

only God deserves our worship
Date: Sunday, October 11, 2009
Study #6: Exodus 32:1-25  (circa 1491 BC)

Bible Study: the Israelites Worship a Golden Calf
REVIEW:
·    Ten Commandments … given by God to the Israelites . . in a very powerful presentation
·    Moses immediately went Up to be alone with God .. he was “drawn” up
·    God gives further specific detailed laws in relation to the Ten Commandments
·    Moses, as mediator (Christ) comes back down to the people and tells them about these detailed laws and the people consent to them … a new Covenant is made here with God’s people
·    Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu (Aaron’s sons) and 70 elders go up the mountain and meet God  … then Moses alones goes Up the mountain further to meet with God . . . they met for forty days . . . God made two stone tables containing all of the laws for Moses to teach the people from
·    God gives Moses instructions on building the Tabernacle and who and how to worship there
·    So now Moses is ready to go back down the mountain . . . . …
o    Things have gone well with the Israelites . . . a happy settlement
o    God had shown himself favorable to the people
o    They had been obedient
o    Moses was filled with pleasant thoughts .. having just spent over a month with God .. looking forward to a joyous welcome home and a celebration of sharing the new, more detailed laws with the Israelites . . . . …

The Golden Calf. (vv. 1 – 6)
·    This happens on the 39th day of the 40 . . . just one more day . . . . …
·    Aaron was in charge while Moses was gone
·    Moses’ absence allowed Satan to work in the minds of the Israelites (kind of like Jesus not being in every corner of our lives)
·    There were probably just a few in the crowd that started murmuring .. then it grew .. just like with the hunger and thirst in the wilderness
·    They were tired of their long journey and anxiously awaited the Promised Land . . and needed a god to go with them
·    Complete rejection of the one True God
·    Thinking him dead, Interesting that they did not mourn for Moses at all and did not long for a new leader instead of a new god
o    The “lust” that worshipping idols brings to people
·    Moses had not told them how long he was going to be gone . . fear of the unknown
·    “as for this Moses” . . . how lightly they regard Moses now .. after all he did for them
·    They immediately thought something bad happened to Moses . . not remembering how God so greatly cared for them all . . . everything is done in God’s time.
o    2 Peter 3:4 – warns us not to be fooled by how long it is taking for Jesus to return
o    1 Samuel 13 – Saul does not wait for Samuel to meet him and turns away from God’s law .. Samuel arrives the next day!


·    Aaron did not try to stop them or quiet them down or reason with them in any way
o    Was he being sarcastic with the Israelites … not imagining that they would give up their own gold possessions . . . but they were crazed
o    It is never wise to tempt or allow yourself to be tempted
o    Egyptians worshipped oxen
·    They were using this statue as a representative of God … but still a no no
·    Aaron is going to be the chief priest (Exodus 28-30) .. but now proved himself unworthy of attending the altar of God  . . . BUT,  God still lets him be Chief Priest. (forgiveness) after Moses prayed for Aaron directly to God (Deuteronomy 9)
·    God spared Aaron’s life because Moses prayed for him.  And on that occasion Moses interceded for him and it was the intercession of Moses, the grace of God in response to his intercession that spared the life of Aaron.

The Intercession of Moses.  (vv. 7-14)
·    The Israelites have corrupted themselves . . sin is the corruption of the sinner by the sinner James1:13 -- Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.
·    every man is tempted when he is drawn aside by his own desires
·    how quickly they had forgotten all that God (and Moses) had done for them
·    new “Christians”
·    sin exposes us to the wrath of God . . . look at what God wanted to do to them!
·    God wanted to start all over again .. from Moses
·    Moses honestly and sincerely tries to reason with God to save the Israelites.
·    How does he do it ??
o    God's interest in them
o    the great things He had already done for them
o    the “favors” and miracles and mercy he had already shown them
o    God’s reputation in the eyes of the Egyptians
o    God’s promise to the patriarchs
·    Imagine having such a close relationship with God !!!!
·    See the power of prayer! . . for yourself and on behalf of others!
·    God’s compassion

Moses Breaks the Tablets of the Law. (vv 15 – 20)
·    What was on the Tables ??
o    Most say the ten Commandments,
o    but I think ALL of the laws God gave the Israelites in public (10-commandments) AND the ones He gave Moses in private were put on there .. to teach from
·    notice … Joshua, too, had sat and waited 40-days without word from Moses
·    did Moses break the Commandments by breaking the Tables ??
·    Moses showed the people what an idol is made of .. and how powerful it is
o    No one even got their precious gold back!
·    Symbolism -- the powdered-idol (their sin) would now mix into their body and all they do
Moses Reproves Aaron; Destruction of the Idolaters. (vv. 21 – 25)
·    Moses now begins to deal with the sinners
o    First with Aaron, like God did to Adam … because he was the one “in charge” .. even though he did not start the sinful event
§    He does not order him to be cut-off as the ones who were involved in the sin .. even though he deserved to be cut-off
·    that thou hast brought so great a sin upon them?
·    Or was it the others that brought the sin upon Aaron ??
·    and then Aaron aided and abetted
·    we must be aware and not let ourselves be drawn into sin
§    Aaron’s excuse is a down-right-lie . . I imagine he prayed for forgiveness better later on
·    He lays all of the fault on the people (like Adam did to Eve)
·    He hides his part in the sin
o    Next, the people are to be judged for their sin
§    naked:  (all of the things we lose when we sin .. separate ourselves from God)
·    stripped of their ornaments
·    stripped of their armor
·    stripped of their integrity

·    SIN is a cancer and must be gotten rid of . . . God led Moses and those “with the Lord” to kill about 3,000 that day.
·    Later on, God smotes many others because of the sin of idolizing this Golden Calf.

·    Here he blots out the sinners . . . later in the Gospel, after Jesus, he blots out sin.

The overall message of the golden calf incident is that God must not and cannot be lowered to the level of a physical object. The nature and image of God is not captured in human-made idols.

·    There are a lot of things that compete for our loyalty to God.
o    What tends to pull your attention away from God?
o    What is the one thing that typically gets in the way of your loyalty to God?
o    What is one practical step you will you take to increase your devotion to God alone?

NOTES:

according to Leviticus chapter 6.  He was in the Levitical line of the priests.  He also was of the family in the tribe of Levi of Kohath, the Kohathites were given a very special and unique task of carrying the Ark of the Covenant.  So he came in a very privileged line.