False Gods Exodus 32

Exodus 32:1 "And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him."

Contrast this verse with the promise of the people back in chapter 20 verse 23

"Ye shall not make with me gods of silver, neither shall ye make unto you gods of gold."

chapter 19 verse 8 "And all the people answered together, and said, All that the Lord hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the Lord."

Imagine for a moment our forefathers working feverishly on the Declaration of Independence and coming up with a good plan for the people and the country. Exhausted and excited they come to the people only to find they had went over to the enemy. Perhaps Moses felt emotions and disappointment similiar to what they would have felt when he came from talking with God and found false gods in the camp.

We know now that Israel survived but at that point in time they were on the verge of nonexistence.

verse 9-10 "And the Lord said unto Moses, I have seen this people and behold it is a stiffnecked people; Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of thee a great nation.

It sounds like the Lord was saying, never mind all the plans from Abraham, Issac and Jacob and the rescue from Egypt. I'll just start all over with you Moses.

Not only is the Lord angry but Moses is very unhappy as well.

verse 19-20 "And it came to pass, as soon, as he came nigh unto the camp, that he saw the calf and the dancing: and Moses' anger waxed hot, and he casst the tables out of his hands, and brake them beneath the mount. And he took the calf which they had made and burnt it in the fire and ground it to powder, and strewed it upon the water, a made the children of Israel drink of it."

The people are guilty and they have no defense. Between them and the wrath of God stands one man. Moses. Three thousand men v28 fell that day under the judgment of God but the nation survived because of Moses and the mercy of the Lord.

verse 31-32 "And Moses returned unto the Lord and said Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold. Yet now if thou wilt forgive their sin; and if not, blot me, I pray thee out of thy book which thou has written."

But the Lord did not put the peope's sin on Moses but rather plagued them v35 "And the Lord plagued the people, because they made the calf, which Aaron made."

In another time and another place, another man stood before God in defense of people who had sinned. This time the sins of the people were placed on the man and a way of salvation was made.

Romans 5:19 "For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. v21 That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord."

Psalm 6 1-2 "O Lord rebuke me not in thine anger, neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure. Have mercy upon me, O Lord; for I am weak: O Lord, heal me; for my bones are vexed."