Shadowland: Redemption: Week 31

Exodus 32: The Golden Calf

• 32:1 "so long" - literally "shamefully long". "Make us gods" - the people want something visible to follow. "gathered around" - throughout the pentatuch this phrase connotes a menacing mob.
• 32:2 Aaron complies, forgetting Exodus 23:2.
• 32:4 "shape of a calf" the Egyptian bull god (forgetting that it was vaquished in the plagues). As Stephen says a millenium and half later, "they rejected Him, and in their hearts turned back to Egypt" Acts 7:39.
• 32:5 "tomorrow a festival to the Lord" - so they were adding the Egyptian gods to return to a polytheism. "these are your gods" says Aaron in v4.
• 32:6 paganism leads to immorality
• 32:7 Meanwhile, back on mount Sinai...
• 32:10 God offers to start over with Moses, but Moses once again chooses to suffer with the people of Israel. Hebrews 11:25
• 32:11 Moses appeals to the grace of God - they were unworthy, but redeemed.
• 32:12 Moses appeals to the glory of God - what would the Egyptians say?
• 32:13 Moses appeals to the faithfulness of God - remember your covenant!
• 32:14 A recurring theme is that God listens when you argue with Him.
• 32:15 A treaty between a king and a vassal had two copies, one for each party. Each tablet had all 10 commandments, written front and back.
• 32:17 Joshua was waiting for Moses part way up the mountain.
• 32:19 "breaking them in pieces" - symbolic of the broken covenant.
• 32:20 Numbers 5:11
• 32:22 Blame shifting
• 32:24 Lame excuses ...
• 32:29 Unlike at Shechem, this time Levi kills the revelers at God's instruction.
• 32:33 "Whoever has sinned against me I will blot out.." Ezekiel 18
• 32:35 All Israel collective suffers for the sin.