I remember
learning about the golden calf in Sunday School. There were always pictures of the people
dancing with a pretty golden statue of a cow in the midst of them. We were always told that what the Israelites
had done was bad, but I don’t think I came close to grasping how truly awful
this episode was. Nor did I grasp that
we do the same thing in our lives even today.
In previous
chapters we read about God’s preparations for the Tabernacle. This was the place that He Himself would
dwell in the midst of Israel. In a sense
the plague and rescue from Egypt was like a wedding – God took these people as
His bride. Now He was preparing to move
in. But as He was preparing to move in,
His bride was cheating on Him with other gods.
It was an absolute betrayal.
The people came
to Aaron, the man who had spoken the God’s Word to Pharaoh on Moses’ behalf,
and said, “Arise, make us gods who will go before us. As for this Moses (who happens to be Aaron’s brother), the man who brought us up out
of the land of Egypt, we don’t know what has become of him.” So what did Aaron do? He told them to bring him all their golden
earrings. As God was designing His home
with gold, silver, bronze and so many other good things, Aaron was gathering
gold to fashion an idol.
The church father
Tertullian commented on this event saying that by giving these decorations for
their ears, “The people were about to lose, as a judgment upon themselves, the
true ornaments for the ears.” That is,
they were about to lose the Word of God.
How often do we
trade God’s Word for our own idols? It’s
shocking how often swimming, soccer, fishing, or even just sleeping in becomes
more important than hearing God’s Word and receiving the Sacrament of the Altar. I am often appalled at myself when I choose
entertainment, a fun book, or “getting down to business” over spending time in
God’s Word each morning. How often do we
miss opportunities to serve the Lord because of our agenda, our comfort and our
wants? How often do we miss out on the
blessings that are part of living in the Lord?
Often.
We are people who
have our own golden calves set up, not in physical forms, but in our
hearts. “Idolatry does not consist
merely of erecting an image and praying to it, but it is primarily a matter of
the heart, which fixes its gaze upon other things and seeks help and
consolation from creatures, saints or devils.”
(Large Catechism, 1st Commandment) I would add pleasures and events to that
list.
But notice how
God responded to His people. Yes, His
anger burned. Yes, there was death and
punishment. However, His overwhelming
response was mercy. He did not reject
Israel. He did not start all over with
Moses. Moses offered up his life in the
place of the people’s, and God did not accept it. (One sinner cannot atone for other
sinners.) But God gave forgiveness in
light of another life offered for our sins, the life of God’s own Son, Jesus of
Nazareth, given upon the cross, so God does not reject you.
God’s mercy is
great. It is because of that mercy that
we recognize how awful our sin is; that it is like cheating on God. But it is also because of His mercy that we
know His love, are overwhelmed by His grace, and love Him. It is because of His grace that we want to be
faithful and merciful, just like He is.
Father, help me to know your mercy and love so well that
it flows from me to others so that you are glorified in my life. I ask this as your redeemed child in
Christ. Amen.
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