Read Exodus 32:1-14
When the
people saw that Moses had not come down from the mountain but was staying there
a long time, they gathered round Aaron and said to him, “We do not know what
has happened to this man Moses, who led us out of Egypt; so make us a godg
to lead us.”
2 Aaron
said to them, “Take off the gold earrings which your wives, your sons, and your
daughters are wearing, and bring them to me.” 3So all the people
took off their gold earrings and brought them to Aaron. 4He took the
earrings, melted them, poured the gold into a mould, and made a gold bull calf.
The
people said, “Israel, this is our god, who led us out of Egypt!”
5 Then
Aaron built an altar in front of the gold bull calf and announced, “Tomorrow
there will be a festival to honour the Lord.”
6Early
the next morning they brought some animals to burn as sacrifices and others to
eat as fellowship offerings. The people sat down to a feast, which turned into
an orgy of drinking and sex.
7 The
Lord said to Moses, “Go back down
at once, because your people, whom you led out of Egypt, have sinned and
rejected me. 8They have already left the way that I commanded them
to follow; they have made a bull calf out of melted gold and have worshipped it
and offered sacrifices to it. They are saying that this is their god, who led
them out of Egypt. 9I know how stubborn these people are. 10Now,
don’t try to stop me. I am angry with them, and I am going to destroy them.
Then I will make you and your descendants into a great nation.”
11 But
Moses pleaded with the Lord his
God and said, “Lord, why should
you be so angry with your people, whom you rescued from Egypt with great might
and power? 12Why should the Egyptians be able to say that you led your
people out of Egypt, planning to kill them in the mountains and destroy them
completely? Stop being angry; change your mind and do not bring this disaster
on your people. 13Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac, and
Jacob. Remember the solemn promise you made to them to give them as many
descendants as there are stars in the sky and to give their descendants all
that land you promised would be their possession for ever.” 14So
the Lord changed his mind and did
not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened.
Think
The people who went out of
Egypt had forgotten that they were dealing with the living God. A God who can not represented by idols - but
a personal God. One who speaks.
Pray
Life is rushed, prayers are
rushed; how can you find time to listen today?
If we don't listen, we begin
to fashion God according to our own idea of him.
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