The Golden Calf

The most surprising thing about the golden calf was people’s willingness to credit it as their savior.

Nothing much has changed. The golden calf has become a brass bull, as one of the beloved symbols of Wall Street. Those who worship “The Bull” are leading many into the abyss of financial destruction.

We know destruction is coming, and as I wrote previously, God warns his people to go out of her. Great wealth is going to vanish in a flash of a moment.

Creation was designed to be a worship system. It had a sacrifice in the garden of Eden. Adam was put there to maintain that system.

It is going to be that way for all eternity.

“And he shewed me a pure river of water of life clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.” Revelation 22:1

Why is there an image of a Lamb on the throne of God? Because it is the sacrifice that God chose.

If you go to Revelation 5, which is a revelation of the throne room.

“And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.” Revelation 5:6

The battle plans have already been laid out. No man could open this book, but one, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, Jesus prevailed to open the book.

The revelation of the Lamb of God, God’s sacrifice has been sent into the earth in all of its fullness.

The alliance of the Queen of heaven is going to make war with the Lamb,

“These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast. These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of Lords, and Kings of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.” Revelation 17:13-14

What about the Golden Calf

“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 the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him. And Aaron said unto them, Break off the golden earrings, which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them unto me. And all the people brake off the golden earrings which were un their ears, and brought them unto Aaron. And he received them at their hand, and fashioned it with a craving tool, after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. And when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation, and said, Tomorrow is a feast to the LORD. And they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose to play.” Exodus 32:1-6

Look at the following dynamics

They forgot

They said to their leader, “make us gods which shall go before us.”

The leader said, “break off your golden earrings which are in the ears of your wife and children.” Does this sound familiar? We mortgage our future for a momentary sense of peace.

The leader says, “give them to me”

Notice the activities of the hands: The leader receives the gold from them. He fashions it with a craving tool. He makes it into a molten calf and builds an altar to it.

The leader makes a proclamation, “Tomorrow is a feast to the LORD.”

The people rose up early in the morning and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. Again notice the works of the hands.

God says to Moses, go down to the people for they have corrupted themselves. They forgot that God had delivered from years of bondage in Egypt. They forgot the miracles that God did for them.

God sustained three million people in the wilderness for forty years. Now the true purpose for the gold came up later. Moses asked the people to give toward the construction of a tabernacle. God wanted to be in the midst of his people. He designated the tribe of Levi as temple priests who were to offer up daily sacrifices that he chose.

You might say this sounds dumb. But God built the original tabernacle of which the tabernacle of Moses was patterned after it, Hebrews 8:2 (KJV)

“Now of these things which we have spoken this is the sum; We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; a minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.”

Again,

“For every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God.” Hebrews 3:4 (KJV)

“Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure, they are and were created.” Revelation 4:11

“And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it: and his servants shall serve him. And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.” Revelation 22:3-4

The sacrifice and his servants shall serve him. They shall see his face and his name shall be in the forefront of their thoughts.

The golden calf followed the children of Israel

Fast forward to the days of King Solomon. King Solomon followed the successful ministry of his father, King David. The first half of Solomon’s reign over Israel was very successful. He builds the first temple. It was a time of great success for the nation.

But 1 Kings 11:1-13, tells us King Solomon loved many strange women. God said, do not go unto the nations, for they will turn your hearts unto their gods.

Solomon went after the Ashtoreth, the goddess of the Zidonians

After Milcom, the abominations of the Ammonites

“Then did Solomon build an high place Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon. And likewise did he for all his strange wives, which burnt incense and sacrificed unto their gods.” Kings 11:7-8 (KJV)

King Solomon had 700 wives and 300 mistresses. All these burned incense and sacrificed to their gods.

The nation ends up rebelling against Solomon’s heir apparent. The people accused Solomon of taking their inheritance through excessive taxes to consume upon his extravagant lifestyle. Solomon’s son decides to make the people’s burden heavier than his father’s. They appoint and leader to be over them.

This new king decides to build two golden calves to distract the people from true worship.

“And Jeroboam said in his heart, Now shall the kingdom return to the house of David: if this people go up to do sacrifice in the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, then shall the heart of this people turn again unto their lord, even unto Rehoboam king of Judah, and they shall kill me, and go again to Rehoboam king of Judah. Whereunto the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. And he set the one in Bethel, and the other put he in Dan.

He made a house of high places

He made priests of the lowest of the people, which were not the sons of Levi

He ordained a feast

“… So did he in Bethel, sacrificing unto the calves that he had made: and he placed in Bethel the priests of the high places which he had made. So he offered upon the altar which he had made in Bethel…” 1 Kings 12:32 (JKV)

“…ordained a feast unto the children of Israel: and he offered upon the altar, and burnt incense.” 1 Kings 12:33 (KJV)

What are you burning incense too?

What is in your hands?

Who are you following?