2018-10-27 Exodus 32
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1 When the people saw that Moses delayed in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said to him, “Come, make gods for us who will go before us because this Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt—we don’t know what has happened to him!”
2 Aaron replied to them, “Take off the gold rings that are on the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters and bring them to me.”
3 So all the people took off the gold rings that were on their ears and brought them to Aaron.
4 He took the gold from them, fashioned it with an engraving tool, and made it into an image of a calf. Then they said, “Israel, these are your gods, who brought you up from the land of Egypt!”
5 When Aaron saw this, he built an altar in front of it and made an announcement: “There will be a festival to the Lord tomorrow.”
1 When the people saw that Moses delayed in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said to him, “Come, make gods for us who will go before us because this Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt—we don’t know what has happened to him!”
2 Aaron replied to them, “Take off the gold rings that are on the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters and bring them to me.”
3 So all the people took off the gold rings that were on their ears and brought them to Aaron.
4 He took the gold from them, fashioned it with an engraving tool, and made it into an image of a calf. Then they said, “Israel, these are your gods, who brought you up from the land of Egypt!”
5 When Aaron saw this, he built an altar in front of it and made an announcement: “There will be a festival to the Lord tomorrow.”
6 Early the next morning they arose, offered burnt offerings, and presented fellowship offerings. The people sat down to eat and drink, and got up to party.
7 The Lord spoke to Moses: “Go down at once! For your people you brought up from the land of Egypt have acted corruptly.
8 They have quickly turned from the way I commanded them; they have made for themselves an image of a calf. They have bowed down to it, sacrificed to it, and said, ‘Israel, these are your gods, who brought you up from the land of Egypt.’ ”
9 The Lord also said to Moses: “I have seen this people, and they are indeed a stiff-necked people.
10 Now leave me alone, so that my anger can burn against them and I can destroy them. Then I will make you into a great nation.”
11 But Moses sought the favor of the Lord his God: “Lord, why does your anger burn against your people you brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and a strong hand?
12 Why should the Egyptians say, ‘He brought them out with an evil intent to kill them in the mountains and eliminate them from the face of the earth’? Turn from your fierce anger and relent concerning this disaster planned for your people.
13 Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Israel—you swore to them by yourself and declared, ‘I will make your offspring as numerous as the stars of the sky and will give your offspring all this land that I have promised, and they will inherit it forever.’ ”
14 So the Lord relented concerning the disaster he had said he would bring on his people.
What is idolatry?
What is idolatry?
1 When the people saw that Moses delayed in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said to him, “Come, make gods for us who will go before us because this Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt—we don’t know what has happened to him!”
2 Aaron replied to them, “Take off the gold rings that are on the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters and bring them to me.”
3 So all the people took off the gold rings that were on their ears and brought them to Aaron.
4 He took the gold from them, fashioned it with an engraving tool, and made it into an image of a calf. Then they said, “Israel, these are your gods, who brought you up from the land of Egypt!”
5 When Aaron saw this, he built an altar in front of it and made an announcement: “There will be a festival to the Lord tomorrow.”
Idolatry begins in your heart when God is not sufficient.
Idolatry begins in your heart when God is not sufficient.
1 When the people saw that Moses delayed in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said to him, “Come, make gods for us who will go before us because this Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt—we don’t know what has happened to him!”
2 Aaron replied to them, “Take off the gold rings that are on the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters and bring them to me.”
3 So all the people took off the gold rings that were on their ears and brought them to Aaron.
4 He took the gold from them, fashioned it with an engraving tool, and made it into an image of a calf. Then they said, “Israel, these are your gods, who brought you up from the land of Egypt!”
1 When the people saw that Moses delayed in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said to him, “Come, make gods for us who will go before us because this Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt—we don’t know what has happened to him!”
2 Aaron replied to them, “Take off the gold rings that are on the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters and bring them to me.”
3 So all the people took off the gold rings that were on their ears and brought them to Aaron.
4 He took the gold from them, fashioned it with an engraving tool, and made it into an image of a calf. Then they said, “Israel, these are your gods, who brought you up from the land of Egypt!”
Illus: You are fulfilled in God. Not only that, you will find abundant life, not just in trusting God, but in living for him as well.
It is crazy how often we look for things that are not God to fulfill the place of God in our lives. It is crazy that no matter how many times we taste the emptiness of our sin, we still return to it never changed.
Illus:
What are some things that we use to replace God with?
We make idols out of relationships. We begin to look to spouses, children, friends, politicians, pastors, and even athletes to fill a void that only God can fill.
We turn our back on the abundant life God has for us and trade it in for cheap substitutes.
We trade in Godly uplifting relationships for cheap gossip.
We trade in the fidelity of marriage for the cheap offerings of a screen.
We trade in time with family with time for busyness.
We trade in contentment for always looking to find another buck, working ourselves and starving our families.
We trade in God’s provision for gluttony.
We trade in faith for whatever seems to stir us at the moment.
All of the cheap substitutes will never fulfill our lives.
13 The woodworker stretches out a measuring line, he outlines it with a stylus; he shapes it with chisels and outlines it with a compass. He makes it according to a human form, like a beautiful person, to dwell in a temple.
14 He cuts down cedars for his use, or he takes a cypress or an oak. He lets it grow strong among the trees of the forest. He plants a laurel, and the rain makes it grow.
15 A person can use it for fuel. He takes some of it and warms himself; also he kindles a fire and bakes bread; he even makes it into a god and worships it; he makes an idol from it and bows down to it.
16 He burns half of it in a fire, and he roasts meat on that half. He eats the roast and is satisfied. He warms himself and says, “Ah! I am warm, I see the blaze.”
17 He makes a god or his idol with the rest of it. He bows down to it and worships; he prays to it, “Save me, for you are my god.”
We often paint idolatry as if it is real faith.
We often paint idolatry as if it is real faith.
5 When Aaron saw this, he built an altar in front of it and made an announcement: “There will be a festival to the Lord tomorrow.”
6 Early the next morning they arose, offered burnt offerings, and presented fellowship offerings. The people sat down to eat and drink, and got up to party.
Illus: notice Aaron says that his idolatry is for the Lord.
We often will often paint our idolatry in religious language trying to make it more palatable.
We will gossip calling it a prayer need, or saying we are concerned about someone.
We will come into church, caring far more about whether our own wants and desires are met, caring little about the glory of God.
Deep down we can make buildings, programs, music, and any other number of things into sacred cows. The church does not exist for your agenda, it exists for God’s.
8 But in the past, since you didn’t know God, you were enslaved to things that by nature are not gods.
9 But now, since you know God, or rather have become known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elements? Do you want to be enslaved to them all over again?
God does not take idolatry lightly.
God does not take idolatry lightly.
7 The Lord spoke to Moses: “Go down at once! For your people you brought up from the land of Egypt have acted corruptly.
8 They have quickly turned from the way I commanded them; they have made for themselves an image of a calf. They have bowed down to it, sacrificed to it, and said, ‘Israel, these are your gods, who brought you up from the land of Egypt.’ ”
9 The Lord also said to Moses: “I have seen this people, and they are indeed a stiff-necked people.
10 Now leave me alone, so that my anger can burn against them and I can destroy them. Then I will make you into a great nation.”
God does not share his glory with anyone.
God does not share his glory with anyone.
7 The Lord spoke to Moses: “Go down at once! For your people you brought up from the land of Egypt have acted corruptly.
8 They have quickly turned from the way I commanded them; they have made for themselves an image of a calf. They have bowed down to it, sacrificed to it, and said, ‘Israel, these are your gods, who brought you up from the land of Egypt.’ ”
Illus: BIG NEWS: you are not God.
Shocker.
Perhaps the greatest challenge of the christian faith is our own ego and self esteem. We want to be in control of our lives, we want to receive recognition for what we do, and we want life to be about us.
We have a God complex.
The problem is, we are not God, and our God does not share his glory with us.
That is why humility should be the heart of every believer. We should not think less of ourselves, we should think rightly of ourselves, as we rightly understand our relationship with God.
1 Then God spoke all these words:
2 I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the place of slavery.
3 Do not have other gods besides me.
4 Do not make an idol for yourself, whether in the shape of anything in the heavens above or on the earth below or in the waters under the earth.
5 Do not bow in worship to them, and do not serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the fathers’ iniquity, to the third and fourth generations of those who hate me,
Don’t take lightly what you deserve.
Don’t take lightly what you deserve.
9 The Lord also said to Moses: “I have seen this people, and they are indeed a stiff-necked people.
10 Now leave me alone, so that my anger can burn against them and I can destroy them. Then I will make you into a great nation.”
Illus: In our modern day christians have gotten a reputation of being judgmental people.
In our history we were the people who said, Turn or Burn, Flip of fry, be saved or microwave.
When people look at us they think of the Westborrough Baptist Church who pickets military funerals with signs that say things like America is doomed, your going to hell.. etc.
In response we have almost adopted a version of God who does not punish sin. We focus on his love and grace, and nothing else.
Hear me friends, God hates sin. God will poor out his wrath on every person who sins. There is no one, in their own works who can save themselves.
We must embrace the righteous jealousy of God, his hatred of sin, to understand his awesome love.
We can see the depths of his love for us when we see how much he hates our sin, and how much he suffered on our behalf.
18 For God’s wrath is revealed from heaven against all godlessness and unrighteousness of people who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth,
19 since what can be known about God is evident among them, because God has shown it to them.
20 For his invisible attributes, that is, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen since the creation of the world, being understood through what he has made. As a result, people are without excuse.
God gives mercy.
God gives mercy.
11 But Moses sought the favor of the Lord his God: “Lord, why does your anger burn against your people you brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and a strong hand?
12 Why should the Egyptians say, ‘He brought them out with an evil intent to kill them in the mountains and eliminate them from the face of the earth’? Turn from your fierce anger and relent concerning this disaster planned for your people.
13 Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Israel—you swore to them by yourself and declared, ‘I will make your offspring as numerous as the stars of the sky and will give your offspring all this land that I have promised, and they will inherit it forever.’ ”
14 So the Lord relented concerning the disaster he had said he would bring on his people.
We are given mercy because God keeps his promises.
We are given mercy because God keeps his promises.
Illus: God’s plan from the beginning was men’s salvation. Before the world was created, Jesus was already walking to the cross. The God of justice is also the God of love.
In your sin, you will face God’s wrath.
IN repentance and faith you will find life in his forgiveness.
Now is the moment for you to decide.
Illus:
4 Or do you despise the riches of his kindness, restraint, and patience, not recognizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?
5 Because of your hardened and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgment is revealed.