Exodus 32:1-41And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him. 2And Aaron said unto them, Break off the golden earrings, which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them unto me. 3And all the people brake off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them unto Aaron. 4And he received them at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. (Exodus 32:1‑4)
MANY DAYS had passed since Moses went up into the mount where He received from God those precious communications as to building the tabernacle—the sanctuary where He might dwell in the midst of His people. But sad to say, even while God was “communing” with His servant, the people in the camp below were busy at work in dishonoring Him, to their own shame and ruin. Behind it all was Satan, using man to strike a blow at the very foundation of God’s truth and honor. Poor Israel! the object of such countless favors and honor on God’s part. They became restless and impatient because Moses was gone so long. They did not have faith for themselves and did not understand why he did not come back. When the test came we find where their hearts really were. They soon forgot the Lord and even attributed their deliverance from Egypt to Moses, instead of to the Lord. What a sad picture, and yet it is just what man is in himself. His history has always been one of departure from God, for natural man has no faith and loves his own way.
“And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.”
This was open apostasy — they turned away from God and fell into the awful sin of idolatry. They wand gods that they could see; they were not children of faith. How unlike Moses, who “by faith... endured, as seeing Him who is invisible.” Heb. 11:2727By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible. (Hebrews 11:27). And this is what characterizes faith in God’s children now. Christ is the blessed object and reward of faith. We do not see Him with natural eyes, but one day we shall; “whom having not seen ye love.” 1 Pet. 1: 8. One day faith shall give place to sight, and we shall gaze upon the face of our dear Saviour who loved and gave Himself for us; “we shall see Him as He is.” 1 John 3:22Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. (1 John 3:2).
Aaron, the very one who had been appointed of God to enter into the most holy place and to minister unto the Lord there, fell into sin along with the people. It seems he was afraid of them and fell without a struggle. Led away by the crowd, and being a leader, he joined the crowd as a leader and told them what to do.
“And Aaron said unto them, Break off the golden earrings,... and bring them unto me. And all the people brake off the golden earrings..., and brought them unto Aaron. And he received them at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a golden calf: and they said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.”
So it was that, moved by Satan, and with Aaron to help them, the people aimed a blow at the throne of God by making a golden calf. This was wicked and sad, for we remember that the first two commandments that God wrote on the tablets of stone were that they should have no other god but the living God, and that they should not make any graven image. Before they had even received it from God they had broken the first commandment.
But God knew what the people were thinking and doing for He knows everything. He knows all our ways too. As His children we should be happy to have it so.
ML-01/10/1971