The Golden Calf - Disobedience and Forgiveness

Aaron should have said no. But instead he said, "Take off your gold earrings and bring them to me." The people brought their gold jewelry, and Aaron melted it down. He made a golden calf - an idol shaped like a baby cow!

The people shouted, "These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you out of Egypt!" Aaron even built an altar and announced, "Tomorrow there will be a festival!"

The next day, the people got up early. They offered burnt offerings and brought fellowship offerings. Then they sat down to eat and drink and got up to party and dance around the golden calf! They were worshiping the idol instead of God!

Up on the mountain, God said to Moses, "Go down! Your people have become corrupt! They have quickly turned away from what I commanded them. They have made themselves a golden calf and are worshiping it!"

God was very angry! He said, "I have seen these people, and they are a stiff-necked people! Now leave me alone so my anger can burn against them and I will destroy them! Then I will make you into a great nation!"

But Moses pleaded with God! "O LORD, why should your anger burn against your own people? You brought them out of Egypt with great power! Why should the Egyptians say, 'God brought them out to harm them'? Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob! You promised to make their descendants as numerous as the stars!"

And you know what? God listened! The Bible says, "Then the LORD relented and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened." God's mercy is so great!

Moses went down the mountain carrying the two stone tablets with God's commandments written on them. When Moses got close to camp, he saw the golden calf and the people dancing! Moses was SO angry! He threw down the stone tablets, and they shattered at the foot of the mountain!

Moses grabbed the golden calf, burned it in the fire, ground it to powder, scattered it on the water, and made the Israelites drink it!

Moses asked Aaron, "What did these people do to you that you led them into such terrible sin?"

Aaron tried to make excuses. "You know how the people are! They asked me to make gods for them. I threw the gold in the fire, and out came this calf!" He didn't even admit his mistake!

Moses stood at the entrance to the camp and said, "Whoever is for the LORD, come to me!" The Levites gathered around him. That day, about 3,000 people died because of their sin - it was a very serious matter!

The next day, Moses said to the people, "You have committed a terrible sin. But now I will go back up to the LORD. Perhaps I can make atonement for your sin." Moses went back to God and prayed, "Oh, what a great sin these people have committed! But now, please forgive their sin - but if not, then blot me out of the book you have written!"

Moses loved the people so much he was willing to take their punishment! This points forward to Jesus, who DID take our punishment!

God told Moses, "Go up to a land flowing with milk and honey. I will send an angel before you. But I will not go with you, because you are a stiff-necked people and I might destroy you on the way."

The people were very sad! But Moses pleaded with God again. Moses said, "If your Presence does not go with us, don't send us up from here!"

God said, "I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name."

God told Moses to chisel out two new stone tablets. Moses went back up the mountain for another forty days! God wrote the commandments again on the new tablets. And God proclaimed His name: "The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness!"

This story teaches us that sin is serious, but God is merciful! When we mess up, we can ask for forgiveness. God is slow to anger and full of love! He gives us second chances!