Exodus 32

The golden calf (vs. 1-6)--It will take many centuries--almost 10, 1,000 years--before idolatry is completed washed out of Israel, and it would require Babylonian captivity to do it. These people had been raised in a polytheistic background, a background which had generations of human history behind it. Yet, they had seen what Jehovah had done in Egypt, and been told that He was the only true God, that there was no other. So they had no excuse for their actions here. Because Moses "delayed coming down from the mountain" (v. 1), the people petitioned Aaron to make them "gods that shall go before us." Aaron is extremely weak here; he apparently immediately agrees to the request, tells the people to provide him with gold, and fashions a "molded calf" (vs. 2-4). The calf, or bull, was a prominent manifestation of deity in the ancient world, representing procreation. Such is understandable--to a point--in a world where life was short and many hands were needed for agriculture or war. Once the calf was finished, Aaron proclaims a "feast to Jehovah" for the next day (v. 5). Was this golden calf simply to be a visible manifestation of Jehovah? Perhaps. But even if so, they had a conception of Jehovah no higher than the Egyptians' conception of their gods. The Lord God is not just a procreative bull.

Moses' intervention (vs. 7-14)--The forming of the golden calf coincided, in time, with the completion of the first session of law-giving to Moses. So the Lord sends Moses back down the mountain because the people "have corrupted themselves." The Lord threatens to destroy the whole people, and give Moses the blessing: "I will make of you a great nation" (v. 10). Moses pleads with the Lord not to obliterate the children of Israel: "Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, Your servants, to whom You swore by Your own self, and said to them, 'I will multiply your descendants as the stars of heaven; and all this land that I have spoken of I give to your descendants, and they shall inherit it forever'" (v. 13). There are two things going on here. First, we see the power of intercessory prayer. Moses appeals in behalf ot the people and the Lord hears His servant. Plus, this is almost surely a test of Moses. God had just told him that He would make of him an illustrious, numerous nation. Having a renowned offspring was a very important matter in the ancient world, so this would be a far greater temptation to Moses than it would be to us. But Moses passes the test; God's promise to Abraham was more imperative than the lawgiver's own lineage. It is one example of the outstanding piety and character of Moses. Jehovah, of course, did not destroy Israel (v. 14).

The sound of music (vs. 15-18)--Moses, carrying the two tables of stone, descended the mountain where he came to the place Joshua was waiting. Joshua thought the noise below in the camp was "a noise of war" (v. 17), but Moses tells him, no, it is "the sound of singing" (v. 18). Revelry.

Moses confronts Aaron (vs. 19-24)--When Moses got within sight of the camp, the situation perhaps appeared worse to him than he had initially suspected. He became so angry that "he cast the tablets out of his hands and broke them at the foot of the mountain" (v. 19). He then ground the golden calf into powder, cast it into the water by the camp, and made the children of Israel drink it (v. 20). It is interesting that they did not oppose him in any way (at least as it is recorded). His anger was fierce, but their remembrance of the power and awesomeness of God was surely still in their minds; they probably feared that He might do to them what He had done in Egypt. Was there shame in Israel? If so, it isn't evident from the account. Moses then confronts his brother: "'What did this people do to you that you have brought so great a sin upon them?'" (v. 21). Perhaps he is giving Aaron the benefit of the doubt here; did the people threaten you to make you do this? But Aaron has no justifiable reason, of course, not even fear for his own life. Verse 24 is pitiful: "And I said to them, 'Whoever has any gold, let them break it off.' So they gave it to me, and I cast it into the fire, and this calf came out." Yes, Aaron just tossed all the gold into the fire, and poof, this calf was formed and out it came! Moses must have been disgusted with such an explanation.

"Who is on the Lord's side?" (vs. 25-29)--Seeing an "unrestrained" people, "for Aaron had not restrained them, to their shame among their enemies" (v. 25), Moses wants to know if there are any who would stand with him for God: "'Whoever is on the LORD'S side--come to me'" (v. 26). The tribe of Levi gathered to him. Jehovah had already chosen the Levites to be the priestly tribe; perhaps His foreknowledge of their dedication here was one reason why. Levi was also the tribe of Moses--and Aaron. Moses commands the Levites to punish the people, and 3,000 men were killed (v. 28). Moses then tells the people to consecrate themselves back to the Lord, "that He may bestow on you a blessing this day" (v. 29).

Moses talks with God (vs. 30-35)--Moses tells the people that they have "committed a great sin," and he would go back up the mountain and converse with Jehovah: "perhaps I can make atonement for your sin" (v. 30). Moses asks the Lord to forgive the Israelites, but if He will not, "blot me out of Your book which You have written"--a noble, humble request. "Punish me along with my people." Perhaps Moses felt a responsibility for their deed, that he had not led them as he should. Regardless, the Lord tells him that only sinners will be blotted out of the book, and that didn't include Moses. God then informs His servant that he should continue the mission of bringing the people to the Promised Land, and that "mine angel shall go before thee" (v. 34). Yet, the people's punishment was not finished. "The LORD plagued the people because of what they did with the calf which Aaron made" (v. 35). We have no way of knowing what this "plague" consisted of, but surely it wasn't pleasant and was fitting for the occasion.