January 26, 2024 - Exodus 32-35

The golden calf episode is, at the same time one of the most discouraging (the idolatry!) and encouraging (that God was so merciful!) in all the Bible.  God had done so much for Israel.  He had covenanted with them.  He had made them a people.  He had defeated their enemies and delivered them from oppression.  He had prospered them even in the face of terrible persecution.  He had performed miracles on their behalf.  He have given them food and water.  He had given them good and righteous instructions for how to live and how to worship.  What else could he have done?  I am reminded of Isaiah’s song of the unfruitful vineyard that was illustrative of Israel.  As a farmer, the Lord had planted the vineyard, he had watered it and fed it, he pruned it; in short, he did everything he should have done in order that the vines would produce good grapes.  But they produced wild, sour grapes.  The Lord asked, “And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah, judge between me and my vineyard.  What more was there to do for my vineyard, that I have not done in it?  When I looked for it to yield grapes, why did it yield wild grapes?” (Isaiah 5:3-4)

Yes, it took awhile for Moses and Aaron to meet with God on Sinai but what in the world were they thinking?  A calf made out of metal!  They would pray to that monstrosity and expect blessing?  They thought it was that lump of gold that had delivered them from Egypt?  What, then, should God do?  He declared to Moses, “I have seen this people, and behold, it is a stiff-necked people.  Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them” (32:9-10).  Moses interceded for the people, and “the Lord relented from the disaster that he had spoken of bringing on his people” (32:9-15).  Isn’t it good that our God is so patient and that we are not condemned!  And isn’t it so good, even more so, that that we have One who prays for us:  “Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died-- more than that, who was raised-- who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us” (Romans 8:34)!

Children of the heav’nly Father,

safely in His bosom gather;

nestling bird nor star in heaven

such a refuge e’er was given.   --Carolina Sandell (1855)