Exodus: Worship, Tabernacle, and Covenant Presence

The Hallelujah of Confession - Part 8 of 16

Transcript: AI Transcript

Professor: John Weaver

Subject: Old Testament Studies

Genre: Sermon

Dictation Name:

Date: 2000-06-25

Synopsis: John Weaver examines Psalm 106:19-23, focusing on the sins of idolatry and insolence as the fourth set of sins confessed by the psalmist. Using the historical account of the golden calf in Exodus 32, he demonstrates how Israel's impatience, forgetfulness, and rejection of God's word led them to make a visible representation of God, which God considered idolatry. Weaver argues that all idolatry is an insult to God because it attempts to reduce the invisible, sovereign Creator to a created image. He emphasizes that miracles do not produce lasting faith and that God must be worshipped only as He has ordained, warning that mental images of God are as idolatrous as physical ones.

[John Weaver] Psalm 106, and today we're going to read verses 19 through 23. Psalm 106 verses 19 through 23. And let me just tell you before I get started that I will not have time to go over all the applications and ramifications of this text. That will come more next week, Lord willing. And so today, I'm just going to try to lay the historical and the biblical foundation for what I'm going to be sharing with you next week. So look in Psalm 106, beginning with verse 19.

[John Weaver] They made a calf in Horeb and worshiped the molten image. Thus, they changed their glory into the similitude of an ox that eat grass. They forgot God, their Savior, who had done great things in Egypt. Wondrous things in the land of Ham and terrible things by the Red Sea. Therefore, he said that he would destroy them had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the breach to turn away his wrath, lest he should destroy them.

[John Weaver] Now we've been dealing with this psalm, the Hallelujah confession for the last seven weeks, and we're going to proceed today to the fourth set of sins that are mentioned. And the fourth set of sins that are being dealt with in verses 19 through 23 or idolatry and insolence. May I remind you, of course, that the first five verses are introduction. Verse six just deals with confession of sin in general. And then we dealt with ignorance and ingratitude and, of course, forgetfulness and impatience. And for the last several weeks, envy and insurrection and, of course, I want you to see that today we're dealing with idolatry and insolence.

[John Weaver] Now, since I have been trying to make an application and demonstrate to you how that the sins of our fathers are very present with us today, that is, we're basically guilty of the same sins. When I deal with idolatry and insolence. Then we tend to think, well, At least here two sins that maybe I'm not guilty of. I mean, come on idolatry. And the insolence. Well, certainly. You would think we could not be classified as idolaters.

[John Weaver] But the truth of the matter is this, and you will see this, especially by the end of next Lord's Day. All of us are idolaters in one degree or the other. All of us are idolaters in one degree or the other. Now, we may not be guilty of gross idolatry, but the truth is, if we are ignorant of God and His worship, to the degree that we're ignorant, to that degree, we are basically idolaters. Now, I can assure you that once again, we're basically guilty of the same sins that the Old Testament saints were guilty of as well. You see, the truth of the matter is this.

[John Weaver] Human nature has not changed. Depravity has not changed. Ignorance is still ignorance.

[John Weaver] Now, before we get started today, let me tell you that the historical background for Psalm 106 verses 19 through 23 is found in Exodus 32 and Deuteronomy chapter 9. So I want to ask that you turn back in your Bible to Deuteronomy. I'm sorry to Exodus 32, and we're going to take the time to read this passage to refresh our minds and then pick up from there. Exodus chapter 32 and let's begin reading there with verse one. This is the historical background of Psalm 106 verses 19 through 23. So Exodus chapter 32, beginning with verse one.

[John Weaver] And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together and Aaron and said unto him up, make us God's who shall go before us for us. For this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we water, no, not what has 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 your daughters, and bring them unto me. And all the people break off the golden earrings, which were in their ears and brought them unto Aaron. and he received them at their hand and fashion it with a graven to after he made it a molten cap and they said these be thy God Israel who brought the up out of the land of Egypt and when Aaron saw and he built an altar before it and Aaron made proper proclamation

[John Weaver] and said tomorrow is a feast of the Lord and they rose up early on tomorrow and offered burnt offerings and brought peace offerings and the people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play. And the Lord said unto Moses, Go, get thee down, for thy people which thou broughtest up out of the land of Egypt have corrupted themselves. They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them. They have made them a molten cap, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and said, These be thy gods, O Israel, who have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. And the Lord said unto Moses, I have seen this people, and behold, it is a stiff-necked people.

[John Weaver] Now, therefore, let me alone that my wrath may wax hot against them, that I may consume them and I will make it be a great nation. And Moses besought the Lord is God and said, Lord, why did I wrath wax hot against my people, which I brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? Wherefore should the Egyptians speak and say for mischief?

[John Weaver] Did he bring them out to slay them in the mountains? and to consume them from the face of the earth. Turn from thy fierce wrath and repent of this evil against thy people. Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants. To whom thou swearest by thine own self, and saidest unto them, I will multiply your seed as the stars of heavens, and all this land that I have spoken of will I give unto your seed.

[John Weaver] They shall inherit it forever. And the Lord repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people. And Moses turned and went down from the mount, and the two tables of the testimony were in The tables were written on both their sides. On the one side and on the other side were they written. And the tables were the work of God. And the writing was the writing of God, graven upon the tables. And when Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said to Moses, there's a noise of war in the camp.

[John Weaver] And he said, it is not the voice of them that shout for mastery. Neither is it the voice of them that cry for being overcome, but the noise of them that sing, do I hear? And it came to pass as soon as he came into the nines of the camp that he saw the cat and the dancing and Moses anger wax hot. And he cast the tables out of his hands and break them beneath the mount.

[John Weaver] and he took the calf which they had made and burned it in the fire, and ground it in the powder, and strode it upon the water, and made the children of Israel drink of it. And Moses said unto Aaron, What did this people unto thee, that thou hast brought so great a sin upon them? And Aaron said, Let not the anger of my lord wax hot. Thou knowest the people, that they are so mischief.

[John Weaver] For they said unto me, 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 know not what is become of him. And I said to them, whosoever hath any gold, let them break it off. So they gave it me. Then I cast in the fire, and there came out this calf. And when Moses saw that the people were naked, for Aaron had made them naked unto their shame among their enemies, then Moses stood in the gate of the camp and said, Who is on the Lord's side?

[John Weaver] Let him come over unto me. and all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him. And he said unto them, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Put every man his sword by his side, and go in and out from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbor. And the children of Levi did according to the word of Moses.

[John Weaver] And there fell of the people that day about three thousand men. For Moses had said, Consecrate yourselves today unto the Lord, even every man upon his son and upon his brother, that he may bestow upon you a blessing this day. It came to pass on the morrow that Moses said unto the people, You have sinned a great sin, and now will go up unto the Lord. For adventure I shall make an atonement for your sins. And Moses returned to the Lord and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin and have made them gods of gold. Yet now, if I will forgive their sin, if not blot me, I pray thee out of my book, which thou has written of the Lord, son of Moses, who serve have sinned against me. Him will I blot out of my book. Therefore, now go leave this people in the place of which I have spoken to thee. Behold, mine angel shall go before thee. Nevertheless, in the day when I visit, I will visit their sin upon them.

[John Weaver] And the Lord plagued the people because they had made the camp which Aaron made. Now, Moses had gone up into the mountain and he was there 40 days, which is relatively a short period of time. I want you to understand that in the Bible, 40 is the number of probation or the number of testing. So literally what God was doing was testing Israel as to whether or not they would remain true and faithful to him. Well, very clearly, Israel failed this test.

[John Weaver] She did not pass at all. One of the most distressing realizations that has ever dawned upon a child of God is his inability to be faithful and true to his Lord even for a short period of time.

[John Weaver] Now you stop and think about what I just said. One of the most distressing realizations that ever occurred to a child of God is to realize his own inability to be faithful and true to the Lord even for a short period of time. And if you don't believe that, you just try to pray and keep your mind focused upon the Lord. And you will find within just a few minutes, your mind begins to wander and you will be thinking of things and praying for things and saying things that should never even have entered into your mind. And yet it's there. What did our Lord say in John chapter 15 and verse 5?

[John Weaver] He said, without me, you can do how much? Nothing. Without me, you can do nothing. So this truth that I'm going to show you today teaches us how desperately we need the grace of God. You remember the song that we have sung for years, prone to wonder, Lord, I feel it prone to lead the God I love. Here's my heart. Oh, take and seal it, seal it to that throne above. Come on in.

[John Weaver] So notice, if you would please. Here is that particular proneness of man to sin against God. The Bible says in Proverbs 24 in verse 10. If I faint in the day of adversity, then my strength is small, and certainly we find out that's exactly what the children of Israel did in the day of their adversity. They fainted.

[John Weaver] Now look in your Bibles. Exodus chapter 32. If you would, that's where we are. Verse one. Exodus 32 verse one. And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the Mount, The people gathered themselves together into Aaron and said unto him, Make us gods which shall go before us. As for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we know not what has become of him.

[John Weaver] Now I want to call your attention to the word delayed. I'm going to come back to it. But when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mouth, I want you to remember We're dealing with Psalm 106, we're back in Exodus 32, which is the historical account from Psalm 106 verses 19 through 23. But Psalm 106 deals with the confession of sin. And the psalmist confessed the sins of ignorance and ingratitude in verse 7. Forgetfulness and impatience in verse 13. Envy and insurrection and verse 16. And I want you to see that these three sets of sins now culminate in idolatry and insolence. Now go back to verse one of Exodus 32 and when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the Mount. Now remember, Moses was only up in the Mount 40 days, 40 nights. When the people saw that Moses delayed.

[John Weaver] What does that tell us? It tells us the people did not think that Moses returned when he should have. According to their timetable. In other words, God was not working according to their plans. Here is once again a demonstration of their impatience. They wanted Moses back. in order that they could get on with their lives and get on into the promised land. Now, since Moses was not back, they decided to take matters into their own hands.

[John Weaver] And look if you would please what they said in verse 1. They said unto Aaron, 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 know not what is become of him. Now note if you would, make us gods, which shall go before us. What are they saying? We're going to leave Moses here.

[John Weaver] It's time for us to move on. Doesn't matter what God says. Doesn't matter where Moses is. We're going to go take that land and we want a God to lead us. And so you make us God's which shall go before us.

[John Weaver] Now, let's go back to Exodus chapter 20. Turn back, if you would, please. Please remember, these words had already been delivered to the people. It is true. Moses is up in the mountain, getting them inscribed by the finger of God. But these words had already been communicated to the people through Moses. Look at Exodus chapter 20 verse 3. God says thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make into thee any graven image, nor any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth, thou shalt not bow down thyself to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord thy God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of fathers upon the children and the third and fourth generation of them that hate me." Skip down, if you would please, to verse 23. Exodus chapter 20 verse 23. God says you shall make you shall not make with me gods of silver. Neither shall you make you gods of gold.

[John Weaver] Look in Exodus chapter 23 beginning there with verse 32. Here talking about the heathen, God says thou shalt make no covenant with them nor with their gods. They shall not dwell in the land, lest they make thee sin against me, for if thou serve their gods, it will surely be a snare unto thee." So God had basically already forbidden what Aaron and the people did. Now, the concept that is expressed in Exodus chapter 32 and verse 1 is almost incomprehensible. Go back to Exodus 32 and verse 1 and let's look at it. And when the people saw that Moses had laid to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together into Aaron and said unto them, up, make us gods who shall go before us. Now, how did I say that the concept expressed here is utterly incomprehensible?

[John Weaver] How in the world could these people just recently removed from Egypt having seen the mighty miracles and the power of God which He had performed in the land, how He divided the Red Sea, how they came across on dry ground, how in the world could they forget all that God had done and assume that that great and mighty and awesome God could now be replicated in an image? Ahold Exodus 32, but look back in your Bibles to Psalm 106. Watch this.

[John Weaver] This shows you how forgetful they were. In fact, that's one of the sins mentioned, if you would please. Look, if you would please, in verse 13, they soon forget his works. They waited not for his counsel. Now skip down to verse 21. They forgot God, their Savior. who had done great things in Egypt, wondrous works in the land of Ham, and terrible things by the Red Sea. They totally, absolutely forgot God.

[John Weaver] In just a short period of time, all of the miracles, all of the wonders were over. And they assumed that they could make a God, or a representation of that God, Who would lead them?

[John Weaver] Now you ask the question, how could a people be so stupid? Let me ask another question. Maybe even a better question. Why did Aaron consent to their sin? Why did Aaron say break off the golden earrings and bring them under me now? There is no answer to that question that I just asked. There are several possibilities. The first one is Aaron may have been trying to dissuade the people by letting them know how much it's going to cost them. That could have been it. I don't know. The Bible doesn't say. Or it could have been that if Aaron was going to make a representation of God, so to speak, he wanted the best. And so he asked for the gold. I don't know. But God had already prohibited Aaron from doing what he did. He had already prohibited the people.

[John Weaver] Look in your Bibles to Deuteronomy chapter 4. Deuteronomy chapter 4. And let's begin reading there with verse 10. Watch this carefully. Deuteronomy chapter 4 verse 10. Look what is told to the people. Deuteronomy 4, verse 10, especially the day that thou stoodest before the Lord thy God in Horeb, when the Lord said unto me, Gather me the people together, and I will make them hear my words, that they may learn to fear me all the days that they shall live upon the earth, and that they may teach their children.

[John Weaver] Now listen to what Moses is saying. This is before the writing of the law. OK, it have been given orally. Watch this verse 11 and you came near and stood under the mountain and the mountain burned with fire into the midst of heaven with darkness, clouds and thick darkness. And the Lord spake unto you out of the midst of the fire and you heard the voice of his words, but saw no similitude. Only you heard a voice. Now, what is he saying? The only thing you did was hear. You didn't see anything. Watch verse 13.

[John Weaver] And he declared unto you his covenant, which he commanded you to perform even 10 commandments. And he wrote them upon two tables of stone, and the Lord commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and judgments that you might do them in the land, whether you go over to possess them.

[John Weaver] Now look what he says. Take you therefore good heed unto yourselves. For you saw no manner of similitude on that day that the Lord spake unto you in Horeb out in the midst of the fire. You didn't see anything. Take good heed, he says. Why? Verse 16, lest you corrupt yourselves and make you a graven image, the similitude of any figure, the likeness of male or female, the likeness of any beast that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged fowl that flies in the air, the likeness of anything that creepeth on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the waters beneath the earth, And lest thou lift thine eyes unto heaven, and when thou seest the sun, and the moon, and the stars, and all the hosts of heaven, shouldest be driven to worship them, and serve them, which the Lord thy God hath divided unto all the nations, unto the whole heaven. But the Lord hath taken you, and brought you forth out of the iron furnace, even out of Egypt, to be unto him a people of inheritance, as you are in this day."

[John Weaver] Now God said, I want you to make sure that you understand this. You heard a voice. But you saw no similitude. You saw no shape. You saw absolutely nothing. Zilch. Zero. And there's a reason for this. God says, I don't want you trying to replicate me or make an image of me. It's absolutely impossible. Let me ask you a question. How can you make a visible image of the invisible God? I want you to turn in your Bibles to 1st Timothy chapter 6. Let me emphasize this. Look in 1st Timothy chapter 6.

[John Weaver] And let's begin reading there with verse 15. 1st Timothy chapter 6 verse 15. In fact, look in the latter part of just verse 14, just so that you can see that Jesus Christ is in the context. In the latter part of verse 14 he says, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, now verse 15, which in his times he shall show who is the blessed and only potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto, whom no man hath seen nor can see.

[John Weaver] Do the honor and power everlasting. Turn back in your Bibles, if you would, to First Timothy chapter one and look in verse 17. First Timothy one in verse 17. Paul gives this doxology, this hymn of praise. He says now unto the king eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, the honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. Did you know that the Bible says in Colossians 1 and verse 15 that Jesus Christ is the image of the invisible God? So if someone really wanted to know what God would look like in a form of some type, they would have to have seen Jesus Christ. For Jesus Christ was God incarnate. Now, the Bible says in John 4 and verse 24, God is spirit. and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and truth."

[John Weaver] Now listen, that truth was just as true in the Old Testament as it is in the New Testament. For in Malachi 3 and verse 6, God says, I the Lord change not. God has always been spirit. God has always been the invisible God. So how in the world then can you make a visible image of the invisible God.

[John Weaver] Now go back to Exodus chapter 32. I want you to watch this. I'm just trying to set the stage today for what I want to share with you next week. And by the way, in case I forget it next week, I'm going to say it now. When you try to envision or imagine. What Jesus Christ looked like in your mind, that's just as much idolatry as making a golden calf.

[John Weaver] Where in the world do you think we get the word image from anyhow? Imagination. You see, most people are idolaters in their minds. Just because you don't bow down in front of an image, a physical image, does not mean that you're not an idolater.

[John Weaver] Now, go back to Exodus chapter 32. I don't understand this. Remember that Aaron was Moses's Brother. Remember that now watch this verse one and when the people saw that Moses had laid to come down out of the mouth the people gathered themselves together into Aaron and said unto him up make us gods which shall go before us as for this Moses the man that brought us up out of

[John Weaver] the land of Egypt we know not what is become of him. This Moses. This Moses. How in the world could Aaron tolerate the attitude that's being displayed toward Moses. Moses was not only the leader, he was not only the prophet, he was also the brother of Aaron. This Moses. I want you to understand that the term This Moses is a term of contempt. If you don't believe that, you don't have to turn there now.

[John Weaver] But when you get time, you can turn to Daniel 6 and read verse 5 and verse 13, because when those other presidents wanted to get something against Daniel, they said, we're not going to get anything against this Daniel unless we get it against the law of his God. And then a little bit later on, they called him that Daniel, this Daniel, that Daniel, this Moses, that Moses. Now, watch this. You do not contempt. And when the people saw that Moses' delay did 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. As for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we know not what is become of him.

[John Weaver] Now, can you tell me what four or five words are missing? I'm not saying the Scripture is incomplete. No, it is complete. But I want you to infer what is actually being said. You could say it in four words or you could say it in five words. Let me read it again and then I'll include those five words. Here it is. Watch this. And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mouth, The people got themselves together into Aaron and set him up, make us God's which shall go before us. As for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we know not what has become of him. And here's the next five words.

[John Weaver] And we do not care. That was their attitude. We don't know what happened to them. We don't care. We want to get on with our lives. You make us some gods that will lead us. We're going to get out of this place. You talk about an attitude. Shades of number 16 all over again. Envy and insurrection are always part and parcel of idolatry and insolence. Now. One of the most pressing questions. That I want it answered. Is why did Aaron make a calf? Look in verse four. And he received them, that is, the golden earrings at their hand and fashioned it with a graving tool after that he'd made it a molten calf. And they said these be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

[John Weaver] Now let me ask you a question, and I'm not trying to be humorous. But here's my question. If you were going to make yourself an idol that would be your God, or at least represent your God, would you make it a cow? I mean, come on! Why would you make it a cow? Why would you make it a calf? Maybe this is where we Southerners get our expression, holy cow, from. I don't know. I don't know.

[John Weaver] I suppose, seriously speaking though, I suppose you do know that in India cows are worshipped still, along with rats, elephants, and snakes, and a multitude of other things. Why in the world would Aaron make a calf? I want to answer that for you. But in doing so, I'm going to give you a rather lengthy quote. This quote is from ISBI, which is short for International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. And you will find this material and much more under the section of Golden Calf. And I want you to remember that the term animism Is a term that refers to the worship of animals. An animal worship has been around ever since men rejected God. Romans chapter one makes it exceedingly clear that God gave them up. And then they began to worship all forms of animals, even creeping things. But listen. to what Ysby says, and I think we're going to be able to draw this together and see why Aaron made a golden calf. Here is the section under ancient calf worship. Let me read it.

[John Weaver] The origin of animal worship is hidden in obscurity. Well, that's not really true. If you understand Romans one, but as far as maybe how it actually began, it could be true. But here it is. The origin of animal worship is hidden in obscurity, but reverence for the bull and the cow is found widespread among the most ancient historic cults. Even in the prehistoric age, by the way, I hate that term. There is no such thing as a prehistoric age. Prehistory? If there's no history, how can it be prehistory? How do you know what historically happened if there's no history at that time? I despise that term, but anyhow, I'm reading, okay. Even in the prehistoric age, the influence of the bull symbol was so powerful that it gave its name to one of the most important signs of the zodiac. What is it? Taurus the bull, OK.

[John Weaver] And from early historic times, the horns of the bull were the familiar emblems of the rays of the sun, and solar gods were very commonly represented as bull gods. The Egyptians, close neighbors of the Hebrews in all eras from that of the Exodus onward, worshipped living bulls at Memphis and in Heliopolis. as incarnations of Ta and Ra. One of the most elaborate rituals was connected with the life-size image of the Hathor Cow while the sun was revered as the Valiant Bull and the reigning Pharaoh as the Bull of Bulls. By the way, I have at home in one of my books the pictograph of the Hathor Cow and it's just a cow. with big horns and with the emblem of the sun between her horns. Now, remember the Pharaoh was known as the Bull of Bulls, OK?

[John Weaver] But far more important in this connection is the fact that calf worship was almost, if not quite, universal among all the ancient Semitic peoples. If the immediate ancestors of Abraham did not revere this deity, They were certainly quite unlike their relatives, the Babylonians, among whom, according to all tradition, they lived before they migrated to Palestine. For the Babylonians revered the bull as the symbol of their greatest gods, Anu and Sin, and Marduk, the ideograph of a young bullock forming a part of the latter's name. While Hadad-Dremen, an important Amorite deity, is pictured standing on the back of a bull. And Phoenicia, also the bull, was a sacred animal, as well as in northern Syria, where it ranked as one of the chief Hittite deities, its images receiving devout worship. Among all these peoples, the cow goddess was given at least equal honor. The cow goddess. It's almost hard to keep a straight face when you read some of this stuff, but I mean, how in the world could anybody worship a cow? Well, anyhow, all right.

[John Weaver] Among all these peoples, the cow goddess was given at least equal honor. In Babylonia, the goddess Ishtar has the cow symbol on very ancient seal cylinders. And when this nude or half-nude goddess appeared in Palestine, she often stands on a bull or cow. And under slightly different forms, the same goddess is revered in Arabia, Moab, Phoenicia, Syria, and elsewhere. While among the Semitic Canaanites, the bull was the symbol of Baal and the cow of Astarte. Recent excavations in Palestine have shown that during all eras no heathen worship was as popular as that of Astarte in her various forms.

[John Weaver] And then they go on and tell us about her fertility cults. Let's see, and then I'm going to skip down. Is there any rational motif which can account for this widespread cat worship? Now listen. Is it conceivable that this cult could so powerfully influence such intelligent-minded nations as the Egyptians, Babylonians, if it were wholly irrational and contained no spiritual content?

[John Weaver] Now, when they say spiritual, they're not talking about biblical, OK? Just relating to worship. And is there no rational explanation behind this constant fusion of the deity which controls the breeding of cattle with the deity which controls vegetation? How did the bull come to represent the corn spirit so that the running of a bull through the corn, the most destructive act, came to presage good crops? And how did the rending of a bull, spilling his lifeblood on the soil, increase fertility?

[John Weaver] The one real controlling motif of all these various representations and functions of the calf god may be found in the ancient awe, especially among the Semites, for the mystery of life. This seems to offer a sufficient reason why the bull, which is most conspicuously example of life-giving power, should be so closely connected with the reproductive processes of the animal and vegetable kingdoms, and also with the sun, which from earliest historic times was considered as preeminently the giver of life. Bull worship was not always an exhibition of gross animalism, but certainly in Bible times often represented a concept which was the product of reflection upon one of the deepest mysteries of nature. Now listen to one of these hymns. Here's an Egyptian hymn addressed to the bull god. Here is the hymn. Here's what he said. This one is to the God sin of her and the heifer of Anu. And here's what the hymn says.

[John Weaver] Strong, young bull with strong horns, with beard of lackless, lucid color, self-created. Full of developed fruit, mother womb who has taken up his abode. getter of all things, exalted habitation whose hand rest the life of the whole world, O Lord, thy divinity is full of all like the far off heaven and broad oceans." Can you imagine saying that to a false god?

[John Weaver] Now, of course, I'm just I want you to see how the fertility cults really gained the upper hand in the worship of the bull and the cow and how it was related even to the vegetation and to the increase of crops. And of course, since the sun is needed to grow crops, that was included as well. And so when they worshipped these bulls, many times they had, like the Hathor cow, the emblem of the sun as well. I believe with this background, I'm going to give you just a little bit more, it can be readily and quickly seen why Aaron fashioned a golden cap or a molten cap.

[John Weaver] You've got to remember, someone tell me, where in Egypt did the Hebrews live for a good while? What was the best of the land there? Goshen. The interesting thing is this. I want to give you one other quote from Izbe here concerning Goshen. And by the way, the Egyptian words apis or serapis signifies the head of an ox. But listen to this. Some of the chief gods of the pasture land of Goshen, where the Hebrews had resided for centuries, were the bull gods.

[John Weaver] Now listen, the special god of this district had its symbol as a bull calf and one inscription actually speaks of the statute of a golden calf of 600 pounds weight. While another inscription mentions a statute of gold. So in the land of Goshen, there was the false gods of the bull and the calf worship. Go back to Exodus 32 and verse 4. Let me ask you a question. He received them at their hand, that is, golden earrings, and fashioned it with a graven tool after he had made it a molten cap. So he made it a molten cap, and then he made sure it was engraved properly.

[John Weaver] And they said, the people said, these be thy God's old Israel. These be thy gods, O Israel, who brought thee up out of the land of Egypt."

[John Weaver] Now my question is this, how in the world could those people who have seen the power of God in the Exodus now think that that calf that they had just made was God? Let me point out the fact that in all probability although they said these be thy God though Israel in all probability they did not intend for the calf to be a God in all probability they intended for it to be a representation of God that is why in verse 5 and when Aaron saw it that is not the calf he had already seen the calf he made it But when he saw the people bowing down to that camp, saying, these be thy gods, when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it, watch this, and Aaron made a proclamation and said, tomorrow is the feast unto whom? The Lord, Jehovah. In other words, not a feast of the golden camp, but a feast of Jehovah. In other words, what Aaron was trying to say is, this is not God, but this is just a visible representation of God.

[John Weaver] Now. Undoubtedly. This is where Jeroboam got the idea in First Kings chapter 12 to make the two golden calves, you remember the one he put in Dan and the other put in Bethel 500 years after all this has happened. In fact, if you read First Corinthians chapter 12, he even took the words of Aaron. And use them. In verse King chapter 12 now. I want you to look back very quickly to Psalm 106 and let me point something out to you. Even if. Even if we give Aaron the benefit of the doubt. And even if we give the people the benefit of the doubt. If we say that they were not worshipping that golden calf as God, that they were just worshipping that golden calf as a representation of the One True and the Living God, look how God took it. Psalm 106, note if you would please, verse 19, they made a calf in Horeb and worshipped what? The molten image. They didn't worship God, they worshipped the molten image.

[John Weaver] Now, that's what I'm going to develop this more next week. Do you realize? When you do not worship God in the way that God has ordained. You're not worshiping God. You may be worshiping something else, but you're not worshiping God.

[John Weaver] Now, let me ask a question. What is so horrible about idolatry? What is so horrible about this sin of making the golden calf? Well, there are a number of things I could say, but look in your Bibles to Psalm 106 and verse 20. Psalm 106 verse 20. Thus they changed their glory into the similitude of an oxidated grass. Now, what was so wrong with making the golden cat? God said they changed their glory into the similitude of an ox and eating the grass. Now, let me ask this question. What was Israel's glory? God. God was Israel's glory.

[John Weaver] All you have to do is read Deuteronomy 4. No nation on earth had a God like the God The One True and Living God.

[John Weaver] Now, look in your Bibles to Romans chapter 1. You see, while Psalm 106 and verse 20 says they changed their glory into an ox that eated the grass, Romans chapter 1 makes it exceedingly clear what happened. Romans 1 and verse 23. In fact, let's read verse 22, professing themselves be wise, they became fools and change the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like the corruptible man and the birds and four-footed beasts and creeping things. When they changed their glory, what they were doing was they were changing God's glory. Can you imagine, dear friend, the great sovereign, majestic, omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent, sovereign God of the universe being made into a dumb animal. You're talking about insolence. Insolence. Making God into an ox that eat grass? Do you know that cows are dependent upon man? And so they were making God into what he was not, and they were making him into an object that would be dependent upon their whim and their desire. Now, look in your Bibles to Isaiah 40. Isaiah 40.

[John Weaver] I want you to watch this passage very closely. And I think you can see the absolute wickedness of idolatry. Isaiah 40. And let's begin reading there with verse 18, look what God asks. Isaiah 40, verse 18, God asked to whom then would you liken God? Or what likeness would you compare unto him?

[John Weaver] Now, stop and answer that question. What likeness would you make God into? You have never seen God. Don't come in with the story of the little girl. Everybody's heard it. The Sunday school teacher had the kids coloring and the little kid, the Sunday school teacher came around and the little kid was asked by the teacher, what are you drawing? She said, I'm drawing a picture of God. But the teacher said, but no one knows what God looks like.

[John Weaver] She said, if I get through this, they will. Well, you know, this is the question right here. To whom will you liken God? How? How can you make an image of God? You don't even have any idea what God is like. Or what like this when you compare on him? Watch verse 19. The workman melted the graven image and the goldsmiths credited over with gold and cast the silver chains.

[John Weaver] He that is so impoverished that he hath no oblation choose of the tree that will not rot. He doesn't have gold and silver so he gets him a good tree. he sneaketh on them a cunning workman to prepare a graven image that shall not be moved." Now watch. Have you not heard? Have you not known? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundation of the earth, he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof as grasshoppers, that stretches out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them as a tent to dwell in?

[John Weaver] that bringeth the princes to nothing, he maketh the judges of the earth as vanity, yea, they shall not be planted, yea, they shall not be sown, yea, their stock shall not take root in the earth, and he shall also blow upon them, and they shall wither, and the whirlwind shall take them away as stubble, to whom then will you liken me, or shall I be equal, saith the Holy One? Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth all their host as number. They're bringing out all their host by number.

[John Weaver] He called them all by names by the greatness of his might for he is strong in power, not one thing that what say is though Jacob and speak is to Israel. My way is here from the Lord. My judgments passed over my God. Has thou not known? Has thou not heard that the everlasting God, the Lord, the creator of the ends of the earth fainted? Not neither is weary.

[John Weaver] There is no searching misunderstanding. Now let me ask you a question. How can you make an image of God? Do you realize that everything in this world, everything in the universe, everything that exists, exists by the very fact and by the power of God? God created it and the Creator is far greater than the creation. If you were to take all the gold and all the silver and all the diamonds and all the wood and all the... you still could not make an image of God. That's what he means.

[John Weaver] I sit upon the circle of the earth. I made all these things. What insolence. What an insult to think that we could take gold or silver. Or wood. Or a pencil. And make a visible representation of God. All forms of idolatry are an insult to God. Why? Because in idolatry, you try to make God into something that He is not. You try to make God into something that you want, or that you imagine, or that you desire, and you refuse to worship God as He is. All idolatry is an insult. Now, I want to ask this question, I want to answer it.

[John Weaver] I gave you the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, what they said about the golden calf. But I want to answer the question for you biblically, why did Aaron make that golden calf? I'm going to show you, look in your Bibles to the book of Acts chapter seven. Acts chapter 7. Acts chapter 7. In this passage, Stephen is giving his testimony before he is stoned to death. And let's begin reading in verse 37. Acts 7 verse 37.

[John Weaver] This is that Moses which said unto the children of Israel, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me him shall you hear." Now watch this, Moses was a prophet, and so he prophesied that another prophet is going to arise, of course, which is Jesus Christ.

[John Weaver] Now, look carefully at verse 38. This is he, talking about Christ, that was in the church in the wilderness, huh, with the angel which spake unto him in the Mount Sinai, and with our fathers. Now who was it with Moses on the Mount who gave him? The oracles, it was Christ himself. This is he that is the prophet that he's talking about in verse 37. This is he that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the Mount Sinai and with our fathers who received the lively or living oracles to give unto us. Now verse 39 is the verse I want. to whom our fathers would not obey, but thrust him from them, and in their hearts turned back again into Egypt, saying unto Aaron, Make us gods to go before us, as for this Moses, who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we know not what is become of him.

[John Weaver] And they made a calf in those days, and offered sacrifice unto the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands." Now, why did they make that calf? The answer is found in verse 39 and in their hearts. They turn back to Egypt. In other words, in their hearts. They went back. To the world. To humanism. To the flesh now listen. The making of the golden calf.

[John Weaver] was only the evidence that they were idolaters. They were already idolaters before they made the golden calf. For in their heart, they had already turned back into Egypt. Now, something had to have happened to turn them back to Egypt, which would enable them to want that golden calf. What was it? Well, skip back in your Bibles, if you would please. Act 7 and verse 38. And let's read verse 38 and 39 again. Let's see what happened before in their hearts. They turned back to Egypt and before they made the golden calf. Verse 38.

[John Weaver] This is he that prophet that is Jesus Christ. This is he that was in the church in the wilderness. with the angel which spake to him in Mount Sinai, and with our fathers, who received the living oracles, that is the word of God, to give to us, to whom our fathers would not obey, but thrust him from them." First, there was a rejection of Christ. A rejection of the word.

[John Weaver] And then they turned back to Egypt in their hearts, which resulted in the golden camp. Do you realize you cannot go into idolatry without rejecting the one true and the living God and his word? Anytime there is any idolatry, There has previously been a rejection of Christ and his truth. I want you to turn in your Bibles to Psalm 115. Look beginning there at verse one. I want to show you. The insolence involved in idolatry. I just read to you how they turn from Christ and turn from his word and went back in their hearts to Egypt, and thus they made the calf. Look at this. Psalm 115, verse one. Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory for thy mercy and thy truth sake. Wherefore should the heathen say, where is now their God? Here's our answer. But our God is in the heavens.

[John Weaver] He has done whatsoever he has pleased. In other words, our God is sovereign. Watch verse four. Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men's hands. They have mouths, but they speak not. Eyes have they, but they see not. They have ears, but they hear not. Noses have they, but they smell not. They have hands, but they handle not. Feet have they, but they walk not. Neither speak they through their throats.

[John Weaver] They that make them are likened to them, so is everyone that trusteth in them. Just as that idol is dumb and dead and worthless, so the psalmist said, so is everyone who makes them and trusts in them. What an insult to the one true and living God to turn our backs upon him and embrace a dumb, dead, worthless idol. Whether it is a physical image or a mental image, it matters not. No wonder the Bible says in Acts 7 verse 42, wherefore God gave them up. An insult. You cannot go into idolatry without insulting the sovereign God of the universe. Now, I want to make just two applications today. I want you to look back in your Bibles to Psalm 106. And let's look at verses 21 through 22. Psalm 106, verse 21.

[John Weaver] They forgot their Savior who had done great things in Egypt. Wonders things in the land of Ham and terrible things by the Red Sea These two verses Should be the answer for anyone who believes that all that is needed for sinners to repent and believe Is to see miracles and mighty works and wonders Miracles Mighty works and wonders will not build one's faith, nor will they give someone faith. This passage serves as a severe warning to all who believe that miracles are the answer to a weak faith. Witnessing great, spectacular, and marvelous miracles may encourage someone for a moment But it will not ensure or guarantee a mature or continued faith in the time of temptations that lie ahead. It is not miracles that we stand upon, but it's the Word of God. It's the truth of God. It's the principles of God.

[John Weaver] Let me tell you something, folks. If there has never been a miracle performed and if there never shall be a miracle performed, God is still and his word is still true. If you think miracles will make men repent, you need to read Revelation 9, especially verses 18 through 21. When God sent those miraculous sins, those miraculous judgments, he sent them in time past, when he sends them again, what do these people do? They cursed God and repented not.

[John Weaver] of their murders, fornications, and idolatry. It's not miracles we need. It's God Himself and His Word. The second application is this, and I want you to think about this, and I'm going to develop this more next week, Lord Willie. God cannot be worshipped any way that we choose. God must be worshipped in the way that he directs. And if we're not worshipping God in the way that he directs, we're all guilty of idolatry. We may not be bowing down to an idol, but we're guilty of idolatry. Because the only way that we can worship the one true and living God is to worship him according to spirit and truth. In John 4 and verse 24, we must worship him in the manner, in the method, in the way that he ordains. Or we're guilty of idolatry. I want you to understand, folks.

[John Weaver] There are idolaters today that are just as insolent as the ones back in Exodus 32. What an insult to God that we would refuse Him and reject Him for some mental God in our head or some physical God that someone has manufactured. What an insult. We must worship God according to his terms. Let's pray. Father, we're thankful today for Jesus Christ and for his love and for his truth. Help us to see, Lord, that thou art worthy to be honored and that thou must be worshiped and honored according to your word and your truth and your direction. May heavenly Father, our thoughts of thee be biblical and scriptural so that we may render Thee acceptable worship. Help us now, Father, to live for Thee this week. Protect us. Keep us safe. And may we bring honor and glory to Thy name. In Christ's name we pray. Amen.

The Hallelujah of Confession - Part 8 of 16

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	117091449302
Subject	Old Testament Studies
Course	Exodus: Worship, Tabernacle, and Covenant Presence
Genre	Sermon
Date	2000-06-25
Dictation Name
Book	Book 053: The Hallelujah of Confession — Chapter 8
Source Timed Segments	89

Formatted Transcript

Introduction to the Fourth Set of Sins

Weaver introduces the fourth set of sins in Psalm 106: idolatry and insolence, and notes that all people are idolaters to some degree.

Psalm 106, and today we're going to read verses 19 through 23. Psalm 106 verses 19 through 23. And let me just tell you before I get started that I will not have time to go over all the applications and ramifications of this text. That will come more next week, Lord willing. And so today, I'm just going to try to lay the historical and the biblical foundation for what I'm going to be sharing with you next week. So look in Psalm 106, beginning with verse 19. They made a calf in Horeb and worshiped the molten image. Thus, they changed their glory into the similitude of an ox that eateth grass. They forgot God, their Savior, who had done great things in Egypt; wondrous things in the land of Ham and terrible things by the Red Sea. Therefore, he said that he would destroy them had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the breach to turn away his wrath, lest he should destroy them.

Now we've been dealing with this psalm, the Hallelujah confession, for the last seven weeks, and we're going to proceed today to the fourth set of sins that are mentioned. And the fourth set of sins that are being dealt with in verses 19 through 23 are idolatry and insolence. May I remind you, of course, that the first five verses are introduction. Verse six just deals with confession of sin in general. And then we dealt with ignorance and ingratitude and, of course, forgetfulness and impatience. And for the last several weeks, envy and insurrection. And of course, I want you to see that today we're dealing with idolatry and insolence.

Now, since I have been trying to make an application and demonstrate to you how that the sins of our fathers are very present with us today, that is, we're basically guilty of the same sins. When I deal with idolatry and insolence, then we tend to think, well, at least here are two sins that maybe I'm not guilty of. I mean, come on, idolatry and insolence? Well, certainly you would think we could not be classified as idolaters.

But the truth of the matter is this, and you will see this, especially by the end of next Lord's Day: all of us are idolaters in one degree or the other. All of us are idolaters in one degree or the other. Now, we may not be guilty of gross idolatry, but the truth is, if we are ignorant of God and His worship, to the degree that we're ignorant, to that degree, we are basically idolaters. Now, I can assure you that once again, we're basically guilty of the same sins that the Old Testament saints were guilty of as well. You see, the truth of the matter is this.

Historical Background from Exodus 32

The historical foundation for Psalm 106:19-23 is read from Exodus 32, recounting the making of the golden calf.

Scripture Reading — Exodus 32:1-35

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 in their ears and brought them unto Aaron. And he received them at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving 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 up to play. And the LORD said unto Moses, Go, get thee down; for thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves: They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. 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. And Moses besought the LORD his God, and said, LORD, why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people, which thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power, and with a mighty hand? Wherefore should the Egyptians speak, and say, For mischief did he bring them out, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth? Turn from thy fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against thy people. Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants, to whom thou swarest by thine own self, and saidst unto them, I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have spoken of will I give unto your seed, and they shall inherit it for ever. And the LORD repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people. And Moses turned, and went down from the mount, and the two tables of the testimony were in his hand: the tables were written on both their sides; on the one side and on the other were they written. And the tables were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, graven upon the tables. And when Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said unto Moses, There is a noise of war in the camp. And he said, It is not the voice of them that shout for mastery, neither is it the voice of them that cry for being overcome: but the noise of them that sing do I hear. 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 cast 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 strawed it upon the water, and made the children of Israel drink of it. And Moses said unto Aaron, What did this people unto thee, that thou hast brought so great a sin upon them? And Aaron said, Let not the anger of my lord wax hot: thou knowest the people, that they are set on mischief. For they said unto me, 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 I said unto them, Whosoever hath any gold, let them break it off. So they gave it me: then I cast it into the fire, and there came out this calf. And when Moses saw that the people were naked; (for Aaron had made them naked unto their shame among their enemies:) Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on the LORD's side? Let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him. And he said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Put every man his sword by his side, and go in and out from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbour. And the children of Levi did according to the word of Moses: and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men. For Moses had said, Consecrate yourselves to day to the LORD, even every man upon his son, and upon his brother; that he may bestow upon you a blessing this day. And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses said unto the people, Ye have sinned a great sin: and now I will go up unto the LORD; peradventure I shall make an atonement for your sin. 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 hast written. And the LORD said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book. Therefore now go, lead the people unto the place of which I have spoken unto thee: behold, mine Angel shall go before thee: nevertheless in the day when I visit I will visit their sin upon them.

Israel's Impatience and Forgetfulness

Israel's impatience with Moses' delay and their forgetfulness of God's works led them to demand a visible god.

Now look in your Bibles, Exodus chapter 32, if you would, that's where we are. Verse one. Exodus 32 verse one: "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." Now I want to call your attention to the word "delayed." I'm going to come back to it. But when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, I want you to remember we're dealing with Psalm 106, we're back in Exodus 32, which is the historical account from Psalm 106 verses 19 through 23. But Psalm 106 deals with the confession of sin. And the psalmist confessed the sins of ignorance and ingratitude in verse 7, forgetfulness and impatience in verse 13, envy and insurrection in verse 16. And I want you to see that these three sets of sins now culminate in idolatry and insolence. Now go back to verse one of Exodus 32: "And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount." Now remember, Moses was only up in the mount 40 days, 40 nights. When the people saw that Moses delayed.

What does that tell us? It tells us the people did not think that Moses returned when he should have. According to their timetable. In other words, God was not working according to their plans. Here is once again a demonstration of their impatience. They wanted Moses back in order that they could get on with their lives and get on into the promised land. Now, since Moses was not back, they decided to take matters into their own hands.

And look, if you would please, what they said in verse 1. They said unto Aaron, "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." Now note, if you would, "make us gods, which shall go before us." What are they saying? We're going to leave Moses here. It's time for us to move on. Doesn't matter what God says. Doesn't matter where Moses is. We're going to go take that land and we want a God to lead us. And so you make us gods which shall go before us.

Now, let's go back to Exodus chapter 20. Turn back, if you would, please. Please remember, these words had already been delivered to the people. It is true, Moses is up in the mountain, getting them inscribed by the finger of God. But these words had already been communicated to the people through Moses. Look at Exodus chapter 20 verse 3. God says, "Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me." Skip down, if you would please, to verse 23. Exodus chapter 20 verse 23. God says, "Ye shall not make with me gods of silver, neither shall ye make unto you gods of gold."

Scripture Reading — Exodus 20:3-5, 23

Look in Exodus chapter 23, beginning there with verse 32. Here talking about the heathen, God says, "Thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor with their gods. They shall not dwell in thy land, lest they make thee sin against me: for if thou serve their gods, it will surely be a snare unto thee." So God had basically already forbidden what Aaron and the people did. Now, the concept that is expressed in Exodus chapter 32 and verse 1 is almost incomprehensible. Go back to Exodus 32 and verse 1 and let's look at it. "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." Now, how did I say that the concept expressed here is utterly incomprehensible?

How in the world could these people just recently removed from Egypt, having seen the mighty miracles and the power of God which He had performed in the land, how He divided the Red Sea, how they came across on dry ground, how in the world could they forget all that God had done and assume that that great and mighty and awesome God could now be replicated in an image? Hold Exodus 32, but look back in your Bibles to Psalm 106. Watch this. This shows you how forgetful they were. In fact, that's one of the sins mentioned, if you would please. Look, if you would please, in verse 13, "They soon forgat his works; they waited not for his counsel." Now skip down to verse 21. "They forgat God their saviour, which had done great things in Egypt; wondrous works in the land of Ham, and terrible things by the Red sea." They totally, absolutely forgot God.

In just a short period of time, all of the miracles, all of the wonders were over. And they assumed that they could make a God, or a representation of that God, who would lead them.

The Incomprehensibility of Idolatry

Weaver questions how Israel could forget God's miracles and attempt to replicate the invisible God with an image.

In just a short period of time, all of the miracles, all of the wonders were over. And they assumed that they could make a God, or a representation of that God, who would lead them. Now you ask the question, how could a people be so stupid? Let me ask another question. Maybe even a better question. Why did Aaron consent to their sin? Why did Aaron say, "Break off the golden earrings and bring them unto me"? Now, there is no answer to that question that I just asked. There are several possibilities. The first one is Aaron may have been trying to dissuade the people by letting them know how much it's going to cost them. That could have been it. I don't know. The Bible doesn't say. Or it could have been that if Aaron was going to make a representation of God, so to speak, he wanted the best. And so he asked for the gold. I don't know. But God had already prohibited Aaron from doing what he did. He had already prohibited the people.

Why a Calf? Historical and Biblical Reasons

Using historical sources and Acts 7, Weaver explains that calf worship was common in Egypt and that Israel's hearts had already turned back to Egypt.

Now let me ask you a question, and I'm not trying to be humorous. But here's my question. If you were going to make yourself an idol that would be your God, or at least represent your God, would you make it a cow? I mean, come on! Why would you make it a cow? Why would you make it a calf? Maybe this is where we Southerners get our expression "holy cow" from. I don't know. I don't know.

I suppose, seriously speaking though, I suppose you do know that in India cows are worshipped still, along with rats, elephants, and snakes, and a multitude of other things. Why in the world would Aaron make a calf? I want to answer that for you. But in doing so, I'm going to give you a rather lengthy quote. This quote is from ISBE, which is short for International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. And you will find this material and much more under the section of "Golden Calf." And I want you to remember that the term "animism" is a term that refers to the worship of animals. And animal worship has been around ever since men rejected God. Romans chapter one makes it exceedingly clear that God gave them up. And then they began to worship all forms of animals, even creeping things. But listen to what ISBE says, and I think we're going to be able to draw this together and see why Aaron made a golden calf. Here is the section under ancient calf worship. Let me read it.

"The origin of animal worship is hidden in obscurity." Well, that's not really true if you understand Romans 1, but as far as maybe how it actually began, it could be true. But here it is. "The origin of animal worship is hidden in obscurity, but reverence for the bull and the cow is found widespread among the most ancient historic cults. Even in the prehistoric age"—by the way, I hate that term. There is no such thing as a prehistoric age. Prehistory? If there's no history, how can it be prehistory? How do you know what historically happened if there's no history at that time? I despise that term, but anyhow, I'm reading, okay. "Even in the prehistoric age, the influence of the bull symbol was so powerful that it gave its name to one of the most important signs of the zodiac." What is it? Taurus the bull, OK.

"And from early historic times, the horns of the bull were the familiar emblems of the rays of the sun, and solar gods were very commonly represented as bull gods. The Egyptians, close neighbors of the Hebrews in all eras from that of the Exodus onward, worshipped living bulls at Memphis and in Heliopolis as incarnations of Ptah and Ra. One of the most elaborate rituals was connected with the life-size image of the Hathor Cow while the sun was revered as the Valiant Bull and the reigning Pharaoh as the Bull of Bulls." By the way, I have at home in one of my books the pictograph of the Hathor Cow and it's just a cow with big horns and with the emblem of the sun between her horns. Now, remember the Pharaoh was known as the Bull of Bulls, OK?

"But far more important in this connection is the fact that calf worship was almost, if not quite, universal among all the ancient Semitic peoples. If the immediate ancestors of Abraham did not revere this deity, they were certainly quite unlike their relatives, the Babylonians, among whom, according to all tradition, they lived before they migrated to Palestine. For the Babylonians revered the bull as the symbol of their greatest gods, Anu and Sin, and Marduk, the ideograph of a young bullock forming a part of the latter's name. While Hadad-Rimmon, an important Amorite deity, is pictured standing on the back of a bull. And Phoenicia, also the bull was a sacred animal, as well as in northern Syria, where it ranked as one of the chief Hittite deities, its images receiving devout worship. Among all these peoples, the cow goddess was given at least equal honor." The cow goddess. It's almost hard to keep a straight face when you read some of this stuff, but I mean, how in the world could anybody worship a cow? Well, anyhow, all right.

"Among all these peoples, the cow goddess was given at least equal honor. In Babylonia, the goddess Ishtar has the cow symbol on very ancient seal cylinders. And when this nude or half-nude goddess appeared in Palestine, she often stands on a bull or cow. And under slightly different forms, the same goddess is revered in Arabia, Moab, Phoenicia, Syria, and elsewhere. While among the Semitic Canaanites, the bull was the symbol of Baal and the cow of Astarte. Recent excavations in Palestine have shown that during all eras no heathen worship was as popular as that of Astarte in her various forms." And then they go on and tell us about her fertility cults. Let's see, and then I'm going to skip down. "Is there any rational motif which can account for this widespread calf worship?" Now listen. "Is it conceivable that this cult could so powerfully influence such intelligent-minded nations as the Egyptians, Babylonians, if it were wholly irrational and contained no spiritual content?"

Now, when they say "spiritual," they're not talking about biblical, OK? Just relating to worship. "And is there no rational explanation behind this constant fusion of the deity which controls the breeding of cattle with the deity which controls vegetation? How did the bull come to represent the corn spirit so that the running of a bull through the corn, the most destructive act, came to presage good crops? And how did the rending of a bull, spilling his lifeblood on the soil, increase fertility?" "The one real controlling motif of all these various representations and functions of the calf god may be found in the ancient awe, especially among the Semites, for the mystery of life. This seems to offer a sufficient reason why the bull, which is most conspicuously example of life-giving power, should be so closely connected with the reproductive processes of the animal and vegetable kingdoms, and also with the sun, which from earliest historic times was considered as preeminently the giver of life. Bull worship was not always an exhibition of gross animalism, but certainly in Bible times often represented a concept which was the product of reflection upon one of the deepest mysteries of nature." Now listen to one of these hymns. Here's an Egyptian hymn addressed to the bull god. Here is the hymn. Here's what he said. This one is to the god Sin of Harran and the heifer of Anu. And here's what the hymn says.

"Strong, young bull with strong horns, with beard of lackless, lucid color, self-created. Full of developed fruit, mother womb who has taken up his abode, getter of all things, exalted habitation whose hand rest the life of the whole world, O Lord, thy divinity is full of all like the far off heaven and broad oceans." Can you imagine saying that to a false god? Now, of course, I'm just—I want you to see how the fertility cults really gained the upper hand in the worship of the bull and the cow and how it was related even to the vegetation and to the increase of crops. And of course, since the sun is needed to grow crops, that was included as well. And so when they worshipped these bulls, many times they had, like the Hathor cow, the emblem of the sun as well. I believe with this background, I'm going to give you just a little bit more, it can be readily and quickly seen why Aaron fashioned a golden calf or a molten calf.

You've got to remember, someone tell me, where in Egypt did the Hebrews live for a good while? What was the best of the land there? Goshen. The interesting thing is this. I want to give you one other quote from ISBE here concerning Goshen. And by the way, the Egyptian words "Apis" or "Serapis" signifies the head of an ox. But listen to this. "Some of the chief gods of the pasture land of Goshen, where the Hebrews had resided for centuries, were the bull gods."

Now listen, "the special god of this district had its symbol as a bull calf and one inscription actually speaks of the statue of a golden calf of 600 pounds weight. While another inscription mentions a statue of gold." So in the land of Goshen, there was the false gods of the bull and the calf worship. Go back to Exodus 32 and verse 4. Let me ask you a question. "He received them at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf." So he made it a molten calf, and then he made sure it was engraved properly. And they said, the people said, "These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt."

Now my question is this, how in the world could those people who have seen the power of God in the Exodus now think that that calf that they had just made was God? Let me point out the fact that in all probability, although they said, "These be thy gods, O Israel," in all probability they did not intend for the calf to be a God. In all probability they intended for it to be a representation of God. That is why in verse 5, "And when Aaron saw it," that is not the calf, he had already seen the calf, he made it. But when he saw the people bowing down to that calf, saying, "These be thy gods," when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it, watch this, and Aaron made proclamation and said, "Tomorrow is a feast to the LORD." Jehovah. In other words, not a feast of the golden calf, but a feast of Jehovah. In other words, what Aaron was trying to say is, this is not God, but this is just a visible representation of God.

Scripture Reading — 1 Kings 12

Now, undoubtedly, this is where Jeroboam got the idea in First Kings chapter 12 to make the two golden calves, you remember the one he put in Dan and the other put in Bethel, 500 years after all this has happened. In fact, if you read First Kings chapter 12, he even took the words of Aaron and used them. Now, I want you to look back very quickly to Psalm 106 and let me point something out to you. Even if—even if we give Aaron the benefit of the doubt, and even if we give the people the benefit of the doubt, if we say that they were not worshipping that golden calf as God, that they were just worshipping that golden calf as a representation of the One True and the Living God, look how God took it. Psalm 106, note if you would please, verse 19, "They made a calf in Horeb, and worshipped the molten image." They didn't worship God, they worshipped the molten image.

Now, that's what I'm going to develop this more next week. Do you realize? When you do not worship God in the way that God has ordained, you're not worshiping God. You may be worshiping something else, but you're not worshiping God.

Now, let me ask a question. What is so horrible about idolatry? What is so horrible about this sin of making the golden calf? Well, there are a number of things I could say, but look in your Bibles to Psalm 106 and verse 20. Psalm 106 verse 20. "Thus they changed their glory into the similitude of an ox that eateth grass." Now, what was so wrong with making the golden calf? God said they changed their glory into the similitude of an ox that eateth grass. Now, let me ask this question. What was Israel's glory? God. God was Israel's glory.

All you have to do is read Deuteronomy 4. No nation on earth had a God like the God, the One True and Living God. Now, look in your Bibles to Romans chapter 1. You see, while Psalm 106 and verse 20 says they changed their glory into an ox that eateth grass, Romans chapter 1 makes it exceedingly clear what happened. Romans 1 and verse 23. In fact, let's read verse 22,

Scripture Reading — Romans 1:22-23

"Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things."

When they changed their glory, what they were doing was they were changing God's glory. Can you imagine, dear friend, the great sovereign, majestic, omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent, sovereign God of the universe being made into a dumb animal? You're talking about insolence. Insolence. Making God into an ox that eateth grass? Do you know that cows are dependent upon man? And so they were making God into what he was not, and they were making him into an object that would be dependent upon their whim and their desire. Now, look in your Bibles to Isaiah 40. Isaiah 40.

I want you to watch this passage very closely. And I think you can see the absolute wickedness of idolatry. Isaiah 40. And let's begin reading there with verse 18, look what God asks. Isaiah 40, verse 18, God asks,

Scripture Reading — Isaiah 40:18-28

"To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto him?"

Now, stop and answer that question. What likeness would you make God into? You have never seen God. Don't come in with the story of the little girl. Everybody's heard it. The Sunday school teacher had the kids coloring and the little kid, the Sunday school teacher came around and the little kid was asked by the teacher, "What are you drawing?" She said, "I'm drawing a picture of God." But the teacher said, "But no one knows what God looks like." She said, "If I get through this, they will." Well, you know, this is the question right here. To whom will you liken God? How? How can you make an image of God? You don't even have any idea what God is like. Or what likeness will you compare unto him? Watch verse 19. "The workman melteth a graven image, and the goldsmith spreadeth it over with gold, and casteth silver chains."

"He that is so impoverished that he hath no oblation chooseth a tree that will not rot; he seeketh unto him a cunning workman to prepare a graven image, that shall not be moved." Now watch. "Have ye not known? have ye not heard? hath it not been told you from the beginning? have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth? It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in:" "That bringeth the princes to nothing; he maketh the judges of the earth as vanity. Yea, they shall not be planted; yea, they shall not be sown: yea, their stock shall not take root in the earth: and he shall also blow upon them, and they shall wither, and the whirlwind shall take them away as stubble. To whom then will ye liken me, or shall I be equal? saith the Holy One. Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number:"

"he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth. Why sayest thou, O Jacob, and speakest, O Israel, My way is hid from the LORD, and my judgment is passed over from my God? Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary?" "there is no searching of his understanding." Now let me ask you a question. How can you make an image of God? Do you realize that everything in this world, everything in the universe, everything that exists, exists by the very fact and by the power of God? God created it and the Creator is far greater than the creation. If you were to take all the gold and all the silver and all the diamonds and all the wood and all the... you still could not make an image of God. That's what he means.

"I sit upon the circle of the earth. I made all these things." What insolence. What an insult to think that we could take gold or silver or wood or a pencil and make a visible representation of God. All forms of idolatry are an insult to God. Why? Because in idolatry, you try to make God into something that He is not. You try to make God into something that you want, or that you imagine, or that you desire, and you refuse to worship God as He is. All idolatry is an insult. Now, I want to ask this question, I want to answer it.

I gave you the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, what they said about the golden calf. But I want to answer the question for you biblically, why did Aaron make that golden calf? I'm going to show you, look in your Bibles to the book of Acts chapter seven. Acts chapter 7. Acts chapter 7. In this passage, Stephen is giving his testimony before he is stoned to death. And let's begin reading in verse 37. Acts 7 verse 37.

"This is that Moses, which said unto the children of Israel, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear." Now watch this, Moses was a prophet, and so he prophesied that another prophet is going to arise, of course, which is Jesus Christ. Now, look carefully at verse 38. "This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us." Now who was it with Moses on the mount who gave him the oracles? It was Christ himself. This is he that is the prophet that he's talking about in verse 37. This is he that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers, who received the lively or living oracles to give unto us. Now verse 39 is the verse I want. "To whom our fathers would not obey, but thrust him from them, and in their hearts turned back again into Egypt, Saying unto Aaron, Make us gods to go before us: for as for this Moses, which brought us out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him."

Scripture Reading — Acts 7:37-42

"And they made a calf in those days, and offered sacrifice unto the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands."

Now, why did they make that calf? The answer is found in verse 39:

Scripture Reading — Acts 7:37-42

"and in their hearts they turned back again into Egypt."

In other words, in their hearts, they went back to the world, to humanism, to the flesh. Now listen. The making of the golden calf was only the evidence that they were idolaters. They were already idolaters before they made the golden calf. For in their heart, they had already turned back into Egypt. Now, something had to have happened to turn them back to Egypt, which would enable them to want that golden calf. What was it? Well, skip back in your Bibles, if you would please, Acts 7 and verse 38. And let's read verse 38 and 39 again. Let's see what happened before in their hearts they turned back to Egypt and before they made the golden calf. Verse 38.

The Insult of Idolatry

Idolatry is an insult to God because it changes His glory into the image of a creature and rejects His sovereignty.

Scripture Reading — Romans 1:22-23

"Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things."

Scripture Reading — Isaiah 40:18-28

"To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto him?"

Rejection of Christ Precedes Idolatry

From Acts 7, Weaver shows that Israel first rejected Christ and His word before turning to idolatry.

was only the evidence that they were idolaters. They were already idolaters before they made the golden calf. For in their heart, they had already turned back into Egypt. Now, something had to have happened to turn them back to Egypt, which would enable them to want that golden calf. What was it? Well, skip back in your Bibles, if you would please, Acts 7 and verse 38. And let's read verse 38 and 39 again. Let's see what happened before in their hearts they turned back to Egypt and before they made the golden calf. Verse 38.

"This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us: To whom our fathers would not obey, but thrust him from them." First, there was a rejection of Christ. A rejection of the word. And then they turned back to Egypt in their hearts, which resulted in the golden calf. Do you realize you cannot go into idolatry without rejecting the one true and the living God and his word? Anytime there is any idolatry, there has previously been a rejection of Christ and his truth. I want you to turn in your Bibles to Psalm 115. Look beginning there at verse one. I want to show you the insolence involved in idolatry. I just read to you how they turn from Christ and turn from his word and went back in their hearts to Egypt, and thus they made the calf. Look at this. Psalm 115, verse one. "Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth's sake. Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is now their God? But our God is in the heavens:

Applications: Miracles and True Worship

Miracles do not guarantee faith; God must be worshipped only as He has directed, or it is idolatry.

Scripture Reading — Psalm 115:1-8

"They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusteth in them."

Just as that idol is dumb and dead and worthless, so the psalmist said, so is everyone who makes them and trusts in them. What an insult to the one true and living God to turn our backs upon him and embrace a dumb, dead, worthless idol. Whether it is a physical image or a mental image, it matters not. No wonder the Bible says in Acts 7 verse 42, "wherefore God gave them up." An insult. You cannot go into idolatry without insulting the sovereign God of the universe. Now, I want to make just two applications today. I want you to look back in your Bibles to Psalm 106. And let's look at verses 21 through 22. Psalm 106, verse 21.

"They forgat God their saviour, which had done great things in Egypt; wondrous works in the land of Ham, and terrible things by the Red sea." These two verses should be the answer for anyone who believes that all that is needed for sinners to repent and believe is to see miracles and mighty works and wonders. Miracles, mighty works, and wonders will not build one's faith, nor will they give someone faith. This passage serves as a severe warning to all who believe that miracles are the answer to a weak faith. Witnessing great, spectacular, and marvelous miracles may encourage someone for a moment, but it will not ensure or guarantee a mature or continued faith in the time of temptations that lie ahead. It is not miracles that we stand upon, but it's the Word of God. It's the truth of God. It's the principles of God.

Let me tell you something, folks. If there has never been a miracle performed and if there never shall be a miracle performed, God is still and his word is still true. If you think miracles will make men repent, you need to read Revelation 9, especially verses 18 through 21. When God sent those miraculous signs, those miraculous judgments, he sent them in time past, when he sends them again, what do these people do? They cursed God and repented not of their murders, fornications, and idolatry. It's not miracles we need. It's God Himself and His Word. The second application is this, and I want you to think about this, and I'm going to develop this more next week, Lord willing. God cannot be worshipped any way that we choose. God must be worshipped in the way that he directs. And if we're not worshipping God in the way that he directs, we're all guilty of idolatry. We may not be bowing down to an idol, but we're guilty of idolatry. Because the only way that we can worship the one true and living God is to worship him according to spirit and truth. In John 4 and verse 24, we must worship him in the manner, in the method, in the way that he ordains. Or we're guilty of idolatry. I want you to understand, folks.

There are idolaters today that are just as insolent as the ones back in Exodus 32. What an insult to God that we would refuse Him and reject Him for some mental God in our head or some physical God that someone has manufactured. What an insult. We must worship God according to his terms. Let's pray. Father, we're thankful today for Jesus Christ and for his love and for his truth. Help us to see, Lord, that thou art worthy to be honored and that thou must be worshiped and honored according to your word and your truth and your direction. May heavenly Father, our thoughts of thee be biblical and scriptural so that we may render Thee acceptable worship. Help us now, Father, to live for Thee this week. Protect us. Keep us safe. And may we bring honor and glory to Thy name. In Christ's name we pray. Amen.

Study Guide

Major Themes

The Universality of Idolatry

Summary: All people are idolaters to some degree, even if not guilty of gross idolatry, because ignorance of God leads to idolatry.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'all of us are idolaters in one degree or the other' and 'if we are ignorant of God and His worship, to the degree that we're ignorant, to that degree, we are basically idolaters.'

Idolatry as an Insult to God

Summary: Idolatry insults God by reducing His glory to a created image and by rejecting His sovereignty.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'All forms of idolatry are an insult to God. Why? Because in idolatry, you try to make God into something that He is not.'

The Inability of Man to Remain Faithful

Summary: Human depravity means that even believers struggle to remain faithful to God for short periods without His grace.

Evidence: Weaver notes, 'One of the most distressing realizations that has ever dawned upon a child of God is his inability to be faithful and true to his Lord even for a short period of time.'

Rejection of God's Word Leads to Idolatry

Summary: Idolatry is preceded by a rejection of Christ and His truth, as seen in Israel's turning back to Egypt in their hearts.

Evidence: Weaver explains from Acts 7:39, 'First, there was a rejection of Christ. A rejection of the word. And then they turned back to Egypt in their hearts, which resulted in the golden calf.'

The Insufficiency of Miracles for Faith

Summary: Miracles do not produce lasting faith; only God's Word provides a sure foundation.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'Miracles, mighty works, and wonders will not build one's faith, nor will they give someone faith.'

Worship Must Be According to God's Direction

Summary: God must be worshipped only in the way He has ordained; otherwise, it is idolatry.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'God cannot be worshipped any way that we choose. God must be worshipped in the way that he directs.'

Key Arguments

Israel's idolatry stemmed from impatience and forgetfulness

Summary: Israel grew impatient with Moses' delay and forgot God's mighty works, leading them to demand a visible god.

Evidence: Weaver points to Exodus 32:1 and Psalm 106:13, 21, noting they 'soon forgat his works' and 'waited not for his counsel.'

The golden calf was likely a representation of God, not a replacement

Summary: Aaron proclaimed a feast to Jehovah, indicating the calf was intended as a visible representation of the true God, but God still considered it idolatry.

Evidence: Weaver notes Exodus 32:5, 'Tomorrow is a feast to the LORD,' and Psalm 106:19 says they 'worshipped the molten image.'

Idolatry changes God's glory into a creaturely image

Summary: Psalm 106:20 and Romans 1:23 show that idolatry exchanges the glory of the incorruptible God for images of corruptible creatures.

Evidence: Weaver reads Psalm 106:20, 'Thus they changed their glory into the similitude of an ox that eateth grass,' and Romans 1:23.

Mental images of God are as idolatrous as physical ones

Summary: Imagining what Jesus looked like is a form of idolatry because it creates an image in the mind.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'When you try to envision or imagine what Jesus Christ looked like in your mind, that's just as much idolatry as making a golden calf.'

Rejection of Christ precedes all idolatry

Summary: Acts 7:38-39 shows that Israel first rejected Christ and His word before turning to idolatry.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'First, there was a rejection of Christ. A rejection of the word. And then they turned back to Egypt in their hearts.'

Miracles do not guarantee faith or prevent idolatry

Summary: Despite witnessing great miracles, Israel quickly turned to idolatry, proving that miracles alone cannot sustain faith.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'Miracles, mighty works, and wonders will not build one's faith, nor will they give someone faith.'

Scripture References

Psalm 106:19-23

Context: The main text of the sermon, describing Israel's idolatry with the golden calf and Moses' intercession.

Exodus 32:1-35

Context: The historical account of the golden calf, read as the background for Psalm 106:19-23.

Deuteronomy 9

Context: Mentioned as another historical background passage for the golden calf incident.

John 15:5

Context: Quoted to emphasize human inability to do anything without Christ.

Proverbs 24:10

Context: Cited to illustrate that Israel fainted in the day of adversity.

Exodus 20:3-5, 23

Context: God's commandments against making graven images, given before the golden calf incident.

Exodus 23:32-33

Context: Warning against making covenants with heathen gods.

Deuteronomy 4:10-20

Context: Moses reminds Israel they saw no similitude at Horeb, warning against making images.

1 Timothy 6:15-16

Context: God dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see.

1 Timothy 1:17

Context: God is described as immortal, invisible, the only wise God.

Colossians 1:15

Context: Jesus Christ is the image of the invisible God.

John 4:24

Context: God is a Spirit, and must be worshipped in spirit and truth.

Malachi 3:6

Context: God does not change; He has always been spirit.

Daniel 6:5, 13

Context: Referenced to show the contemptuous use of 'this Daniel' similar to 'this Moses.'

Romans 1:22-23

Context: Mankind changed the glory of the incorruptible God into images of corruptible things.

Isaiah 40:18-28

Context: God questions to whom He can be likened, emphasizing His incomparable greatness.

Acts 7:37-42

Context: Stephen's speech reveals that Israel rejected Christ and turned back to Egypt in their hearts before making the calf.

Psalm 115:1-8

Context: Contrasts the living God with dead idols, and says idol makers become like them.

Revelation 9:18-21

Context: Despite miraculous judgments, people did not repent of their sins.

1 Kings 12

Context: Jeroboam later made two golden calves, echoing Aaron's words.

Historical References

Golden calf incident at Mount Horeb

Context: The primary historical event discussed, where Israel made and worshipped a golden calf while Moses was on the mountain.

Egyptian bull and calf worship in Goshen

Context: Weaver cites ISBE to explain that the Hebrews lived in Goshen where bull gods were worshipped, influencing their idolatry.

Widespread ancient calf worship among Semitic peoples

Context: ISBE quote details how bull and cow worship was common in Babylon, Phoenicia, Syria, and among Canaanites.

Jeroboam's golden calves in 1 Kings 12

Context: Jeroboam set up golden calves in Dan and Bethel, using similar language to Aaron.

Hathor Cow and Egyptian solar worship

Context: Mentioned as an example of Egyptian cow goddess worship with the sun emblem between horns.

Important Quotes

One of the most distressing realizations that has ever dawned upon a child of God is his inability to be faithful and true to his Lord even for a short period of time.

Significance: Highlights human depravity and the need for God's grace, a key theme in understanding Israel's quick fall into idolatry.

When you try to envision or imagine what Jesus Christ looked like in your mind, that's just as much idolatry as making a golden calf.

Significance: Expands the definition of idolatry to include mental images, a provocative application for modern believers.

All forms of idolatry are an insult to God. Why? Because in idolatry, you try to make God into something that He is not.

Significance: Summarizes the core argument that idolatry is fundamentally an insult to God's nature and glory.

Miracles, mighty works, and wonders will not build one's faith, nor will they give someone faith.

Significance: Counters the common belief that miracles are the key to faith, emphasizing the sufficiency of God's Word.

God cannot be worshipped any way that we choose. God must be worshipped in the way that he directs.

Significance: Establishes the regulative principle of worship, warning against self-styled worship as idolatry.

Discussion Questions

In what ways might we be guilty of 'mental idolatry' by forming images of God in our minds that are not based on Scripture?

Context: Weaver states that imagining Jesus' appearance is idolatry; this question explores the broader implications of mental images of God.

How does impatience with God's timing lead to idolatry in our lives today?

Context: Israel's impatience with Moses' delay led them to make the calf; this question applies that pattern to modern situations.

Why is it an insult to God to worship Him in ways He has not commanded?

Context: Weaver argues that all self-styled worship is idolatry; this question probes the nature of the insult.

What does the golden calf incident teach us about the relationship between rejecting God's Word and falling into idolatry?

Context: Acts 7 shows that rejection of Christ preceded the calf; this question examines the causal link.

How should the truth that 'without me you can do nothing' (John 15:5) affect our daily dependence on God?

Context: Weaver uses this verse to highlight human inability; this question applies it to practical Christian living.

Why are miracles insufficient to produce lasting faith, according to this passage?

Context: Israel saw great miracles yet quickly turned to idolatry; this question explores the limits of miraculous signs.

Applications

Guard against mental idolatry

Summary: Believers must avoid forming mental images of God or Christ, as this is a form of idolatry.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'When you try to envision or imagine what Jesus Christ looked like in your mind, that's just as much idolatry as making a golden calf.'

Worship God only as He has commanded

Summary: God must be worshipped according to His revealed will in Scripture, not according to human preferences or innovations.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'God cannot be worshipped any way that we choose. God must be worshipped in the way that he directs.'

Rely on God's Word, not miracles, for faith

Summary: Faith should be grounded in Scripture, not in miraculous experiences, which do not guarantee perseverance.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'It is not miracles that we stand upon, but it's the Word of God.'

Recognize the danger of impatience with God's timing

Summary: Impatience can lead to taking matters into our own hands and turning to idols instead of waiting on God.

Evidence: Weaver notes Israel's impatience with Moses' delay led them to demand gods to go before them.

Acknowledge our proneness to wander from God

Summary: We must depend on God's grace daily, recognizing our inability to remain faithful without Him.

Evidence: Weaver quotes the hymn 'Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it' and references John 15:5.

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-06T01:38:06Z

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T15:30:45Z

Clean Transcript

The Hallelujah of Confession - Part 8 of 16

Clean readable transcript. This view follows the Commentary.net cleaned segment text while preserving timestamps for audio follow-along.

Psalm 106, and today we're going to read verses 19 through 23. Psalm 106 verses 19 through 23. And let me just tell you before I get started that I will not have time to go over all the applications and ramifications of this text. That will come more next week, Lord willing. And so today, I'm just going to try to lay the historical and the biblical foundation for what I'm going to be sharing with you next week. So look in Psalm 106, beginning with verse 19.
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They made a calf in Horeb and worshiped the molten image. Thus, they changed their glory into the similitude of an ox that eateth grass. They forgot God, their Savior, who had done great things in Egypt; wondrous things in the land of Ham and terrible things by the Red Sea. Therefore, he said that he would destroy them had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the breach to turn away his wrath, lest he should destroy them.
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Now we've been dealing with this psalm, the Hallelujah confession, for the last seven weeks, and we're going to proceed today to the fourth set of sins that are mentioned. And the fourth set of sins that are being dealt with in verses 19 through 23 are idolatry and insolence. May I remind you, of course, that the first five verses are introduction. Verse six just deals with confession of sin in general. And then we dealt with ignorance and ingratitude and, of course, forgetfulness and impatience. And for the last several weeks, envy and insurrection. And of course, I want you to see that today we're dealing with idolatry and insolence.
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Now, since I have been trying to make an application and demonstrate to you how that the sins of our fathers are very present with us today, that is, we're basically guilty of the same sins. When I deal with idolatry and insolence, then we tend to think, well, at least here are two sins that maybe I'm not guilty of. I mean, come on, idolatry and insolence? Well, certainly you would think we could not be classified as idolaters.
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But the truth of the matter is this, and you will see this, especially by the end of next Lord's Day: all of us are idolaters in one degree or the other. All of us are idolaters in one degree or the other. Now, we may not be guilty of gross idolatry, but the truth is, if we are ignorant of God and His worship, to the degree that we're ignorant, to that degree, we are basically idolaters. Now, I can assure you that once again, we're basically guilty of the same sins that the Old Testament saints were guilty of as well. You see, the truth of the matter is this.
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Human nature has not changed. Depravity has not changed. Ignorance is still ignorance.
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Now, before we get started today, let me tell you that the historical background for Psalm 106 verses 19 through 23 is found in Exodus 32 and Deuteronomy chapter 9. So I want to ask that you turn back in your Bible to Exodus 32, and we're going to take the time to read this passage to refresh our minds and then pick up from there. Exodus chapter 32, and let's begin reading there with verse one. This is the historical background of Psalm 106 verses 19 through 23. So Exodus chapter 32, beginning with verse one.
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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 in their ears and brought them unto Aaron. And he received them at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving 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
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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 up to play. And the LORD said unto Moses, Go, get thee down; for thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves: They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. And the LORD said unto Moses, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people.
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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. And Moses besought the LORD his God, and said, LORD, why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people, which thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power, and with a mighty hand? Wherefore should the Egyptians speak, and say, For mischief
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did he bring them out, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth? Turn from thy fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against thy people. Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants, to whom thou swarest by thine own self, and saidst unto them, I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have spoken of will I give unto your seed,
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and they shall inherit it for ever. And the LORD repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people. And Moses turned, and went down from the mount, and the two tables of the testimony were in his hand: the tables were written on both their sides; on the one side and on the other were they written. And the tables were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, graven upon the tables. And when Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said unto Moses, There is a noise of war in the camp.
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And he said, It is not the voice of them that shout for mastery, neither is it the voice of them that cry for being overcome: but the noise of them that sing do I hear. 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 cast the tables out of his hands, and brake them beneath the mount.
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And he took the calf which they had made, and burnt it in the fire, and ground it to powder, and strawed it upon the water, and made the children of Israel drink of it. And Moses said unto Aaron, What did this people unto thee, that thou hast brought so great a sin upon them? And Aaron said, Let not the anger of my lord wax hot: thou knowest the people, that they are set on mischief.
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For they said unto me, 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 I said unto them, Whosoever hath any gold, let them break it off. So they gave it me: then I cast it into the fire, and there came out this calf. And when Moses saw that the people were naked; (for Aaron had made them naked unto their shame among their enemies:) Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on the LORD's side?
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Let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him. And he said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Put every man his sword by his side, and go in and out from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbour. And the children of Levi did according to the word of Moses:
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and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men. For Moses had said, Consecrate yourselves to day to the LORD, even every man upon his son, and upon his brother; that he may bestow upon you a blessing this day. And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses said unto the people, Ye have sinned a great sin: and now I will go up unto the LORD; peradventure I shall make an atonement for your sin. 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 hast written. And the LORD said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book. Therefore now go, lead the people unto the place of which I have spoken unto thee: behold, mine Angel shall go before thee: nevertheless in the day when I visit I will visit their sin upon them.
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And the LORD plagued the people, because they made the calf, which Aaron made. Now, Moses had gone up into the mountain and he was there 40 days, which is relatively a short period of time. I want you to understand that in the Bible, 40 is the number of probation or the number of testing. So literally what God was doing was testing Israel as to whether or not they would remain true and faithful to him. Well, very clearly, Israel failed this test.
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She did not pass at all. One of the most distressing realizations that has ever dawned upon a child of God is his inability to be faithful and true to his Lord even for a short period of time.
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Now you stop and think about what I just said. One of the most distressing realizations that ever occurred to a child of God is to realize his own inability to be faithful and true to the Lord even for a short period of time. And if you don't believe that, you just try to pray and keep your mind focused upon the Lord. And you will find within just a few minutes, your mind begins to wander and you will be thinking of things and praying for things and saying things that should never even have entered into your mind. And yet it's there. What did our Lord say in John chapter 15 and verse 5?
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He said, without me, you can do how much? Nothing. Without me, you can do nothing. So this truth that I'm going to show you today teaches us how desperately we need the grace of God. You remember the song that we have sung for years, "Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, prone to leave the God I love; here's my heart, O take and seal it, seal it for thy courts above."
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So notice, if you would please, here is that particular proneness of man to sin against God. The Bible says in Proverbs 24 and verse 10, "If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small." And certainly we find out that's exactly what the children of Israel did in the day of their adversity. They fainted.
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Now look in your Bibles, Exodus chapter 32, if you would, that's where we are. Verse one. Exodus 32 verse one: "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."
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Now I want to call your attention to the word "delayed." I'm going to come back to it. But when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, I want you to remember we're dealing with Psalm 106, we're back in Exodus 32, which is the historical account from Psalm 106 verses 19 through 23. But Psalm 106 deals with the confession of sin. And the psalmist confessed the sins of ignorance and ingratitude in verse 7, forgetfulness and impatience in verse 13, envy and insurrection in verse 16. And I want you to see that these three sets of sins now culminate in idolatry and insolence. Now go back to verse one of Exodus 32: "And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount." Now remember, Moses was only up in the mount 40 days, 40 nights. When the people saw that Moses delayed.
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What does that tell us? It tells us the people did not think that Moses returned when he should have. According to their timetable. In other words, God was not working according to their plans. Here is once again a demonstration of their impatience. They wanted Moses back in order that they could get on with their lives and get on into the promised land. Now, since Moses was not back, they decided to take matters into their own hands.
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And look, if you would please, what they said in verse 1. They said unto Aaron, "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." Now note, if you would, "make us gods, which shall go before us." What are they saying? We're going to leave Moses here.
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It's time for us to move on. Doesn't matter what God says. Doesn't matter where Moses is. We're going to go take that land and we want a God to lead us. And so you make us gods which shall go before us.
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Now, let's go back to Exodus chapter 20. Turn back, if you would, please. Please remember, these words had already been delivered to the people. It is true, Moses is up in the mountain, getting them inscribed by the finger of God. But these words had already been communicated to the people through Moses. Look at Exodus chapter 20 verse 3. God says, "Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me." Skip down, if you would please, to verse 23. Exodus chapter 20 verse 23. God says, "Ye shall not make with me gods of silver, neither shall ye make unto you gods of gold."
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Look in Exodus chapter 23, beginning there with verse 32. Here talking about the heathen, God says, "Thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor with their gods. They shall not dwell in thy land, lest they make thee sin against me: for if thou serve their gods, it will surely be a snare unto thee." So God had basically already forbidden what Aaron and the people did. Now, the concept that is expressed in Exodus chapter 32 and verse 1 is almost incomprehensible. Go back to Exodus 32 and verse 1 and let's look at it. "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." Now, how did I say that the concept expressed here is utterly incomprehensible?
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How in the world could these people just recently removed from Egypt, having seen the mighty miracles and the power of God which He had performed in the land, how He divided the Red Sea, how they came across on dry ground, how in the world could they forget all that God had done and assume that that great and mighty and awesome God could now be replicated in an image? Hold Exodus 32, but look back in your Bibles to Psalm 106. Watch this.
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This shows you how forgetful they were. In fact, that's one of the sins mentioned, if you would please. Look, if you would please, in verse 13, "They soon forgat his works; they waited not for his counsel." Now skip down to verse 21. "They forgat God their saviour, which had done great things in Egypt; wondrous works in the land of Ham, and terrible things by the Red sea." They totally, absolutely forgot God.
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In just a short period of time, all of the miracles, all of the wonders were over. And they assumed that they could make a God, or a representation of that God, who would lead them.
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Now you ask the question, how could a people be so stupid? Let me ask another question. Maybe even a better question. Why did Aaron consent to their sin? Why did Aaron say, "Break off the golden earrings and bring them unto me"? Now, there is no answer to that question that I just asked. There are several possibilities. The first one is Aaron may have been trying to dissuade the people by letting them know how much it's going to cost them. That could have been it. I don't know. The Bible doesn't say. Or it could have been that if Aaron was going to make a representation of God, so to speak, he wanted the best. And so he asked for the gold. I don't know. But God had already prohibited Aaron from doing what he did. He had already prohibited the people.
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Look in your Bibles to Deuteronomy chapter 4. Deuteronomy chapter 4. And let's begin reading there with verse 10. Watch this carefully. Deuteronomy chapter 4 verse 10. Look what is told to the people. Deuteronomy 4, verse 10, "Specially the day that thou stoodest before the LORD thy God in Horeb, when the LORD said unto me, Gather me the people together, and I will make them hear my words, that they may learn to fear me all the days that they shall live upon the earth, and that they may teach their children."
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Now listen to what Moses is saying. This is before the writing of the law. OK, it had been given orally. Watch this verse 11: "And ye came near and stood under the mountain; and the mountain burned with fire unto the midst of heaven, with darkness, clouds, and thick darkness. And the LORD spake unto you out of the midst of the fire: ye heard the voice of the words, but saw no similitude; only ye heard a voice." Now, what is he saying? The only thing you did was hear. You didn't see anything. Watch verse 13.
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"And he declared unto you his covenant, which he commanded you to perform, even ten commandments; and he wrote them upon two tables of stone. And the LORD commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and judgments, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go over to possess it."
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Now look what he says. "Take ye therefore good heed unto yourselves; for ye saw no manner of similitude on the day that the LORD spake unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire: Lest ye corrupt yourselves, and make you a graven image, the similitude of any figure, the likeness of male or female, The likeness of any beast that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged fowl that flieth in the air, The likeness of any thing that creepeth on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the waters beneath the earth: And lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven, and when thou seest the sun, and the moon, and the stars, even all the host of heaven, shouldest be driven to worship them, and serve them, which the LORD thy God hath divided unto all nations under the whole heaven. But the LORD hath taken you, and brought you forth out of the iron furnace, even out of Egypt, to be unto him a people of inheritance, as ye are this day."
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Now God said, I want you to make sure that you understand this. You heard a voice. But you saw no similitude. You saw no shape. You saw absolutely nothing. Zilch. Zero. And there's a reason for this. God says, I don't want you trying to replicate me or make an image of me. It's absolutely impossible. Let me ask you a question. How can you make a visible image of the invisible God? I want you to turn in your Bibles to 1st Timothy chapter 6. Let me emphasize this. Look in 1st Timothy chapter 6.
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And let's begin reading there with verse 15. 1st Timothy chapter 6 verse 15. In fact, look in the latter part of just verse 14, just so that you can see that Jesus Christ is in the context. In the latter part of verse 14 he says, "until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ:" now verse 15, "Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see."
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"To whom be honour and power everlasting." Turn back in your Bibles, if you would, to First Timothy chapter one and look in verse 17. First Timothy one in verse 17. Paul gives this doxology, this hymn of praise. He says, "Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen." Did you know that the Bible says in Colossians 1 and verse 15 that Jesus Christ is the image of the invisible God? So if someone really wanted to know what God would look like in a form of some type, they would have to have seen Jesus Christ. For Jesus Christ was God incarnate. Now, the Bible says in John 4 and verse 24, "God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth."
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Now listen, that truth was just as true in the Old Testament as it is in the New Testament. For in Malachi 3 and verse 6, God says, "I the LORD change not." God has always been spirit. God has always been the invisible God. So how in the world then can you make a visible image of the invisible God?
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Now go back to Exodus chapter 32. I want you to watch this. I'm just trying to set the stage today for what I want to share with you next week. And by the way, in case I forget it next week, I'm going to say it now. When you try to envision or imagine what Jesus Christ looked like in your mind, that's just as much idolatry as making a golden calf.
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Where in the world do you think we get the word "image" from anyhow? Imagination. You see, most people are idolaters in their minds. Just because you don't bow down in front of an image, a physical image, does not mean that you're not an idolater.
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Now, go back to Exodus chapter 32. I don't understand this. Remember that Aaron was Moses' brother. Remember that. Now watch this verse one: "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."
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"This Moses." "This Moses." How in the world could Aaron tolerate the attitude that's being displayed toward Moses? Moses was not only the leader, he was not only the prophet, he was also the brother of Aaron. "This Moses." I want you to understand that the term "this Moses" is a term of contempt. If you don't believe that, you don't have to turn there now.
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But when you get time, you can turn to Daniel 6 and read verse 5 and verse 13, because when those other presidents wanted to get something against Daniel, they said, "We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God." And then a little bit later on, they called him "that Daniel." "This Daniel," "that Daniel." "This Moses," "that Moses." Now, watch this. You do not contempt. 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."
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Now, can you tell me what four or five words are missing? I'm not saying the Scripture is incomplete. No, it is complete. But I want you to infer what is actually being said. You could say it in four words or you could say it in five words. Let me read it again and then I'll include those five words. Here it is. Watch this. "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 here's the next five words.
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"And we do not care." That was their attitude. We don't know what happened to him. We don't care. We want to get on with our lives. You make us some gods that will lead us. We're going to get out of this place. You talk about an attitude. Shades of Numbers 16 all over again. Envy and insurrection are always part and parcel of idolatry and insolence. Now, one of the most pressing questions that I want answered is, why did Aaron make a calf? Look in verse four. "And he received them at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving 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."
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Now let me ask you a question, and I'm not trying to be humorous. But here's my question. If you were going to make yourself an idol that would be your God, or at least represent your God, would you make it a cow? I mean, come on! Why would you make it a cow? Why would you make it a calf? Maybe this is where we Southerners get our expression "holy cow" from. I don't know. I don't know.
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I suppose, seriously speaking though, I suppose you do know that in India cows are worshipped still, along with rats, elephants, and snakes, and a multitude of other things. Why in the world would Aaron make a calf? I want to answer that for you. But in doing so, I'm going to give you a rather lengthy quote. This quote is from ISBE, which is short for International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. And you will find this material and much more under the section of "Golden Calf." And I want you to remember that the term "animism" is a term that refers to the worship of animals. And animal worship has been around ever since men rejected God. Romans chapter one makes it exceedingly clear that God gave them up. And then they began to worship all forms of animals, even creeping things. But listen to what ISBE says, and I think we're going to be able to draw this together and see why Aaron made a golden calf. Here is the section under ancient calf worship. Let me read it.
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"The origin of animal worship is hidden in obscurity." Well, that's not really true if you understand Romans 1, but as far as maybe how it actually began, it could be true. But here it is. "The origin of animal worship is hidden in obscurity, but reverence for the bull and the cow is found widespread among the most ancient historic cults. Even in the prehistoric age"—by the way, I hate that term. There is no such thing as a prehistoric age. Prehistory? If there's no history, how can it be prehistory? How do you know what historically happened if there's no history at that time? I despise that term, but anyhow, I'm reading, okay. "Even in the prehistoric age, the influence of the bull symbol was so powerful that it gave its name to one of the most important signs of the zodiac." What is it? Taurus the bull, OK.
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"And from early historic times, the horns of the bull were the familiar emblems of the rays of the sun, and solar gods were very commonly represented as bull gods. The Egyptians, close neighbors of the Hebrews in all eras from that of the Exodus onward, worshipped living bulls at Memphis and in Heliopolis as incarnations of Ptah and Ra. One of the most elaborate rituals was connected with the life-size image of the Hathor Cow while the sun was revered as the Valiant Bull and the reigning Pharaoh as the Bull of Bulls." By the way, I have at home in one of my books the pictograph of the Hathor Cow and it's just a cow with big horns and with the emblem of the sun between her horns. Now, remember the Pharaoh was known as the Bull of Bulls, OK?
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"But far more important in this connection is the fact that calf worship was almost, if not quite, universal among all the ancient Semitic peoples. If the immediate ancestors of Abraham did not revere this deity, they were certainly quite unlike their relatives, the Babylonians, among whom, according to all tradition, they lived before they migrated to Palestine. For the Babylonians revered the bull as the symbol of their greatest gods, Anu and Sin, and Marduk, the ideograph of a young bullock forming a part of the latter's name. While Hadad-Rimmon, an important Amorite deity, is pictured standing on the back of a bull. And Phoenicia, also the bull was a sacred animal, as well as in northern Syria, where it ranked as one of the chief Hittite deities, its images receiving devout worship. Among all these peoples, the cow goddess was given at least equal honor." The cow goddess. It's almost hard to keep a straight face when you read some of this stuff, but I mean, how in the world could anybody worship a cow? Well, anyhow, all right.
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"Among all these peoples, the cow goddess was given at least equal honor. In Babylonia, the goddess Ishtar has the cow symbol on very ancient seal cylinders. And when this nude or half-nude goddess appeared in Palestine, she often stands on a bull or cow. And under slightly different forms, the same goddess is revered in Arabia, Moab, Phoenicia, Syria, and elsewhere. While among the Semitic Canaanites, the bull was the symbol of Baal and the cow of Astarte. Recent excavations in Palestine have shown that during all eras no heathen worship was as popular as that of Astarte in her various forms."
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And then they go on and tell us about her fertility cults. Let's see, and then I'm going to skip down. "Is there any rational motif which can account for this widespread calf worship?" Now listen. "Is it conceivable that this cult could so powerfully influence such intelligent-minded nations as the Egyptians, Babylonians, if it were wholly irrational and contained no spiritual content?"
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Now, when they say "spiritual," they're not talking about biblical, OK? Just relating to worship. "And is there no rational explanation behind this constant fusion of the deity which controls the breeding of cattle with the deity which controls vegetation? How did the bull come to represent the corn spirit so that the running of a bull through the corn, the most destructive act, came to presage good crops? And how did the rending of a bull, spilling his lifeblood on the soil, increase fertility?"
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"The one real controlling motif of all these various representations and functions of the calf god may be found in the ancient awe, especially among the Semites, for the mystery of life. This seems to offer a sufficient reason why the bull, which is most conspicuously example of life-giving power, should be so closely connected with the reproductive processes of the animal and vegetable kingdoms, and also with the sun, which from earliest historic times was considered as preeminently the giver of life. Bull worship was not always an exhibition of gross animalism, but certainly in Bible times often represented a concept which was the product of reflection upon one of the deepest mysteries of nature." Now listen to one of these hymns. Here's an Egyptian hymn addressed to the bull god. Here is the hymn. Here's what he said. This one is to the god Sin of Harran and the heifer of Anu. And here's what the hymn says.
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"Strong, young bull with strong horns, with beard of lackless, lucid color, self-created. Full of developed fruit, mother womb who has taken up his abode, getter of all things, exalted habitation whose hand rest the life of the whole world, O Lord, thy divinity is full of all like the far off heaven and broad oceans." Can you imagine saying that to a false god?
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Now, of course, I'm just—I want you to see how the fertility cults really gained the upper hand in the worship of the bull and the cow and how it was related even to the vegetation and to the increase of crops. And of course, since the sun is needed to grow crops, that was included as well. And so when they worshipped these bulls, many times they had, like the Hathor cow, the emblem of the sun as well. I believe with this background, I'm going to give you just a little bit more, it can be readily and quickly seen why Aaron fashioned a golden calf or a molten calf.
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You've got to remember, someone tell me, where in Egypt did the Hebrews live for a good while? What was the best of the land there? Goshen. The interesting thing is this. I want to give you one other quote from ISBE here concerning Goshen. And by the way, the Egyptian words "Apis" or "Serapis" signifies the head of an ox. But listen to this. "Some of the chief gods of the pasture land of Goshen, where the Hebrews had resided for centuries, were the bull gods."
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Now listen, "the special god of this district had its symbol as a bull calf and one inscription actually speaks of the statue of a golden calf of 600 pounds weight. While another inscription mentions a statue of gold." So in the land of Goshen, there was the false gods of the bull and the calf worship. Go back to Exodus 32 and verse 4. Let me ask you a question. "He received them at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf." So he made it a molten calf, and then he made sure it was engraved properly.
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And they said, the people said, "These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt."
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Now my question is this, how in the world could those people who have seen the power of God in the Exodus now think that that calf that they had just made was God? Let me point out the fact that in all probability, although they said, "These be thy gods, O Israel," in all probability they did not intend for the calf to be a God. In all probability they intended for it to be a representation of God. That is why in verse 5, "And when Aaron saw it," that is not the calf, he had already seen the calf, he made it. But when he saw the people bowing down to that calf, saying, "These be thy gods," when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it, watch this, and Aaron made proclamation and said, "Tomorrow is a feast to the LORD." Jehovah. In other words, not a feast of the golden calf, but a feast of Jehovah. In other words, what Aaron was trying to say is, this is not God, but this is just a visible representation of God.
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Now, undoubtedly, this is where Jeroboam got the idea in First Kings chapter 12 to make the two golden calves, you remember the one he put in Dan and the other put in Bethel, 500 years after all this has happened. In fact, if you read First Kings chapter 12, he even took the words of Aaron and used them. Now, I want you to look back very quickly to Psalm 106 and let me point something out to you. Even if—even if we give Aaron the benefit of the doubt, and even if we give the people the benefit of the doubt, if we say that they were not worshipping that golden calf as God, that they were just worshipping that golden calf as a representation of the One True and the Living God, look how God took it. Psalm 106, note if you would please, verse 19, "They made a calf in Horeb, and worshipped the molten image." They didn't worship God, they worshipped the molten image.
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Now, that's what I'm going to develop this more next week. Do you realize? When you do not worship God in the way that God has ordained, you're not worshiping God. You may be worshiping something else, but you're not worshiping God.
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Now, let me ask a question. What is so horrible about idolatry? What is so horrible about this sin of making the golden calf? Well, there are a number of things I could say, but look in your Bibles to Psalm 106 and verse 20. Psalm 106 verse 20. "Thus they changed their glory into the similitude of an ox that eateth grass." Now, what was so wrong with making the golden calf? God said they changed their glory into the similitude of an ox that eateth grass. Now, let me ask this question. What was Israel's glory? God. God was Israel's glory.
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All you have to do is read Deuteronomy 4. No nation on earth had a God like the God, the One True and Living God.
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Now, look in your Bibles to Romans chapter 1. You see, while Psalm 106 and verse 20 says they changed their glory into an ox that eateth grass, Romans chapter 1 makes it exceedingly clear what happened. Romans 1 and verse 23. In fact, let's read verse 22, "Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things." When they changed their glory, what they were doing was they were changing God's glory. Can you imagine, dear friend, the great sovereign, majestic, omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent, sovereign God of the universe being made into a dumb animal? You're talking about insolence. Insolence. Making God into an ox that eateth grass? Do you know that cows are dependent upon man? And so they were making God into what he was not, and they were making him into an object that would be dependent upon their whim and their desire. Now, look in your Bibles to Isaiah 40. Isaiah 40.
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I want you to watch this passage very closely. And I think you can see the absolute wickedness of idolatry. Isaiah 40. And let's begin reading there with verse 18, look what God asks. Isaiah 40, verse 18, God asks, "To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto him?"
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Now, stop and answer that question. What likeness would you make God into? You have never seen God. Don't come in with the story of the little girl. Everybody's heard it. The Sunday school teacher had the kids coloring and the little kid, the Sunday school teacher came around and the little kid was asked by the teacher, "What are you drawing?" She said, "I'm drawing a picture of God." But the teacher said, "But no one knows what God looks like."
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She said, "If I get through this, they will." Well, you know, this is the question right here. To whom will you liken God? How? How can you make an image of God? You don't even have any idea what God is like. Or what likeness will you compare unto him? Watch verse 19. "The workman melteth a graven image, and the goldsmith spreadeth it over with gold, and casteth silver chains."
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"He that is so impoverished that he hath no oblation chooseth a tree that will not rot; he seeketh unto him a cunning workman to prepare a graven image, that shall not be moved." Now watch. "Have ye not known? have ye not heard? hath it not been told you from the beginning? have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth? It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in:"
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"That bringeth the princes to nothing; he maketh the judges of the earth as vanity. Yea, they shall not be planted; yea, they shall not be sown: yea, their stock shall not take root in the earth: and he shall also blow upon them, and they shall wither, and the whirlwind shall take them away as stubble. To whom then will ye liken me, or shall I be equal? saith the Holy One. Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number:"
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"he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth. Why sayest thou, O Jacob, and speakest, O Israel, My way is hid from the LORD, and my judgment is passed over from my God? Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary?"
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"there is no searching of his understanding." Now let me ask you a question. How can you make an image of God? Do you realize that everything in this world, everything in the universe, everything that exists, exists by the very fact and by the power of God? God created it and the Creator is far greater than the creation. If you were to take all the gold and all the silver and all the diamonds and all the wood and all the... you still could not make an image of God. That's what he means.
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"I sit upon the circle of the earth. I made all these things." What insolence. What an insult to think that we could take gold or silver or wood or a pencil and make a visible representation of God. All forms of idolatry are an insult to God. Why? Because in idolatry, you try to make God into something that He is not. You try to make God into something that you want, or that you imagine, or that you desire, and you refuse to worship God as He is. All idolatry is an insult. Now, I want to ask this question, I want to answer it.
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I gave you the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, what they said about the golden calf. But I want to answer the question for you biblically, why did Aaron make that golden calf? I'm going to show you, look in your Bibles to the book of Acts chapter seven. Acts chapter 7. Acts chapter 7. In this passage, Stephen is giving his testimony before he is stoned to death. And let's begin reading in verse 37. Acts 7 verse 37.
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"This is that Moses, which said unto the children of Israel, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear." Now watch this, Moses was a prophet, and so he prophesied that another prophet is going to arise, of course, which is Jesus Christ.
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Now, look carefully at verse 38. "This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us." Now who was it with Moses on the mount who gave him the oracles? It was Christ himself. This is he that is the prophet that he's talking about in verse 37. This is he that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers, who received the lively or living oracles to give unto us. Now verse 39 is the verse I want. "To whom our fathers would not obey, but thrust him from them, and in their hearts turned back again into Egypt, Saying unto Aaron, Make us gods to go before us: for as for this Moses, which brought us out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him."
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"And they made a calf in those days, and offered sacrifice unto the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands." Now, why did they make that calf? The answer is found in verse 39: "and in their hearts they turned back again into Egypt." In other words, in their hearts, they went back to the world, to humanism, to the flesh. Now listen. The making of the golden calf
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was only the evidence that they were idolaters. They were already idolaters before they made the golden calf. For in their heart, they had already turned back into Egypt. Now, something had to have happened to turn them back to Egypt, which would enable them to want that golden calf. What was it? Well, skip back in your Bibles, if you would please, Acts 7 and verse 38. And let's read verse 38 and 39 again. Let's see what happened before in their hearts they turned back to Egypt and before they made the golden calf. Verse 38.
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"This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us: To whom our fathers would not obey, but thrust him from them." First, there was a rejection of Christ. A rejection of the word.
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And then they turned back to Egypt in their hearts, which resulted in the golden calf. Do you realize you cannot go into idolatry without rejecting the one true and the living God and his word? Anytime there is any idolatry, there has previously been a rejection of Christ and his truth. I want you to turn in your Bibles to Psalm 115. Look beginning there at verse one. I want to show you the insolence involved in idolatry. I just read to you how they turn from Christ and turn from his word and went back in their hearts to Egypt, and thus they made the calf. Look at this. Psalm 115, verse one. "Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth's sake. Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is now their God? But our God is in the heavens:
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he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased." In other words, our God is sovereign. Watch verse four. "Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men's hands. They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not: They have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not: They have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they walk not: neither speak they through their throat."
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"They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusteth in them." Just as that idol is dumb and dead and worthless, so the psalmist said, so is everyone who makes them and trusts in them. What an insult to the one true and living God to turn our backs upon him and embrace a dumb, dead, worthless idol. Whether it is a physical image or a mental image, it matters not. No wonder the Bible says in Acts 7 verse 42, "wherefore God gave them up." An insult. You cannot go into idolatry without insulting the sovereign God of the universe. Now, I want to make just two applications today. I want you to look back in your Bibles to Psalm 106. And let's look at verses 21 through 22. Psalm 106, verse 21.
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"They forgat God their saviour, which had done great things in Egypt; wondrous works in the land of Ham, and terrible things by the Red sea." These two verses should be the answer for anyone who believes that all that is needed for sinners to repent and believe is to see miracles and mighty works and wonders. Miracles, mighty works, and wonders will not build one's faith, nor will they give someone faith. This passage serves as a severe warning to all who believe that miracles are the answer to a weak faith. Witnessing great, spectacular, and marvelous miracles may encourage someone for a moment, but it will not ensure or guarantee a mature or continued faith in the time of temptations that lie ahead. It is not miracles that we stand upon, but it's the Word of God. It's the truth of God. It's the principles of God.
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Let me tell you something, folks. If there has never been a miracle performed and if there never shall be a miracle performed, God is still and his word is still true. If you think miracles will make men repent, you need to read Revelation 9, especially verses 18 through 21. When God sent those miraculous signs, those miraculous judgments, he sent them in time past, when he sends them again, what do these people do? They cursed God and repented not
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of their murders, fornications, and idolatry. It's not miracles we need. It's God Himself and His Word. The second application is this, and I want you to think about this, and I'm going to develop this more next week, Lord willing. God cannot be worshipped any way that we choose. God must be worshipped in the way that he directs. And if we're not worshipping God in the way that he directs, we're all guilty of idolatry. We may not be bowing down to an idol, but we're guilty of idolatry. Because the only way that we can worship the one true and living God is to worship him according to spirit and truth. In John 4 and verse 24, we must worship him in the manner, in the method, in the way that he ordains. Or we're guilty of idolatry. I want you to understand, folks.
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There are idolaters today that are just as insolent as the ones back in Exodus 32. What an insult to God that we would refuse Him and reject Him for some mental God in our head or some physical God that someone has manufactured. What an insult. We must worship God according to his terms. Let's pray. Father, we're thankful today for Jesus Christ and for his love and for his truth. Help us to see, Lord, that thou art worthy to be honored and that thou must be worshiped and honored according to your word and your truth and your direction. May heavenly Father, our thoughts of thee be biblical and scriptural so that we may render Thee acceptable worship. Help us now, Father, to live for Thee this week. Protect us. Keep us safe. And may we bring honor and glory to Thy name. In Christ's name we pray. Amen.
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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-06T01:38:06Z

The Hallelujah of Confession - Part 8 of 16

John Weaver | Freedom Ministries

John Weaver examines Psalm 106:19-23, focusing on the sins of idolatry and insolence as the fourth set of sins confessed by the psalmist. Using the historical account of the golden calf in Exodus 32, he demonstrates how Israel's impatience, forgetfulness, and rejection of God's word led them to make a visible representation of God, which God considered idolatry. Weaver argues that all idolatry is an insult to God because it attempts to reduce the invisible, sovereign Creator to a created image. He emphasizes that miracles do not produce lasting faith and that God must be worshipped only as He has ordained, warning that mental images of God are as idolatrous as physical ones.

Introduction to the Fourth Set of Sins

Weaver introduces the fourth set of sins in Psalm 106: idolatry and insolence, and notes that all people are idolaters to some degree.

Historical Background from Exodus 32

The historical foundation for Psalm 106:19-23 is read from Exodus 32, recounting the making of the golden calf.

Scripture Reading — Exodus 32:1-35

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 in their ears and brought them unto Aaron. And he received them at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving 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 up to play. And the LORD said unto Moses, Go, get thee down; for thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves: They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. 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. And Moses besought the LORD his God, and said, LORD, why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people, which thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power, and with a mighty hand? Wherefore should the Egyptians speak, and say, For mischief did he bring them out, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth? Turn from thy fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against thy people. Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants, to whom thou swarest by thine own self, and saidst unto them, I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have spoken of will I give unto your seed, and they shall inherit it for ever. And the LORD repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people. And Moses turned, and went down from the mount, and the two tables of the testimony were in his hand: the tables were written on both their sides; on the one side and on the other were they written. And the tables were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, graven upon the tables. And when Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said unto Moses, There is a noise of war in the camp. And he said, It is not the voice of them that shout for mastery, neither is it the voice of them that cry for being overcome: but the noise of them that sing do I hear. 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 cast 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 strawed it upon the water, and made the children of Israel drink of it. And Moses said unto Aaron, What did this people unto thee, that thou hast brought so great a sin upon them? And Aaron said, Let not the anger of my lord wax hot: thou knowest the people, that they are set on mischief. For they said unto me, 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 I said unto them, Whosoever hath any gold, let them break it off. So they gave it me: then I cast it into the fire, and there came out this calf. And when Moses saw that the people were naked; (for Aaron had made them naked unto their shame among their enemies:) Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on the LORD's side? Let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him. And he said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Put every man his sword by his side, and go in and out from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbour. And the children of Levi did according to the word of Moses: and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men. For Moses had said, Consecrate yourselves to day to the LORD, even every man upon his son, and upon his brother; that he may bestow upon you a blessing this day. And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses said unto the people, Ye have sinned a great sin: and now I will go up unto the LORD; peradventure I shall make an atonement for your sin. 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 hast written. And the LORD said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book. Therefore now go, lead the people unto the place of which I have spoken unto thee: behold, mine Angel shall go before thee: nevertheless in the day when I visit I will visit their sin upon them.

Israel's Impatience and Forgetfulness

Israel's impatience with Moses' delay and their forgetfulness of God's works led them to demand a visible god.

Scripture Reading — Exodus 20:3-5, 23

Look in Exodus chapter 23, beginning there with verse 32. Here talking about the heathen, God says, "Thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor with their gods. They shall not dwell in thy land, lest they make thee sin against me: for if thou serve their gods, it will surely be a snare unto thee." So God had basically already forbidden what Aaron and the people did. Now, the concept that is expressed in Exodus chapter 32 and verse 1 is almost incomprehensible. Go back to Exodus 32 and verse 1 and let's look at it. "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." Now, how did I say that the concept expressed here is utterly incomprehensible?

In just a short period of time, all of the miracles, all of the wonders were over. And they assumed that they could make a God, or a representation of that God, who would lead them.

The Incomprehensibility of Idolatry

Weaver questions how Israel could forget God's miracles and attempt to replicate the invisible God with an image.

Why a Calf? Historical and Biblical Reasons

Using historical sources and Acts 7, Weaver explains that calf worship was common in Egypt and that Israel's hearts had already turned back to Egypt.

Scripture Reading — 1 Kings 12

Now, undoubtedly, this is where Jeroboam got the idea in First Kings chapter 12 to make the two golden calves, you remember the one he put in Dan and the other put in Bethel, 500 years after all this has happened. In fact, if you read First Kings chapter 12, he even took the words of Aaron and used them. Now, I want you to look back very quickly to Psalm 106 and let me point something out to you. Even if—even if we give Aaron the benefit of the doubt, and even if we give the people the benefit of the doubt, if we say that they were not worshipping that golden calf as God, that they were just worshipping that golden calf as a representation of the One True and the Living God, look how God took it. Psalm 106, note if you would please, verse 19, "They made a calf in Horeb, and worshipped the molten image." They didn't worship God, they worshipped the molten image.

Scripture Reading — Romans 1:22-23

"Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things."

Scripture Reading — Isaiah 40:18-28

"To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto him?"

Scripture Reading — Acts 7:37-42

"And they made a calf in those days, and offered sacrifice unto the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands."

Now, why did they make that calf? The answer is found in verse 39:

Scripture Reading — Acts 7:37-42

"and in their hearts they turned back again into Egypt."

The Insult of Idolatry

Idolatry is an insult to God because it changes His glory into the image of a creature and rejects His sovereignty.

Scripture Reading — Romans 1:22-23

"Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things."

Scripture Reading — Isaiah 40:18-28

"To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto him?"

Rejection of Christ Precedes Idolatry

From Acts 7, Weaver shows that Israel first rejected Christ and His word before turning to idolatry.

Applications: Miracles and True Worship

Miracles do not guarantee faith; God must be worshipped only as He has directed, or it is idolatry.

Scripture Reading — Psalm 115:1-8

"They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusteth in them."

The Hallelujah of Confession - Part 8 of 16

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	117091449302
Subject	Old Testament Studies
Course	Exodus: Worship, Tabernacle, and Covenant Presence
Genre	Sermon
Date	2000-06-25
Dictation Name
Book	Book 053: The Hallelujah of Confession — Chapter 8
Source Timed Segments	89

Lecture Guide

Outline

Introduction to the Fourth Set of Sins: Weaver introduces the fourth set of sins in Psalm 106: idolatry and insolence, and notes that all people are idolaters to some degree.
Historical Background from Exodus 32: The historical foundation for Psalm 106:19-23 is read from Exodus 32, recounting the making of the golden calf.
Israel's Impatience and Forgetfulness: Israel's impatience with Moses' delay and their forgetfulness of God's works led them to demand a visible god.
The Incomprehensibility of Idolatry: Weaver questions how Israel could forget God's miracles and attempt to replicate the invisible God with an image.
Why a Calf? Historical and Biblical Reasons: Using historical sources and Acts 7, Weaver explains that calf worship was common in Egypt and that Israel's hearts had already turned back to Egypt.
The Insult of Idolatry: Idolatry is an insult to God because it changes His glory into the image of a creature and rejects His sovereignty.
Rejection of Christ Precedes Idolatry: From Acts 7, Weaver shows that Israel first rejected Christ and His word before turning to idolatry.
Applications: Miracles and True Worship: Miracles do not guarantee faith; God must be worshipped only as He has directed, or it is idolatry.

Major Themes

Key Arguments

Israel's idolatry stemmed from impatience and forgetfulness

Israel grew impatient with Moses' delay and forgot God's mighty works, leading them to demand a visible god.

Weaver points to Exodus 32:1 and Psalm 106:13, 21, noting they 'soon forgat his works' and 'waited not for his counsel.'

The golden calf was likely a representation of God, not a replacement

Aaron proclaimed a feast to Jehovah, indicating the calf was intended as a visible representation of the true God, but God still considered it idolatry.

Weaver notes Exodus 32:5, 'Tomorrow is a feast to the LORD,' and Psalm 106:19 says they 'worshipped the molten image.'

Idolatry changes God's glory into a creaturely image

Psalm 106:20 and Romans 1:23 show that idolatry exchanges the glory of the incorruptible God for images of corruptible creatures.

Weaver reads Psalm 106:20, 'Thus they changed their glory into the similitude of an ox that eateth grass,' and Romans 1:23.

Mental images of God are as idolatrous as physical ones

Imagining what Jesus looked like is a form of idolatry because it creates an image in the mind.

Weaver says, 'When you try to envision or imagine what Jesus Christ looked like in your mind, that's just as much idolatry as making a golden calf.'

Rejection of Christ precedes all idolatry

Acts 7:38-39 shows that Israel first rejected Christ and His word before turning to idolatry.

Weaver states, 'First, there was a rejection of Christ. A rejection of the word. And then they turned back to Egypt in their hearts.'

Miracles do not guarantee faith or prevent idolatry

Despite witnessing great miracles, Israel quickly turned to idolatry, proving that miracles alone cannot sustain faith.

Weaver says, 'Miracles, mighty works, and wonders will not build one's faith, nor will they give someone faith.'

Scripture References

Psalm 106:19-23: The main text of the sermon, describing Israel's idolatry with the golden calf and Moses' intercession.
Exodus 32:1-35: The historical account of the golden calf, read as the background for Psalm 106:19-23.
Deuteronomy 9: Mentioned as another historical background passage for the golden calf incident.
John 15:5: Quoted to emphasize human inability to do anything without Christ.
Proverbs 24:10: Cited to illustrate that Israel fainted in the day of adversity.
Exodus 20:3-5, 23: God's commandments against making graven images, given before the golden calf incident.
Exodus 23:32-33: Warning against making covenants with heathen gods.
Deuteronomy 4:10-20: Moses reminds Israel they saw no similitude at Horeb, warning against making images.
1 Timothy 6:15-16: God dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see.
1 Timothy 1:17: God is described as immortal, invisible, the only wise God.
Colossians 1:15: Jesus Christ is the image of the invisible God.
John 4:24: God is a Spirit, and must be worshipped in spirit and truth.
Malachi 3:6: God does not change; He has always been spirit.
Daniel 6:5, 13: Referenced to show the contemptuous use of 'this Daniel' similar to 'this Moses.'
Romans 1:22-23: Mankind changed the glory of the incorruptible God into images of corruptible things.
Isaiah 40:18-28: God questions to whom He can be likened, emphasizing His incomparable greatness.
Acts 7:37-42: Stephen's speech reveals that Israel rejected Christ and turned back to Egypt in their hearts before making the calf.
Psalm 115:1-8: Contrasts the living God with dead idols, and says idol makers become like them.
Revelation 9:18-21: Despite miraculous judgments, people did not repent of their sins.
1 Kings 12: Jeroboam later made two golden calves, echoing Aaron's words.

Historical References

Golden calf incident at Mount Horeb: The primary historical event discussed, where Israel made and worshipped a golden calf while Moses was on the mountain.
Egyptian bull and calf worship in Goshen: Weaver cites ISBE to explain that the Hebrews lived in Goshen where bull gods were worshipped, influencing their idolatry.
Widespread ancient calf worship among Semitic peoples: ISBE quote details how bull and cow worship was common in Babylon, Phoenicia, Syria, and among Canaanites.
Jeroboam's golden calves in 1 Kings 12: Jeroboam set up golden calves in Dan and Bethel, using similar language to Aaron.
Hathor Cow and Egyptian solar worship: Mentioned as an example of Egyptian cow goddess worship with the sun emblem between horns.

Important Quotes

One of the most distressing realizations that has ever dawned upon a child of God is his inability to be faithful and true to his Lord even for a short period of time.

Highlights human depravity and the need for God's grace, a key theme in understanding Israel's quick fall into idolatry.

When you try to envision or imagine what Jesus Christ looked like in your mind, that's just as much idolatry as making a golden calf.

Expands the definition of idolatry to include mental images, a provocative application for modern believers.

All forms of idolatry are an insult to God. Why? Because in idolatry, you try to make God into something that He is not.

Summarizes the core argument that idolatry is fundamentally an insult to God's nature and glory.

Miracles, mighty works, and wonders will not build one's faith, nor will they give someone faith.

Counters the common belief that miracles are the key to faith, emphasizing the sufficiency of God's Word.

God cannot be worshipped any way that we choose. God must be worshipped in the way that he directs.

Establishes the regulative principle of worship, warning against self-styled worship as idolatry.

Discussion Questions

[Question]

In what ways might we be guilty of 'mental idolatry' by forming images of God in our minds that are not based on Scripture?

[Context]

Weaver states that imagining Jesus' appearance is idolatry; this question explores the broader implications of mental images of God.

[Question]

How does impatience with God's timing lead to idolatry in our lives today?

[Context]

Israel's impatience with Moses' delay led them to make the calf; this question applies that pattern to modern situations.

[Question]

Why is it an insult to God to worship Him in ways He has not commanded?

[Context]

Weaver argues that all self-styled worship is idolatry; this question probes the nature of the insult.

[Question]

What does the golden calf incident teach us about the relationship between rejecting God's Word and falling into idolatry?

[Context]

Acts 7 shows that rejection of Christ preceded the calf; this question examines the causal link.

[Question]

How should the truth that 'without me you can do nothing' (John 15:5) affect our daily dependence on God?

[Context]

Weaver uses this verse to highlight human inability; this question applies it to practical Christian living.

[Question]

Why are miracles insufficient to produce lasting faith, according to this passage?

[Context]

Israel saw great miracles yet quickly turned to idolatry; this question explores the limits of miraculous signs.

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