Exo 32:2-8 | KingComments | STEP | The people are only too willing to supply materials for making a god they can see. For that they want to make sacrifices, it may cost something ( ). The ear decorations are gladly handed in. The ear is stripped of what it adorns, and that is listening to God’s Word. Aaron gives it the shape of a calf and gives the calf the honor that only God is worthy of. He grants the calf the honor of redemption from Egypt. All God’s miracles are forgotten. Psalm 106 gives an impressive account of this ( ). Aaron builds another altar for it and even calls out a feast whereby he mentions the name of the LORD. This is one of the events Paul quotes from the history of the people of Israel, of which he says that they “happened as examples for us, so that we would not crave evil things as they also craved” ( ). In the following verse he then cites this event with the golden calf: “Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and stood up to play”” ( ). Paulus refers to the ‘festivities’ around the golden calf. The Israelites became idolaters. Idolatry means: to put something else in the place of God and of Christ. That can easily happen. It really does not have to be about things that we know are sinful, wrong things. We see that here. What is their idolatry? It is said directly behind it: eating and drinking and playing. Are these wrong activities? Not in themselves, but they are wrong for Israel. The people have lost contact with Moses, their great leader. He has been gone for a long time, people don’t see him anymore and don’t hear him anymore. That’s why they say to Aaron that he should make a god. Aaron does that and the golden calf arises on its pedestal. Then they start to eat, drink and play. So what is the cause of eating, drinking and playing? That Moses has been gone for so long. What is the example for us here? The Lord Jesus has been gone for so long, it seems as if He never comes back. Then the thought creeps in: “Let’s make it easy for ourselves in this world and live life as we like it. We’ll make a god for ourselves too, one we like, one with whom we can get along, and life becomes one big party!” But it is a feast without the true God. These kinds of sounds can be heard around us with people who profess to be Christians, but who do not take into account the coming of Christ. When the Christian no longer looks forward to the coming of the Lord Jesus, he will focus on earthly things. Things other than the Lord Jesus take up his time and attention. The spiritual leaders take the lead. They do not want to lose their position and respond to what the people ask ( ). The feast forms the pious sauce over the wicked fuss. In many shades, this practice is repeated in professing Christianity. Pagan holidays are covered with a Christian sauce (Christmas), wicked lifestyles are declared expressions of godly love (blessing of so-called same-sex marriages).

‏ Exodus 32:2-8

Aaron Makes the Golden Calf

The people are only too willing to supply materials for making a god they can see. For that they want to make sacrifices, it may cost something (Isa 46:6). The ear decorations are gladly handed in. The ear is stripped of what it adorns, and that is listening to God’s Word.

Aaron gives it the shape of a calf and gives the calf the honor that only God is worthy of. He grants the calf the honor of redemption from Egypt. All God’s miracles are forgotten. Psalm 106 gives an impressive account of this (Psa 106:19-23). Aaron builds another altar for it and even calls out a feast whereby he mentions the name of the LORD.

This is one of the events Paul quotes from the history of the people of Israel, of which he says that they “happened as examples for us, so that we would not crave evil things as they also craved” (1Cor 10:6). In the following verse he then cites this event with the golden calf: “Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and stood up to play”” (1Cor 10:7).

Paulus refers to the ‘festivities’ around the golden calf. The Israelites became idolaters. Idolatry means: to put something else in the place of God and of Christ. That can easily happen. It really does not have to be about things that we know are sinful, wrong things. We see that here. What is their idolatry? It is said directly behind it: eating and drinking and playing. Are these wrong activities? Not in themselves, but they are wrong for Israel.

The people have lost contact with Moses, their great leader. He has been gone for a long time, people don’t see him anymore and don’t hear him anymore. That’s why they say to Aaron that he should make a god. Aaron does that and the golden calf arises on its pedestal. Then they start to eat, drink and play. So what is the cause of eating, drinking and playing? That Moses has been gone for so long.

What is the example for us here? The Lord Jesus has been gone for so long, it seems as if He never comes back. Then the thought creeps in: “Let’s make it easy for ourselves in this world and live life as we like it. We’ll make a god for ourselves too, one we like, one with whom we can get along, and life becomes one big party!” But it is a feast without the true God. These kinds of sounds can be heard around us with people who profess to be Christians, but who do not take into account the coming of Christ.

When the Christian no longer looks forward to the coming of the Lord Jesus, he will focus on earthly things. Things other than the Lord Jesus take up his time and attention. The spiritual leaders take the lead. They do not want to lose their position and respond to what the people ask (2Tim 4:3).

The feast forms the pious sauce over the wicked fuss. In many shades, this practice is repeated in professing Christianity. Pagan holidays are covered with a Christian sauce (Christmas), wicked lifestyles are declared expressions of godly love (blessing of so-called same-sex marriages).

God Speaks to Moses About the People

While God still speaks to Moses about what concerns His heart, He sees how the people behave. It is as if He is addressing Moses about this when He speaks to Him about “your people, whom you brought up from the land of Egypt”. God does not want anything to do with a people who behave like this. He asks Moses’ permission, as it were, to destroy them, and says to Moses that He will then make of him a great nation.

The way God speaks here shows how much He seeks to have a relationship with man. Every human being can understand this reaction from God. But this does not mean that God is equal to man. He does not speak from an impulse, but deliberately. The people deserve nothing but to be wiped out. What an ingratitude! What an insult to God, Who so manifested Himself in goodness and grace. It is also understandable that He wants to make of Moses a great nation. Moses knows Him and serves Him faithfully (Heb 3:2). It shows that God desires a people who know Him and serve Him faithfully.

God makes himself known here as Someone Who can be hurt, as Someone Who does not look on unmoved at everything that happens on earth. He shares with people what is going on with Him. In this case He does so to hear from Moses what He will do. The point is not that He doesn’t know what to do, or that He would lack the power to do what He wants. He involves Moses to bring out something of Himself in him.