Exodus 32:1-14
When the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people gathered around Aaron and said to him, ‘Come, make gods for us, who shall go before us; as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.’ Aaron said to them, ‘Take off the gold rings that are on the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me.’ So all the people took off the gold rings from their ears, and brought them to Aaron. He took the gold from them, formed it in a mould, and cast an image of a calf; and they said, ‘These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!’ When Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation and said, ‘Tomorrow shall be a festival to the Lord.’ They rose early the next day, and offered burnt-offerings and brought sacrifices of well-being; and the people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to revel.
The Lord said to Moses, ‘Go down at once! Your people, whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt, have acted perversely; they have been quick to turn aside from the way that I commanded them; they have cast for themselves an image of a calf, and have worshipped it and sacrificed to it, and said, “These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!” ’ The Lord said to Moses, ‘I have seen this people, how stiff-necked they are. Now let me alone, so that my wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them; and of you I will make a great nation.’
But Moses implored the Lord his God, and said, ‘O Lord, why does your wrath burn hot against your people, whom you brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? Why should the Egyptians say, “It was with evil intent that he brought them out to kill them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth”? Turn from your fierce wrath; change your mind and do not bring disaster on your people. Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, how you swore to them by your own self, saying to them, “I will multiply your descendants like the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have promised I will give to your descendants, and they shall inherit it for ever.” ’ And the Lord changed his mind about the disaster that he planned to bring on his people.
Reflection
When I read this passage the word "repent" comes to mind. The word "repent" comes to mind in a dual fashion of sorts. To repent is to change. And change is what happen in this passage all over the place.
The Israelites can't seem to have enough patience to realize that God is still with them. God is with them and near to them physically and spiritually. God is with them physically in the presence of Moses on the mountain. God is with them spiritually in the love that God has for God's very own people. But the Israelites can't seem to sense this and take it upon themselves to replace God with something that they can touch and feel and see physically but can't relate to in any spiritual manner that is not just some hyped up emotion that only they can control.
Yes, the Israelites need to "repent." They need to change. They need to think about God and realize God's presence in a different way, for God IS closer than they could ever imagine both physically and spiritually in God's love for God's people.
Yet, I also see the word "repent" in God's actions too. For God changed also. God witnessed what the Israelites had done in the making of the idol. The Israelites made an idol out of what God had given them in the first place. God had supplied the gold after all. And the Israelites mistakenly thought that if all the precious gold was gathered together into one place and the calf was formed, then this must be their god. This action infuriated God to the point that God was ready consume the Israelites and start all over again with Moses alone. But Moses speaks to God and pleads for God to change God's mind. Moses seeks for God to "repent." And God does "repent." God changes and gives the people another chance.
Yes, this passage makes me think of the word "repent." How I need to repent each day of my sin. How I need God's repentance and change each day through God's gracious act of forgiveness. Yes, I repent and turn to God and ask God to repent and turn God's face towards me in the love and compassion and understanding that only God can show and has shown to all the world through Jesus our Savior.
A passage about repentance and grace and love and understanding. That's what I see in this passage and I give God all the glory and honor and praise for having "repented" and changed to love me even when I'm at my worst.
Music
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VgSppTDMJig
Prayer
Lord, hear my plea and my words of repentance. As I change and face you this day; forgive my sin that I may live in your grace and bring honor and glory to you alone. Send me forth this day through the power of your forgiving grace that I may forgive and love those you give to me... today... tomorrow... and forever. --- Amen
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