Moses-Day 23
Wednesday, September 29
Moses: Called, Challenged, Changed
Day 23—The Golden Calf
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 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.” Exodus 32:1
Suggested reading: Exodus 32
While Moses was up on the mountain getting detailed instructions about daily-living-laws and sanctuary-building-plans, the people were down below growing more and more anxious. Where was “this fellow Moses”?
Really? These people!
Impatient ...doubting …stubborn.
These people …Our mirror!
The story unfolds: Moses’ brother Aaron, who was left in charge, told the Hebrews to take off their gold jewelry and give it to him. 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, O Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt” (v. 4).
Meanwhile on the mountaintop, God tells Moses he needs to go down to the people because of their misguided worship and revelry. Moses carries the stone tablets, makes his descent and is met by his young protege Joshua. When they approached the camp, they saw and heard musical chaos. Some actually thought they were worshipping God as they danced in front of the golden calf. Moses, in his anger, threw the two stone tablets to the ground and they were broken to pieces.
God was angry too. Sadly, discipline had to take place within the camp.
Thoughts:
The words impatient and anxious in the above paragraphs are somewhat convicting to me. What do we do when we are waiting on God to show up? It’s so easy to point the finger at these Hebrews who made a golden calf, but how often are we like them when God seems silent?
Aaron, when explaining to Moses about the idol, said, “They gave me the gold, and I threw it into the fire, and out popped this calf!” (v. 24). How comical! We know from Scripture that he actually took time to fashion it with a tool (v.4).
What idol are we “fashioning with a tool” while we are waiting on God to open a door, to answer a prayer, to bless us with a gift? It can be something that gives us temporary pleasure or relief; or even the opposite, it can be something that causes us unnecessary pain. For example, I know that on a sleepless night I can create so many “What if’s” in my mind about different unknowns that before I know it, “out pops” the fabricated god named Anxiety—but really, I fashioned it with invested time, or I should say, wasted time. Wrong thoughts build wrong gods.
I must share a motto here that God graciously has given me in these anxiety building times. It is this: “overthinking is under-trusting.” This reminder statement helps me turn back to TRUSTING HIM rather than worrying about so many things that I cannot control. So instead of adding onto my anxious thoughts in the middle of the night, the Lord has taught me to consciously choose to exalt him by saying his names in my head…Almighty, Beautiful, Creator, Deliverer…
Let’s do some soul searching today. In the quietness, choose all over again to believe in God alone. Remember, he is the only LIVING God. You may not be able to see him, but you can know him…personally and intimately…just like Moses on the mountain.
Hear him.
Trust him.
Worship him.
No other gods.
Going Deeper and Sweeter: Jeremiah 51:15-19; Matthew 17:4-5; 1 Peter 1:8
Dear Lord,
When you are quiet, give us a greater faith. Keep us from wandering to the worthless idols that we crave and then create. Draw our hearts to worship you alone. Amen.
