The Golden Calf
Downtown Campus Pastor
Shortly after God has established his covenant with Israel, they break that covenant by mixing their worship of Yahweh with the creation and worship of an idol. In response, God stands ready to destroy Israel and start a new covenant with Moses. But Moses appeals to God’s character and intercedes for Israel. God responds with incredible mercy.
Study Questions
Application
In what ways are you imitating the Israelites in attempting to worship an idol alongside your worship of God?
Do you believe that God hears and responds to your prayers? Who are the vulnerable or lost people in your life for whom you can intercede to God?
From the actions of the Levites in Exodus 32, we see that painful obedience sets us apart for special use by God. What hard thing is God calling you to do that, with obedience, could enable you for mighty work in his Kingdom?
Key Points
In times of waiting, uncertainty, and lack of control, we should guard against looking to idols for direction and wait on God.
Sometimes being a leader requires saying no to others in order to point them to Christ and obedience.
God calls us to reject god-mixing; he will not settle for being one of many options we go to to have our needs met.
Although God is completely just and allows us to experience the consequences of our sin, he is also full of unfailing love and mercy, desiring that we return to him in humble repentance.