Don’t Have a Cow-Exodus 32

Exodus, Sermons

Recording, 7/3/2022. Being tempted by idolatry is inevitable because idols seem so irresistably attractive and desirable to all people–Christian or not. But if you give in to idolatry unhappy unpleasant undesirabe consequences WILL follow.

  •  “Man must have an object, and when he turns from the true God, he at once craves a false one.” A. W. Pink.
  •  “The mind is a perpetual idol factory.” John Calvin.b
  •  “You resemble what you revere, either for ruin or restoration.” Gregory Beale.

Outline of Exodus 32:1-35:

  1. Broken relationship (1-6).
  2. Broken covenant (7-14).
  3. Broken tablets (15-19).
  4. Broken leadership (20-24).
  5. Broken idolators (25-29).
  6. Broken sinners (30-35).

Israel’s Great Sin; God’s Great Mercy (Exodus 32-34; Dt 9:12-29). A dreadful step back, a huge step forward.

  • Exodus 32 is Genesis 3–a tangled mess–all over again [where Israel’s own history parallels the experience of all humankind] which results in:
    • harmony turns to dissonance,
    • rest to disturbance,
    • preparedness to confusion and
    • the future with God becomes a highly uncertain matter.

Chiasm of Exodus 32-34:

  • A1 Moses doubted (32:1-6)
    • B1 Covenant threatened. Moses’ intercession (32:7-14)
      • C1 The broken tablets (32:15-19)
        • D1 False security: longing for the visible (32:20-24)
          • E1 Practical devotion (32:25-29)
            • F1 The angel leading: sin faced (32:30-35)
            • F2 The angel expelling: sin acknowledged (33:1-6)
          • E2 Spiritual devotion (33:7-11)
        • D2 True security: not the visible but the audible (33:12-23)
      • C2 The replacement tablets (34:1-4a)
    • B2 Covenant renewal. Moses’ devotion (34:4b-28)
  • A2 Moses validated (34:29-35)
  1. When waiting and waiting and waiting some more, do you take matters into your own hands (Exo 32:1)? Are you impatient when God doesn’t seem to answer you? Do you insist on your own way or trust God’s time schedule and God’s way (Isa 55:8-9)? [Contrast the people’s timing with God’s (Exo 32:1, 8).] Do you need “gods” that can be seen to help you feel safe and secure (Heb 11:1)? How is sin disobedience, distrust and distortion?
  2. What does Aaron’s response as a leader show about him (Exo 32:2-4)? [The “golden calf” is a golden young bull.] Did Aaron fear the people (Prov 29:25)?
  3. What do you use your money, treasures and gifts for (Exo 12:35-36)? If you’re not building a tabernacle with your resources, are you building a golden calf (Exo 32:2, 4)? How much should you give? Do you turn back to the same old idolatries of money, sex and power? [How might your anger at others expose your own idolatry?]
  4. How did the people sin (Exo 32:6, 7, 8)? What does it mean to be “stiff-necked” (Exo 32:9)? What did God threaten to do to them (Exo 32:10)? Why (Rom 6:23; 2:5)?

The golden calf not only tells us what happened; it tells us what happens! Like the Israelites, we Christians live in the wilderness between baptism [the Red Sea] and the Promised Land. When things get difficult do you return to the Egypt of your sin? When we examine how the Israelites fell into sin, can you see the pattern of sin in your own life, and learn how to obey God?

Prone to idolatry. In Exodus 32 Israel turns against the 10 Words/Commandments through idolatry–helped by Aaron of all people–and Moses’ recognition of this terrible betrayal of Yahweh by publicly breaking the tablets of the covenant. It exposes the dominance of idolatry and idolatrous thinking that is still very much alive in the Israelites…and Christians today. What would then become of Israel? Left to die in the wilderness? Enter the promised land with Yahweh’s leading and be annihilated by the Canaanites? Exo 32-34 answers these questions.

God restores Israel‘s favored status with God–which was utterly destroyed by idolatry–through grace and forgiveness, which show Yahweh’s goodness in rich measure (Exo 33:19). In Exo 33-34, Yahweh, in response to Moses’ intercession, was willing to forgive his people and reinstitute His covenant with them, once again writing His law on the tablets and granting them the blessing of covenant relationship. He also promised to accompany them through the wilderness into the promised land. He granted Moses an encounter with Himself, showing his goodness to Moses, to reassure him of His covenant love with His people, and looking forward to a great future as His special possession.

To ask for gods to go before them (Exo 32:1) the people quickly dismissed the facts of their

  1. exit from Egypt,
  2. survival in the wilderness, and
  3. covenant making at the mountain.

In worshiping a god [idol] of their own making they reduced the living God into an image they could control.

God sees (Exo 32:9). God’s 1st decision was whether or not to destroy the people (32:7-14). Idolatry and all kinds of intentional sin results from living as if God cannot see (Exe 8:12; 9:9; Ps 14:1-2; 53:1-2). God’s anger burns most fiercely when the redeemed live as if they had not been redeemed (Exo 32:10). “Now leave me alone” (Exo 32:10) is God giving Moses an opening to leave God alone OR to stand in the gap. Moses argued for their lives on the basis of

  1. God’s reputation as a redeemer (Exo 32:11-12) and
  2. tthe Creator’s promise to Abraham, Isaac and Israel (Exo 32:13).

The Lord relented (Exo 32:14). Nakham is best translated “have compassion” or “feel sorrow” or “relent.” It indicates God’s sorrow for the consequences people must face as a natural result of their sin and the Lord’s justice in the world. God expresses this “sorrow” in compassion and in relenting.

The tablets and the writing on them are mentioned 3 times each in 2 verses (Exo 32:15-16). They represent the agreement the people had made with the Lord in the book of the covenant (Exo 24:3).

12 Hebrew words tell the truth about the “celebration” of the calf (Exo 32:18): “Not victory’s singing sound, not defeat’s singing sound; singing sound I hear.” Moses’ point was that the singing was meaningless. It was an empty party, a random singing.

Moses had to confront the people (32:19-20), Aaron (32:21-24) and then deal with the people running wild (32:25-29).

Scandalous restitution. Aaron claimed that the calf had somehow magically self-generated (Exo 32:24), but Moses recounted that God was angry enough to destroy Aaron too, but did not (Dt 9:20). Aaron was not exonerated of guilt, for he made the calf and acted as its priest (Exo 32:2-6, 21-25, 35). He tried to be relevant to the people’s expressed need in Moses’ absence, but in doing so he lost the core of faith itself. Thus God’s restitution of Aaron and his ordination as high priest seems scandalous. Ultimately the scandal is the scandal of God’s grace. No one is exempty from turning away from God, and no one is beyond God’s forgiveness, though unalterable consequences may endure (Exo 34:6-7).

Sin is inadvertent and should not be a big deal. Would God forgive the people (32:30-35)? The people have “committed a great sin” (Exo 32:30), reminiscent of the sin in the garden of Eden–God’s instructions about the limits of human freedom (Gen 2:16-17). At Sinai God asked that they make no false gods nut trust God alone. The narrative reports the sin in a painfully casual way (Gen 3:6; Exo 32:1). The excuses they give are also cavalier and casual in tone (Gen 3:12-13; Exo 32:22-24)–dismissing God’s concern in an offhanded manner, exposing the insidiuous, rationalizing nature of sin. Alienation from God and blaming others is “a great sin,” for it corrupts all relationships and yet the dinner defends and justifies the behavior as inadvertant.

“…when the time comes for me to punish, I will punish” (Exo 32:34). Hebrew does not have a word for punish. Paqad is used for God’s “visitation” that brings blessing or punishment.

Rebellion, Covenant Breaking, God’s Mercy and Covenant Renewal (32:1-34:35).

  1. Israel’s Idolatry with the Golden Young Bull [“calf”] (32:1-6; Ps 106:19-23). Unholy cow.
  2. God‘s Anger, Moses‘ Intercession (32:7-14). Go down, Moses. Moses intercedes, God relents.
  3. Moses‘ Anger and the Levite Punishment (32:15-29). Oh, brother! Moses’ leadership: Moses shatters tablets [covenant documents], destroys calf, punishses the people, humbles Aaron (32:21-24), takes charge; the Levites show loyalty (32:25-29).
  4. Second Intercession and Plague (32:30-35). Moses intercedes for Yahweh’s people. Who is on the Lord’s side? Will God forgive them? [Excursus: The Book of Life]
  5. Reiteration of Laws on God’s Angel and Holy War Conquest (33:1-6). With or without you. God will not go with the stiff-necked people and the people mourn. How will the Lord be present? Israel without the presence of Yahweh.
  6. The Tent of Meeting (33:7-11). Face to face [mouth to mouth]. Moses’ authority restored; the people respond to him and Yahweh.
  7. The Need for and Promise of God’s Glory (33:12-23). Under the shadow of his hand. Staying in covenant love.
    1. Moses intercedes again and Yahweh decides to go/dwell with Israel (12-17). God bestows His Presence among His people.
    2. God’s glory: God will be gracious (18-23). God promises to reveal divine glory and goodness. God grant’s Moses’ request to “see Him.”
  8. Renewal of the Stone Tablets and the Covenant (34:1-28). The theological center/core and heart of Exodus.
    1. The Replacement Tablets (34:1-4). When God passes by. New stone tablets. God writes the ten words again.
    2. God Shows Moses His Glory (34:5-9). The name of the Lord. God is:
      1. compassionate,
      2. slow to anger,
      3. abounding in love,
      4. abounding … in faithfulness,
      5. maintaining love to thousands,
      6. forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin, yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished.
    3. Moses Again Raises His Great Concern: Will God Go with Israel (34:10-11)? God renews His covenant (34:10-28).
    4. Warnings against Covenants/Treaties with the Inhabitants of the Promised Land (34:12-16). God, and God alone.
    5. Renewal of the Covenant with a “Decalogue” of Sample Laws (34:17-26). Staying in covenant love.
    6. Document Clause: Putting the Covenant in Writing (34:27-28). A new covenant (10-28).
  9. Moses’ Face Reflecting God’s Glory (34:29-35).

Exodus 35-40

  1. The Importance of the Sabbath (35:1-3).Fulfillment of the Laws on the Means of Worship (35:1-40:38). [Excursus: Command-Fulfillment Repetition in Exodus]
  2. Offerings of Tabernacle Materials (35:4-29). Fulfilment of 25:1-7.
    1. God’s Call for Materials (35:4-9).
    2. God’s Call for Skilled Worker (35:10-19). Summarizes parts of 26-28; 30 with further fulfillment especially in 37; 39; 40.
    3. The People Respond to the Call for Materials (35:20-29). Fulfillment of 25:1-7.
  3. The Work of Bezalel, Oholiab and the other Skilled Craftsmen (35:30-36:7).
    1. Moses Appoints and Endorses the Craftsmen and Designers (35:30-36:1). Fulfillment of 31:2-6.
    2. The People’s Oversubscription to the Call for Donations (36:2-7).
  4. Construction of the Tabernacle (36:8-38. Fulfillment of 25:31-39.
  5. Construction of the Ark (37:1-9). Fulfillment of 25:10-20.
  6. Construction of the Tabernacle Table (37:10-16). Fulfillment of 25:23-29.
  7. Construction of the Lampstand (37:17-24). Fulfillment of 25:31-39.
  8. Construction of the Incense Altar (37:25-28).  Fulfillment of 30:1-5.
  9. Composition of the Anointing Oil and the Incense (37:29).  Fulfillment of 30:22-25; 34-36.
  10. Construction of the Main Altar (38:1-7).  Fulfillment of 27:1-8a.
  11. Construction of  the Bronze Basin and Stand (38:8). Fulfillment of 30:17-21.
  12. Construction of  the Courtyard (38:9-20). Fulfillment of 27:9-19.
  13. Amounts of the Materials Used for the Tabernacle and Its Furnishings (38:21-31). General fulfillment of 25:1-3a.
  14. Construction of  the Priestly Garments (39:1-39). Fulfillment of 28:2-43.
    1. Overview (39:1). Fulfillment of 28:2-5.
    2. Construction of the Ephod (39:2-7). Fulfillment of 28:6-14.
    3. Construction of the Breastpiece (39:8-21). Fulfillment of 28:15-28.
    4. Construction of the Robe (39:22-26). Fulfillment of 28:31-35.
    5. Construction of the Tunics and Turban (39:27-31). Fulfillment of 28:36-43.
  15. Moses’ Inspection Finds All Materials Made as Commanded by God (39:32-43). Fulfillment of 35:10-19.
  16. Moses Sets Up the Tabernacle, Priestly Investment and Placement of All Furnishings (40:1-33).
    1. God’s Command to Set Up the Tabernacle (40:1-16).
    2. Moses Sets Up the Tabernacle (40:17-33).
    3. The Cloud of Yahweh’s Glory Covering the Tabernacle (40:34-38).

Reference:

  1. Douglas K. Stuart. Exodus. The New American Commentary: An Exegetical and Theological Exposition of Holy Scripture. 2006.
  2. Philip Graham Ryken. Exodus. Saved for God’s Glory. Preaching the Word. 2015.
  3. Leon R. Kass. Founding God’s Nation. Reading Exodus. 2021.
  4. James K. Bruckner. Exodus. New International Bible Commentary. 2008.
  5. John Goldingay. Exodus & Leviticus for Everyone. 2010.
  6. Robert Alter. The Hebrew Bible. A translation with commentary. The Five Books of Moses. 2019.
  7. Dennis Prager. Exodus. God, Slavery, and Freedom. The Rational Bible. 2018.
Number of Views: 2,308

Tags: