Tag: Exodus 32

Homemade Idols

*Old Testament: Exodus 31 & 32

Poetry: Psalm 32

New Testament: Matthew 27

I grew up on a farm and was around cows a lot. Never once did I find qualities to be worshipped in our cows. Sure, sometimes they did something cute or funny, but to lift a calf into idol worship seems ridiculous to me. Yet many ancient cultures worshipped the bull. Apparently, the Hebrew people were aware of this practice, too. So while Moses is receiving the Law of the Lord on the mountain, Aaron is left in charge. The people told him to make them gods who would go before them. And amazingly he does it. He creates the idol from their jewelry. Aaron goes on to build an altar in front of it. He announces that they will have a festival to the Lord with burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. The LORD is writing instructions for Moses of who He is and how they can worship Him, but they decide to create their own idol and practice their own form of worship. Along with these bad decisions, they eat, drink and indulge in revelry.

The golden calf should illustrate the ridiculousness of placing anything or anyone in a position of worship. The LORD is the only One who should be there.

I wonder if we had our modern-day idols put out on public display with altars in front of them, what would we find? Things that represent power, relationships, careers, educational degrees, wealth, fame…What offerings are being given for these idols? Are we offering most of our energy, time, focus or money?

Even good things can become idols when we make someone or something else the highest priority in our lives. Material possessions can be viewed as blessings from the LORD. We can thank Him for them and use them to help others. When we do this, we are using God’s blessings for good, but if we become consumed in our material possessions, they become an obstacle to fully loving and serving the LORD.

We should ask ourselves, “Does anything or anyone hold a higher priority in my life than the LORD?”  In Colossians 3:5 we are told to “Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry”.
So we see here that evil things need to be eliminated from our life before we find that they have become idols.

The Hebrews show us the seriousness of putting idols in the place of the LORD. They made themselves a laughingstock to the other nations and they broke a blood covenant with the LORD. (Ex. 24:7-8) How much better it would have been if Aaron had refused? Even when leadership falters, we should stand for the LORD. Let’s move out any idols and make the LORD the center of our world by loving Him with all our heart, soul, mind and strength.

-Rebecca Dauksas

Reflection Questions

  1. Does anything or anyone hold a higher priority in your life than the LORD? What or who? 
  2. What offerings are being given for these idols? Are you offering most of your energy, time, focus or money to anything or anyone who is not the LORD God?
  3. What will you do to put God first (either again, or for the first time in your life)? What changes need to be made? What habits need to be broken? What habits need to be started? What will you do today to make it so? 
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Knowing to Trust

Exodus 32

February 14

When the people didn’t know what was going to happen with Moses, they turned to Aaron to create new gods. God was very angry.

We have struggled with plenty of fear just in the past few years. Not knowing is a great fear of mine. I struggle with not knowing which college I should go to or what I should do with my life.

The people were dancing and worshiping a golden calf. It says in Exodus 32 that the people are prone to evil. They asked for gods that will go before
them. Do we all struggle with evil or dirty desires? Most likely, but how we handle those desires is what matters the most.

Just because you can’t see what has gone over a mountain or you don’t know what’s going to happen in the future, this doesn’t mean we shouldn’t push for greatness. The kingdom is our goal. It is our motivation. We must trust in what we can’t see or can’t understand at the moment. We must understand that just because God sent Moses over a hill and we couldn’t see him and his plan – we must know there is one.

-Genesis Dylewski

Questions for Reflection and Discussion

  1. The people were quick to take (sinful) action when they felt like they had been abandoned by God and Moses. Have you ever felt (even for a moment or a day) like you were abandoned by God and/or those who have represented Him to you? What options did you have in how you reacted? What would have been the best course of action?
  2. How can you build your trust in God so that even when He is harder to see, you know He and his plan can be trusted?
  3. What false gods or unhealthy practices are you tempted to turn to when you battle fear? What consequences are there in these actions or attitudes?
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