Moses Looks on as Israel Worships the Golden Calfby CBPepper
106:19Psalms 106:19
They made a calf in Horeb, and worshipped the molten image.
They made a calf in Horeb, a molten image, and worshipped it. The calf was an Egyptian symbol of deity, sought when impatience grew during Moses's absence as a visible representation of God to take Moses's place. Material representations had been forbidden, and the divine cloud was still with them, so the image falsely stood in for the glory of the invisible God.
This was done only a few days, soon after Israel had made a solemn covenant to obey God, had stood trembling before the mount, and had heard the command to have no other gods before Him. All the while the divine glory still hovered above Sinai in sight of the congregation. By asking for other gods and turning away from the God whose glory they had seen, they forgot His works of greatness and power and failed to appreciate His goodness, mercy and love. In this they exchanged their glory, the glory God had given them, for the image of an ox, which teaches the necessity of remembering and valuing what God has done.
The act was extreme ingratitude and daring insult toward the One who had revealed Himself to them as a tender Father and an all-powerful King. As part of the record of Israel's experience and failures, the episode serves as a warning example and lesson for God's people in the last days, to be studied regularly. Psalms 105, 106 and 107 are to be read carefully by all who claim to be God's children. The verse is among the psalms repeated by a growing company on the way, from which those unwilling to give up their idols are left behind when the company passes through a narrow gate.
They made a calf in Horeb, a molten image, and worshipped it. The calf was an Egyptian symbol of deity, sought when impatience grew during Moses's absence as a visible representation of God to take Moses's place. Material representations had been forbidden, and the divine cloud was still with them, so the image falsely stood in for the glory of the invisible God.
This was done only a few days, soon after Israel had made a solemn covenant to obey God, had stood trembling before the mount, and had heard the command to have no other gods before Him. All the while the divine glory still hovered above Sinai in sight of the congregation. By asking for other gods and turning away from the God whose glory they had seen, they forgot His works of greatness and power and failed to appreciate His goodness, mercy and love. In this they exchanged their glory, the glory God had given them, for the image of an ox, which teaches the necessity of remembering and valuing what God has done.
The act was extreme ingratitude and daring insult toward the One who had revealed Himself to them as a tender Father and an all-powerful King. As part of the record of Israel's experience and failures, the episode serves as a warning example and lesson for God's people in the last days, to be studied regularly. Psalms 105, 106 and 107 are to be read carefully by all who claim to be God's children. The verse is among the psalms repeated by a growing company on the way, from which those unwilling to give up their idols are left behind when the company passes through a narrow gate.