Exodus 32: 1-14
When the people saw that Moses was so long 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.”
Aaron answered them, “Take off the gold earrings that your wives, your sons and daughters are wearing, and bring them to me.” So all the people took off their earrings and brought them to Aaron. 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.”
When Aaron saw this, he built an altar in front of the calf and announced, “Tomorrow there will be a festival to the Lord.” So the next day the people rose early and sacrificed burnt offerings and presented fellowship offerings. Afterward they sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go down, because your people, whom you brought up out of Egypt, have become corrupt. They have been quick to turn away from I commanded them and have made themselves an idol cast in the shape of a calf. They have bowed down to it and sacrificed to it and have said, “These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.’
“I have seen these people,” the Lord said to Moses, “and they are a stiff-nested people. Now leave me alone so that my anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them. Then I will make you a great nation.”
But Moses sought the favor of the Lord his God. “O. Lord,” he said, “why should your anger burn against your people, whom you brought out of Egypt with great power and a mighty hand? Why should the Egyptians say, ‘It was with evil intent that he brought them out, to kill them in the mountains and to wipe them off the face of the earth’? Turn your fierce anger; relent and do not bring disaster on your people. Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac and Israel, to whom you swore by your own self: “I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and I will give your descendants all this land I promised them, and it will be their inheritance forever,’ ” Then the Lord relented and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened.
A Thought
God chose the people of Israel with his promise of bringing them out of bondage and bless them with a land flowing with milk and honey if they would only obey him. God had led Moses and the Israelites out of the bondage of Egypt, but now they have angered God again by their disobedience, this time by worshiping a golden calf. Moses finds favor with God when he pleads for God to turn from his anger and not to bring disaster on the people. When we disobey God, we all deserve the judgement of God. When we ask Jesus for mercy in faith believing, Jesus will seek God’s favor for us. Is there someone that you need to stand in prayer for them to find the favor of God through his Son, Jesus Christ? We all deserve judgement but through Christ, we can find his mercy.
Our Prayer
Father thank you for your mercy given to us through Jesus. We ask for mercy for our nation instead of the disasters that we deserve. Humble us in repentance for we are a stiff-necked people. Awaken from the idols of this world. We ask in Jesus’ name, amen.
