TRADING THE GLORY ON THE MOUNTAIN FOR A GOLDEN CALF – PART 2

Moses has been delayed on the mountain, the Children of Israel become full of doubt and approach Aaron, asking him to make them a god that will go before them… NOW, to the rest of the story. 

Exodus 32:2 And Aaron said to them, "Break off the golden earrings that are in the ears of your wives, your sons and your daughters and bring them to me"

What did Aaron do? This Priest, anointed for service to the Lord, the leader left in charge; how did he react?  HE TOOK UP AN OFFERING. Now that strains even the elastic bounds of incredulity...no rebuke, no call to repentance, no reminder of God's great deliverance or provision; no...HE TOOK UP AN OFFERING!  Then in verse 4, Aaron steps over the line; And he received the gold from their hand, and he fashioned it with an engraving tool, and made a molded calf.  

Aaron had become a “SEEKER-FRIENDLY” leader.  

He had become more concerned with pleasing the people than obeying God.  Once the “Line” has been crossed, further transgressions become a little easier.  

Exodus 35:5 So when Aaron saw it, He built an altar before it.  And Aaron made a proclamation and said, "Tomorrow is a feast to the Lord."

Aaron’s second mistake is revealed, he tried to join the HOLY TO THE PROFANE and proclaim a “FEAST TO THE LORD.”  Oh he built an altar; he used the right words; he invoked the Name of the Lord BUT we cannot mix the HOLY WITH THE PROFANE.  

GOD WILL NOT ALLOW HIS GLORY TO BE MIXED WITH THAT OF A GOLDEN CALF.

GOD IS DISPLEASED!  He tells Moses what is going on and to get off the mountain.   As Moses and Joshua come off the mountain, they hear the noise coming from the celebration and Joshua, hearing the noise, says to Moses, “I think there is war in the camp” and Moses says something so profound, which sums up the sad condition to which Israel had fallen.  

Exodus 32:18 “But he said: “It is not the noise of the shout of victory, Nor the noise of the cry of defeat, But the sound of singing I hear.”

The children of Israel were in control of their own worship.  This God wouldn’t ask anything too hard from them, condemn them or pronounce judgment upon them.  They could compartmentalize this God and feel good about themselves as they “checked” off their daily or weekly duty.  They could decide when to worship and then leave the altar to go about their life until the next self-appointed time of worship.  This God would not follow them or be involved in their daily pursuits.  There would be no “SHOUT OF VICTORY OR CRY OF DEFEAT” with this God; only SINGING.

Moses statement is an indictment not only of the Children of Israel but could be said of the state of many congregations, today.  We have become “weary in the waiting.”  We have given offerings and created golden calves; turning our face from the Glory on the Mountain.  We have created beautiful buildings, with altars and said “Let us make a feast to the Lord.”  We worship with choirs and worship teams; offer programs and homilies.  We prepare our agendas and format our gatherings, appealing to guests and members in rote fashion, leaving little room for the “thundering and lightening” of the Spirit.  A prayer of dismissal is prayed and we walk away the same way we entered; unchanged.  If you stop your activity and really listen, what is it you hear?  There is no “noise of a shout of victory,” “no crying of defeat or repentance;” it is only the “sound of singing you hear.”  We have traded the GLORY ON THE MOUNTAIN FOR A GOLDEN CALF!

Exodus 32:20 Then he took the calf which they had made, burned it in the fire, and ground it to powder; and he scattered it on the water and made the children of Israel drink it.

God’s Glory will NOT dwell beside a Golden Calf!!!  It is time to burn the golden calves in our lives and grind them to powder.  Whatever “calf” you have built in your life that has become an object of worship, MUST be destroyed.  If you desire REVIVAL in your church or in your life, it is time to burn the golden calf.  If we ever want to hear the SHOUT OF VICTORY or the CRYING OF REPENTANCE, the golden calf must be ground to powder and scattered.  I LONG, ONCE MORE, TO LINGER IN THE GLORY ON THE MOUNTAIN!!!:)