Maranatha Global Bible Study

The Return of Jesus

Joel Richardson

The Golden Calf Catastrophe

Other than the fall itself, this is arguably the greatest catastrophe in all of redemptive history.

A.  Aaron, who had just been at the “marriage supper” on Mount Sinai, made the idol
(Exodus 32:1-4)

B.  Contrast the Israelites’ activity with what had happened on the mountain with Moses and the elders ( Exodus 32:4-8)

• • The phrasing has connotations of pagan revelry and orgy-like activity
  • Egyptian idolatry included cow worship

C.  Moses returns and forces the Israelites to drink the powder from their burned idols (Exodus 32:19-20)

• • As the idols were spilled into the ground in the form of human waste, the message was, “What has become of your gods now? Jehovah alone is God.”

D.   Moses executed intense judgement (Exodus 32:25-28)

• Before Moses’ death, the Lord through Moses blessed the Levites’ obedience in this episode. ( Deuteronomy 33:8-10 )

Takeaway

Why do you think the Israelites wanted Aaron to make them idols while Moses was up on the mountain? Why did they so soon forget the covenant? What about us – what idols (false gods) compete for our attention?