When the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people gathered themselves together to Aaron and said to him, "Up, make us gods who shall go before us. As for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him." So Aaron said to them, "Take off the rings of gold that are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me." So all the people took off the rings of gold that were in their ears and brought them to Aaron. And he received the gold from their hand and fashioned it with a graving tool and made a golden calf. And they said, "These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!" When Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it. And Aaron made a proclamation and said, "Tomorrow shall be a feast to the LORD." And they rose up early the next day and offered burnt offerings and brought peace offerings. And the people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.
Exodus 32:1-6
This chapter records a disastrous episode in Israel's history which, but for the agonising intercession of Moses, would have led to her rejection by God. The lessons it teaches us are many and solemn. It is worth noting at the outset that the trouble began because there were some in the congregation of Israel who gave voice to their criticism of their God-appointed leader. There is a wealth of contempt in the words, 'as for this Moses ...'. It does not need many with such a spirit to spread disaffection and do untold harm; and this in fact is what happened (cf Acts 6:1). There are two points in particular which we need to note in these verses. On the one hand, it comes with a startling shock of horror that almost at the moment when, up in the mount, Moses is receiving the divine blueprint for Aaron and his sons, and the plans for a life of honoured service are being unfolded, Aaron is jeopardising his whole future down among the people. Solemn and frightening thought indeed! On the other hand, in the very moment that God is telling Moses in the mount that the people's gold will be required for the construction and service of the tabernacle, that gold was being prostituted to unholy ends and fashioned into an idol. This was the tragedy then, and it is so often the tragedy today, that the gold of men's lives is being put to base and unworthy uses. Jesus once said, 'Render unto God the things that are God's'. How tragic it is to see gifts and qualities and energies given to sin that were always meant to be used for God and for His service!