YOUR GOLDEN CALF

Yelp,we are that point in Exodus to view more of the flaws of the Hebrews who have been enslaved in Egypt. (Hopefully, I am willing to check out my own flaws.) Exodus 32.  Moses is up at Mt. Sinai for some 40 days, receiving the Ten Commandments, written on stone by God. The people are fearful that Moses had been gone too long.They are accustomed to being enslaved so they decide to celebrate.  No problem until, the priest, Aaron, and brother of Moses encourages the people to remove all their gold, and he decides to make a golden calf to worship. Hand-carved by Him!

 The calf had been worshiped in Egypt and was called the Apis Bull.  Bull symbolic of strength and power. The people had seen that idol/icon and maybe had even taken part in the worship.  Don't you love Aaron's take on how the bull came about as he was reporting to an angry Moses when he came down the mountain? You need to check out Exodus 32 to get all the back-story.  Aaron actually told Moses, blaming the people first of their being "prone to evil"; then he told them to bring all their gold jewelry to him.  He received it and cast into the fire, "and out came this calf". 

God and Moses had already heard the celebration, but it was more the sound not of victory or defeat, but the sound of singing. Nothing wrong with singing, but what went with the singing.  Moses reported that they were "running wild and out-of-control". They had already heard, received, and agreed to the Ten Commandments in an earlier chapter.  WHAT HAPPENED? After all that God had done in leading Moses and Aaron to bring the people out of slavery, and seeing ALL that God had done to protect and provide for them...they gave witness to the calf by their worship as being the one who "brought them out of Egypt".

Yes, I know, neither you or I worship a golden calf!  But I do want to remind you that ANYTHING THAT WE PUT BEFORE GOD IS AN IDOL. Glance at your to-do list of priority or goals for the day.  When is time allotted to be in HIS Word, to pray, and to thank HIM for all that HE has delivered you...me?  We cannot criticize other religions with idols.Our idols don't look like theirs. What is priority to us? What and where do we spend lengthy hours when home? There is absolutely nothing that cannot become an idol, first priority to our hearts.  Yes, I too, am challenged to look inward as I read this passage.  Even grief can become priority and can become my focus.  Ps. 126:3 "The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy." I am challenged to check my heart for ANYTHING that is my first priority.  #IHAVETHREESONS