Exodus-False Idols
Introduction
Reading our story today seems like a scene from a treasure movie. And it seems ridiculous, just like those over the top Hollywood films, that people would bow down to an object that they had just made. An extended passage from Isaiah 44 describes the foolishness of Idolatry:
[12] The ironsmith takes a cutting tool and works it over the coals. He fashions it with hammers and works it with his strong arm. He becomes hungry, and his strength fails; he drinks no water and is faint. [13] The carpenter stretches a line; he marks it out with a pencil. He shapes it with planes and marks it with a compass. He shapes it into the figure of a man, with the beauty of a man, to dwell in a house. [14] He cuts down cedars, or he chooses a cypress tree or an oak and lets it grow strong among the trees of the forest. He plants a cedar and the rain nourishes it. [15] Then it becomes fuel for a man. He takes a part of it and warms himself; he kindles a fire and bakes bread. Also he makes a god and worships it; he makes it an idol and falls down before it. [16] Half of it he burns in the fire. Over the half he eats meat; he roasts it and is satisfied. Also he warms himself and says, “Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire!” [17] And the rest of it he makes into a god, his idol, and falls down to it and worships it. He prays to it and says, “Deliver me, for you are my god!”
[18] They know not, nor do they discern, for he has shut their eyes, so that they cannot see, and their hearts, so that they cannot understand. [19] No one considers, nor is there knowledge or discernment to say, “Half of it I burned in the fire; I also baked bread on its coals; I roasted meat and have eaten. And shall I make the rest of it an abomination? Shall I fall down before a block of wood?” [20] He feeds on ashes; a deluded heart has led him astray, and he cannot deliver himself or say, “Is there not a lie in my right hand?” (ESV)
This week we will read of the impatience of the people to worship God. While Moses was receiving instruction from God, the people can’t wait to worship and make themselves a God of gold from their own jewelry. Though we may not bow down to physical statues, we can easily practice idolatry when we put an earthly, created thing before God.
Scripture
Exodus 32-34
We have just come out of a lengthy architectural section and now Exodus turns back to narrative writing. Read these chapters and note narrative elements. Notice how Moses mediates the wrath of God as he stands before God and the people.
Commentary
Chapter 32 The golden calf
While Moses is on the mountain receiving commands for how to worship, the people begin designing their own services. They approach Aaron and ask for a God to worship, and he instructions them to donate their gold jewelry so he can fashion a calf for them calling them the gods that have rescued them from Egypt. Ironically, the first three commands prohibit all the people are doing. They haven’t even built the tabernacle yet, and are already breaking God’s commands on worship. God is not even finished giving instructions and they are already demonstrating their unfaithfulness.
While on the mountain, God can see the revelry going on below and longs to consume them. Yet Moses acts as their mediator and intercedes with them as he knows the character of God, and as he prays for the people, reminds God of the promises He made and His reputation as a God of great power to the Egyptians. Ultimately Go relents because he is loving. Psalm 106:45 says: “For their sake he remembered his covenant, and relented according to the abundance of his steadfast love. Men will be consistently unfaithful to God, but He never abandons them.
As Moses leaves the mountain, in his anger at the people throws down the tablets God had inscribed, a physical sign of the broken covenant. He questions Aaron asking why he brought this great sin on the people. Spiritual leaders are responsible for how they lead. Aaron had let them “break loose[1]” and the cost was lives; sin always leads to death but it isn’t always so violent and visible.
Chapter 33 Mediation
God then asked them to depart, still promising to give them the land He had promised, but with a change, He would not be among them anymore. Though He is faithful, He removed His presence because His holiness is not compatible with sin.
Though the Lord did not make Himself known as he did previously in the cloud and the fire, He still met with Moses in the Tent of Meeting. The people were in desperate need of a mediator. Moses pleases God by asking to know Him more deeply. This is the problem of idolatry, we make God in the image of our choosing, not in how He is showing Himself. We see the heart of Moses in this prayer as he acknowledges that the blessings of God are worthless if God Himself isn’t there. Pastor Mike McKinley[2] says it this way: “It’s worth asking ourselves: if heaven game me everything—the job, the girl or guy, the car, the health, the wealth but Jesus wasn’t there, would I be content there?” The man or woman of God loves Him, not what He gives.
Chapter 34 Renewed Covenant
Since the covenant was broken, it must be renewed for God to again dwell with His people. And who renews the covenant? God of course. The people can give or add nothing as their pattern has been grumbling and unfaithfulness, much like ours is today. In an astounding scene, Moses once again goes up the mountain and He comes in the cloud and in verse 6 proclaims His character and it’s a proclamation that Israel desperately as He highlights him mercy, slow to anger, steadfast love and faithfulness. That is the God who will restore the covenant.
He repeats the terms of the covenant in an abbreviated fashion and with Moses as the representative, reestablishes the His agreement between Him and His people. Moses was with the Lord 40 days and nights without food and water, as Jesus was at the beginning of His earthy ministry. This experience was so intense that as He returns His face shines and the people were afraid to come near him. This fear was good, to remind the people of the power of God.
All this is to show the inadequacy of the people to be faithful and not much has changed. This covenant, though majestic and inaugurated in physical miracles could not save based on the faithlessness of the people. Fear kept them respecting God but couldn’t sustain them. This is why Jesus and the covenant by His sacrifice was what needed. Hebrews 9:15 says:
Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant. (ESV)
Reflection:
1. Have you ever considered that idolatry is not idol worship, but can take many forms? What things to you tend to put above God?
2. What qualities of God in this section are you grateful for? Can you think of a time He has been faithful when you were faithless?
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