THE GOLDEN CALF OF EXODUS CHAPTER 20

THE GOLDEN CALF OF EXODUS CHAPTER 20

 

“...And he took the calf which they had made (the offense toward God), and burnt it in the fire, and ground it to powder (the destruction of the idol), and strawed it upon the water (drinking the powdered idol), and made the children of Israel drink of it (the FAIR payment of sin is death)...” (Exodus 32:20 KJV).

FOOD FOR THOUGHT:

THE OFFENSE TOWARD GOD

1.      SHOWED their folly in worshipping that which could not save itself;

2.      DEMONSTRATED their disobedience and abandonment of God

3.      EXPRESSED the actions of IDOL worship and APOSTASY

4.      REVEALS why they deserved the curse of God to enter into them, as oil into their bowels, represented in the water, so will God's justice be also that enters into their lives.

THE DESTRUCTION OF THE IDOL

1.      To suppress the idolatry, the first step was to destroy the idol. Moses ordered its immediate destruction. It was probably hollow, and possibly of no great size. He might easily break it to pieces. Burnt it and ground it to powder.

2.      The IDOL was thrown INTO the fire, whereby its form was destroyed, and the material calcined (converted to a powder residue).

3.      The process of destruction took some time, but its followers SAW IT for themselves.

4.      The gold of the Calf was EASILY ruined and can never be recovered, without scavenging through the cemetery (the DEAD) and the latrine (the WASTE)

Possible PURPOSES OF DRINKING THE GOLDEN POWDER

1.     So the Levites COULD identify those who ought to be killed. “…The wages of sin is death …” (Romans 6:23 KJV).

2.    A purifying ritual - the "abomination" (the flesh that created the idolatry) was removed and destroyed. “...One who sows injustice will reap disaster...” (Proverbs 22:8 NASB). “...whatever a person sows, this he (she) will also reap. ..” (Galatians 6:7-8 NASB).

3.    This calcined material reduced to a fine powder WARNS that people shall or “WILL” swallow their own sin. “...they shall eat of the fruit of their own way...” (Proverbs 1:31 NASB).  They swallowed or DRANK particles of their own idol (the idol was their SIN). “...And be filled with their own schemes...” (Proverbs 1:31 NASB).  “...You have plowed wickedness, you have harvested injustice...” (Hosea 10:13 NASB).

4.    Mixing this powder with their drink also, signified that the backslider in heart should be filled with his (her) own ways. “...The backslider in heart shall be filled with his (her) own ways...” (Proverbs 14:14 KJV). “...For the one who sows to his (her) own flesh will reap destruction from the flesh...” (Galatians 6:7-8 NASB). 

5.    Eventually the powdered idol came through the Israelites' bodies as waste (the end result of their worship).

THE GUILTY

1.    whoever gave any golden vessel (contribution) towards the making of the calf, there was a sign that appeared in one's countenance. “…remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to him at all….” (Romans 8:8-11 NLT).

2.    whoever followed after the FLESH. “ … the deeds of the flesh are evident…” (Galatians 5:20-22  NASB). “… Everything in the world—...comes NOT from the Father but from the world…” (1 John 2:16-17 NLT). “…The [flesh]... is always hostile to God. It never did obey God’s laws, and it never will. …” (Romans 8:1-14 NLT). “...The one who sows to his (her) own flesh will reap destruction from the flesh...” (Galatians 6:7-8 NASB). 

3.    whoever were guilty of this idolatry, it was believed, as soon as they drank of the water their beards became yellow as gold, whereby the Levites knew who were guilty, and slew them; “...Thou shalt have no other gods before me...” (Exodus 20:1-4 KJV). “...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...” (Exodus 20:1-4 KJV). “…SIN IS the transgression of the law (violation of God’s instruction)….” (1 John 3:4 KJV). “…The wages of sin is death …” (Romans 6:23 KJV).

4.    whoever kissed the calf with his whole heart (condoned it, accepted it, supported it, etc.,), it is believed, his lips became golden. “...And they abandoned the house of the Lord, the God of their fathers, and served ... the idols; so wrath came upon ...[them[... for this guilt of theirs....” (2 Chronicles 24:18-19 NASB). “...the wrath of the Lord rose against His people, until there was no remedy...” (2 Chronicles 36:15-16 NASB). “...Therefore the Lord heard and was full of wrath ... Because they did not believe in God And did not trust in His salvation...” (Psalm 78:21-22 NASB).  “... For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of people who suppress the truth in unrighteousness...” (Romans 1:18 NASB). “...But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God...” (Romans 2:5 NASB). “…. Again and again he rescued them, but they chose to rebel against him, and they were finally destroyed by their ...[own]...sin...” (Psalms 106:42-48 NLT).

 

WHEN THE SOUL IS LOST AND A PERSON IS SPIRITUALLY DEAD, THE BODY, WITHOUT THE SPIRIT, IS ALREADY DEAD TOO! “…the body without (apart from) the spirit is dead…” (James 2:26 KJV).

THEY ARE NOTHING MORE THAN A WALKING CORPSE!