Lessons from the golden calf

1. Stay close to God during waiting times.

It was the Israelites’ lack of patience and unwillingness to wait on God that caused them to turn away from God and make up one of their own. They got tired of waiting. Do you get impatient waiting on God, too?

2. Idolatry does not happen by accident.

Aaron took the earrings from the people and deliberately cast and fashioned them into an idol. It did not happen by accident. You don’t accidentally forget to pray or read your Bible. It is because of deliberate choices that we made.

3. Don’t exchange the truth about God for a lie.

God had delivered them out of Egypt, but in verse 1 we read that they gave the credit to Moses and then in verse 4 we read that they gave the credit to the golden calf. They rewrote history. They exchanged the truth for a lie. When God has delivered you, do you give credit to God or to your experience or someone else?

4. Don’t try to blame your sin on someone else.

In Exodus 32:22 we find that Aaron tries to appease Moses’ wrath by blaming his actions on the people. He should have been more worried about God’s anger. People often worry about how their actions affect other people and even feel guilt for their actions, without realizing that, even more important than that, is the fact that their sin has hurt God Almighty.

5. Identify the golden calf in your life.

Our golden calf can be success, productivity, fame, the approval of others, or anything we strive for more than our spiritual growth and our closeness with God. Assess what you worry about or spend most of your time thinking about. Jesus said, “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21, Luke 12:34).

6. Address the people - pleasing areas of your life.

Aaron fearing the Israelites’ response if he didn’t do what they asked of him, rather than holding to his convictions and principles and standing for truth and worship of the one true God, he caved in, to the expectations of the people. When people are big in your eyes and God is small, that equates to erecting the golden calf of people (and their opinions and approval) over the God who created people.

7. It is good to have an intercessor.

Moses pleaded with God on behalf of the people (Exodus 32:11-13). As a result of his intercession, God relented from His wrath. God doesn’t consume us because we have a mediator who intercedes for us. 1 John 2:1

8. The consequence of sin is death, and you have two choices: kill it or be killed.

You are either on the Lord’s side or you are not. There is no middle ground. Exodus 32:26 says, “Whoever is for the Lord, come to me.” Only the Levites stepped forward and we find in verse 28 that all the Levites gathered and killed 3000.

9. In the end, only atonement saves.

“The next day Moses said to the people, “You have committed a great sin. Now I will go up to the Lord; perhaps I can make atonement for your sin.” 1 John 2:2 says that Jesus is the propitiation for our sins.

10. Remember that God has plans for your life.

He’s always working in the background for your good. Aaron may not have built an idol if he’d known that God and Moses were talking about him becoming high priest. We do not know the plans God has for our future. So, wait for the Lord.

Application Questions:

Have you made choices like the Israelites based on what is seen rather than what is unseen? Do you fear people more than you fear God?

Quote:

The human heart is an idol factory. - John Calvin

Prayer:

Lord, I pray that I will not put anything or anyone above You, but wait patiently for You to work out Your plans in my life. Amen