God bless!

Especially with getting priorities straight >_<

-Love, GinniePark

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Memory Verse of the Week:

"They will know that I am the LORD their God, who brought them out of Egypt so that I might dwell among them. I am the LORD their God." - Exodus 29:46

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The Dangers of Idolatry - Exodus 32:1-10

Immediate Gratification

1: "When the people saw that Moses was so long in 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.'"

2: "Aaron answered them, 'Take off the gold earrings that your wives, your sons and your daughters are wearing, and bring them to me.'"

3: "So all the people took off their earrings and brought them to Aaron."

4: "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, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.'"

5: "When Aaron saw this, he built an altar in front of the calf and announced, 'Tomorrow there will be a festival to the LORD.'"

6: "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."

 

Lasting Consequences

7: "Then the LORD said to Moses, 'Go down, because your people, whom you brought up out of Egypt, have become corrupt."

8: "They have been quick to turn away from what 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, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.'"

9: "'I have seen these people,' the LORD said to Moses, 'and they are a stiff-necked people."

10: "Now leave me alone so that my anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them. Then I will make you into a great nation.""

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Reflection

Immediate Gratification (32:1-6)

As Moses ascended the mountain to meet God he left Aaron in charge of the people, with instructions to wait until he returned. However, they could not wait. They thought Moses was taking too long, and instead of a covenant with the living God, they wanted to worship false gods right away. That is one of the dangers of idolatry. It promises immediate gratification. We often want things right away and foolishly trade in quality for immediacy. But idolatry always falls short. False gods cannot offer us anything, because they are dead. They have no power. Idols can only offer empty promises. Moses, however, was on His way to receive the promises that God had for His people. The people should've waited; Aaron should've refused to listen to the people; he should have encouraged them to have more patience. Let's learn to wait upon God. His promises endure forever.

 

Lasting Consequences (32:7-10)

Not only does idolatry offer empty promises, it also has spiritual consequences. Idolatry is choosing to worship someone or something other than God. The Israelites chose to worship literal golden calves in place of Yahweh. Some of our modern idols include money, fame, careers, familites, and even self - while none of these are necessarily evil in and of themselves, they certainly are when they take the place of God. We also see the irony of idolatry. People create idols and then worship them - it is a case of people creating gods to worship. It is illogical and foolish. Finally, if we chosoe someone or something over God, that is our choice. God will allow us to make it. This is not to say that there is no room for mercy and repentance. God is always ready to accept us back.

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Application

-How long have you been putting God off for the more immediate pleasures and demands of life? Have they brought you real contentment? What have you chosen above God?

-If you have been feeling distant from God, now is the time to repent and turn back. We have often chosen worldly things in place of God, but truly none can take His place. Let us turn back to Him.

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"God is either of no importance, or of supreme importance."

-Abraham Joshua Heschel

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What is Taking So Long?

This generation has been criticized for being an instant gratification generation. But the reality is, people have not changed very much from the past. We have always been impatient, and we are that much more impatient when we are offered future promises. We see it in our modern lives, but we see it throughout the Bible as well.

Abraham, who had been promised countless descendants, waited patiently for ten years. And when he felt that he could wait no longer, he had Ishmael through Hagar, Sarah's Egyptian slave. Moses waited for forty years before trying to help Israel free itself from , then he killed someone and was forced to flee to the desert. Israel, the people of God, waited for Moses to come down from the mountain; and when they couldn't wait anymore, they created an idol.

Israel did not forget what they had experienced in Egypt or how God had worked through Moses to bring them to freedom. But when they were not focused on God, the lusts of their hearts consumed them.

As Thomas Watson writes, "It was when Moses was long out of sight - that Israel made an idol to worship (Exod. 32:1). So, when the future reward is long out of their mind - then we set up some idol lust in our hearts, and we begin to worship it!" As long as we focus on God, we will be able to resist sin. But if we don't focus on Christ, we will fall. It's that simple. The "what's taking so long?" mentality is poison to our souls.

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A Letter to God

Dear God, I confess that other things have held my heart and thoughts captive.

I no longer want to be trapped in useless idolatry but long to worship You.

Teach me to worship and obey. In Christ's name. Amen.