A Taste Of The Golden Calf
Exodus 32:7-8
"Then the Lord said to Moses, "Go down, because your people whom you have brought up out of Egypt have become corrupt. They have been quick to turn away from what I commanded them and have made themselves an idol cast in the shape of a calf. They have bowed down to it and sacrificed to it."
Exodus 32:19-20"When Moses approached the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, his anger burned and he threw the tablets out of his hands, breaking them into pieces at the foot of the mountain. And he took the calf they had made and burned it in the fire; then he ground it into powder, scattered it on the water and made the Israelites drink it."
As I read this story again, I began to think about the Israelites and their inability to worship but one God. In our Sunday morning lesson yesterday, we talked about the Ten Commandments, focusing on the first. Exodus 20:1-3 says "I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. You shall have no other gods besides me." We discussed how flippantly our society throws that word, "god" around. We talked about what makes something a "god" and I began to think that the two things that make something or someone a "god" are 1) inherent unnatural power and 2) worshippers. The word, "worship" is defined as paying homage to, feelings of profound love and admiration, loving uncritically, unquestioningly, to excess. Wow! Do those words strike any chords in your heart? They do in mine and when I began to think about it, I started wondering if Moses came down from this interaction with God, if he saw the way we lived now . . . well I wonder how work, money, power, sex, sports, entertainment, internet, television, ---------well, I wonder how they would taste? Idol, anyone?
Peace
Neva
"Then the Lord said to Moses, "Go down, because your people whom you have brought up out of Egypt have become corrupt. They have been quick to turn away from what I commanded them and have made themselves an idol cast in the shape of a calf. They have bowed down to it and sacrificed to it."
Exodus 32:19-20"When Moses approached the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, his anger burned and he threw the tablets out of his hands, breaking them into pieces at the foot of the mountain. And he took the calf they had made and burned it in the fire; then he ground it into powder, scattered it on the water and made the Israelites drink it."
As I read this story again, I began to think about the Israelites and their inability to worship but one God. In our Sunday morning lesson yesterday, we talked about the Ten Commandments, focusing on the first. Exodus 20:1-3 says "I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. You shall have no other gods besides me." We discussed how flippantly our society throws that word, "god" around. We talked about what makes something a "god" and I began to think that the two things that make something or someone a "god" are 1) inherent unnatural power and 2) worshippers. The word, "worship" is defined as paying homage to, feelings of profound love and admiration, loving uncritically, unquestioningly, to excess. Wow! Do those words strike any chords in your heart? They do in mine and when I began to think about it, I started wondering if Moses came down from this interaction with God, if he saw the way we lived now . . . well I wonder how work, money, power, sex, sports, entertainment, internet, television, ---------well, I wonder how they would taste? Idol, anyone?
Peace
Neva
posted by Neva | 7:23 AM
19 Comments:
Ouch!
Great post!
Pat
I thought you were having a bar-b-cue! Hmm...maybe you are! Roast those idols!
Amazing how many things we make into idols, especially when we should all know better. Thanks
Neva
Carlos
I am with Pat, "ouch".
Leaves a bad taste in my mouth!
Georgia
We are a society that loves to excess. We love being thin, we love having white teeth, we love driving fast, we love to have every single second of every single day filled with "feel good" activities, we love looking like we have and are so much more than we have or are. (That sentence does make sense if you think about it)
We are an excessive and idolatrous nation and it must just make God cry!
Corinne
What a great reminder that there is only One GOD and nothing else deserves our worship.
Dean
This subject hits most of us at one time or another.
How we all use the word "God" without the worship in our voice and the awe we should hold in our hearts.
You might also add the word "Christian" that some throw around without any trace of Christian behavior ever showing in their life. ie: Today almost everyone calls themselves an Christian and it has demeaned the word just like the word "God"
Our society has forgotten that words have power, your blog shows us the power of words everytime it is read by all of us.
I am grateful that your words speak truth and the example of an Christian filled with love of the Savior. Thanks Neva!
bless you madalyn
Great post Neva.
A very powerful post! Too easily we are seduced by the idolatrous things around us.
Good job, Neva
Jeneane
Oh my, you have given me so much to think about.
Glynnis
Neva,
Thank you for always speaking the truth. Your blogs are never fluff! This is a lesson for all who live in such a decadent and self serving society. You present the thoughts in a logical and thought provoking way and when you have made your point, you feel no need to keep on making it. Thank you for a post that is both provocative and motivational.
Dan
I am not thinking it would taste like chicken...
Ok for real I did have to get out the dictionary for this one, you know me a little lacking in the vocab. department. Interesting post my friend.
Occasionally you have posts that are different from your usual encouraging/inspiring ones and are rather those that step on our toes and call us to examine our hearts and repent. This is one of those posts. Thank you, Neva
Mary
I think I'll pass on the taste of idol. Can't be as good as the Real thing anyway.
Lyndsay
Sports, entertainment, internet? You've gone to far woman. :)
Great point.
PS - I've got a friend (yea, I have one) that has started reading "Dancing in the Light" everyday. He told me the other day, "Wow, that Neva is good." I said, "Yep, she is." Thanks for blogging.
Neva, you get better and better all the time.Thanks for stopping by and leaving comments. I hadn't seen you in quite some time.
Gina
Amen,
Jarrod
Great post,
Jean
It is way too easy to worship worldly things. We need to remind ourselves everyday that there is only one God, the one who brought US out of slavery to sin. Great post Neva
Yvonne
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