The Golden Calf

God said,  "You shall have no other gods before me."  Exodus 20:3

The Israelites were at Mt. Sinai.  God had promised to speak to them there.  His presence was accompanied by a thick cloud which covered the mountain, thunder, lightning, fire, smoke, and a very loud trumpet blast.  The whole mountain trembled violently.  What an awesome sight that must have been.

Moses went up on the mountain.  God instructed him to return to the Israelites and say to them,  "Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession."  Exodus 19:5a.  When Moses told the Israelites what God had said,  "The people all responded together,  'We will do everything the Lords has said.'"  Exodus 19:8.

God spoke the Ten Commandments from the mountain to the people.  The first commandment was "You shall have no other gods before me.  You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in the heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.  You shall not bow down to them or worship them."  Exodus 20:3-5a.  God reiterated that command in Exodus 20:23, saying,  "Do not make any gods to be alongside me; do not make for yourselves gods of silver of gods of gold."  When Moses told the people all of God's words and laws, they responded with one voice,  "Everything the Lord has said we will do.”  Exodus 24:7.  Apparently they felt certain they would obey God.

But even before Moses came down from the mountain the people went to Aaron and said,  "Come, make us gods who will go before us."  Aaron made an astounding reply.  He told the people to bring him all the gold earrings they had.  When they did, "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, Israel, who brought you up.'"  Exodus 32:4  To add insult to injury, the next day the Israelites sacrificed burnt offerings and presented fellowship offerings to this golden calf.  They had been so sure they would obey God, but look at them now!

Rather than criticizing Israel for their disobedience, we need to remember all the times we thought we would be obedient and then we yielded to temptation.  The law was given to prove to all people that they were unable to keep it and needed a Savior.

Father, I know how sinful I am, how I have disobeyed You many times.  Thank You for sending Jesus to be our Savior so our sins could be forgiven.  Amen.