For the most part stick with Exodus 32, but if you are feeling it, you can hit up others....
So the first thought I had was that God was over the mountain in a cloud. Whether or not Moses was dead, why weren't they scared of the guy that killed all those Egyptians? The next thing I got to thinking was that the earrings in their ears were a form of identification of slavery. I assume that there was some specific look to the earrings to identify them as slaves, and if that was carried through to Jesus time, does that mean that earrings are ok today? Especially because there is a completely different association with jewelery today. Ok, so I think it really funny that God decides that they are Moses' people because they are in the midst of apostasy in vs. 7. It is also crazy how frustrated God is, and with reason, picture this: God gets these people out of Egypt, they are grumbling the whole way, He finally gets them to settle down and have faith in Him, takes Moses up the hill and starts working on how to help them get along, and not 40 days later they have QUICKLY turned aside, made an idol, worshipped it, AND sacrificed to it. Man when those Isrealites do something, they do it wrong and fast! Wow, and then in vs. 12 Moses tells God to turn from His wrath and repent of evil, and then he does in vs. 14...any thoughts there?
I don't know why Moses all the sudden has the right to throw God's writing on the ground to make a point. He is basically doing the same thing as the others, just in Righteous anger instead of stupidity. Doesn't make it any more right. This is my new favorite Bible story, because of this next part, compare what Aaron says here with what the Bible says at the beginning of the chapter. These people are set on mischief vs. 22 they gave me their gold and I threw it in the fire vs. 24 And out popped this golden calf, crazy, I don't know how it happened, so I figured I would strip all those that stayed loyal to the real God vs. 25 and worship, sacrifice, and dance around this baby cow. It's not my fault really.
I really love how Moses draws a line in the sand, and says that it is time to choose. That is such a MOG thing to do. Your either on God's side, or your not PERIOD
My favorite part is where Moses makes the people drink their idol. I remember as a kid thinking that was the coolest thing. It just proves the point that whatever they thought they were worshiping was so worthless they could digest it!
ReplyDeleteI've heard thoughts on Moses standing in the gap for the people...kind of like God was baiting him in a way, inviting him to stand up for the people and ask for something in line with His will. He may not have given that opportunity to someone who couldn't have handled it, someone who might have been like, "Yeah, fry 'em God!" Still, I think there's always a bit of mystery to that one.