Thinking in 3’s - Exodus 32: 8,12 - Two Quick Turns: Disastrous, and Gracious

Thinking in 3’s - Exodus 32: 8,12 - Two Quick Turns: Disastrous, and Gracious

Exodus 32 records the account of the stunning fall into idolatry by the people of God so soon after they had experienced the Exodus from Egypt, and in the midst of receiving the Law at the mountain of God.

We are accustomed to these departures into idolatry in the Old Testament. In the New Testament church, Gentile people are saved out of idolatry into faith in Christ. And yet John, at the end of his first epistle, says “Little children, guard yourselves from idols” (1 John 5:21 NAS95). Evidently, it is still a problem, even for New Testament believers - for people like us.

The graphic details of their sin is played out in 3 acts: 1) "They have made for themselves a molten calf;” 2) “and have worshiped it;” 3) “and have sacrificed to it and said, ‘This is your god, O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt!’” 1) They engaged in creative activity that, instead of building on the creative activity of God, perverted it; 2) they submitted themselves in worship to the work of their hands rather than to the living God; and 3) they invested themselves in this new worship with devotion and abandon. God’s description is that they “corrupted themselves;” “they have quickly turned aside from the way that I commanded them.”

Not only had they turned their back on God, their Redeemer. They also turned their back on any hope of safety in the present and inheritance in the future. They were willing to give up all the promises of God for one grand/gross party in the wilderness, after which they would die.

God seems immediately ready to write them off - no, wipe them out - and start over with Moses. Moses resists, and appeals to the reputation of God before the world. Moses offers a 3-fold entreaty to God that parallels somewhat (but different) the actions of the sinful people above. Moses says: 1) “Turn from Your burning anger;” 2) “and change Your mind about doing harm to Your people;” 3) “Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, Your servants to whom You swore by Yourself, and said to them, ‘I will multiply your descendants…’.” Moses pleads with God, that 1) He turn from the divine activity of justice to another divine activity, that of mercy; 2) that rather than reject His people, He instead build into this redeemed people, giving Himself ever more fully over to them for their good, though they have acted very badly; and 3) that He fulfill His promises of old, and be true to His word, though the people are not true to theirs. And God says, “Yes.” 

Which collection of 3 is more stunning? The quick departure of the people away from God into idolatry? Or the rapid willingness of God to move from wrath to mercy? Perhaps we are no longer so shocked at the sinfulness of man. But may we be ever amazed at the mercies of God.

We must be more wary in our own day about ways in which we “make” lives for ourselves that are not the lives outlined for us by God, to be lived in worship and witness. We should be fearful of ways in which we submit in worldly devotion to practices, even forces, that draw us away from God. We  can easily “follow the money,” or chart our time, or examine our thoughts, to see that in which we are most heavily invested, and whether or not it be in things which are in keeping with walking with God and following Jesus.

And as the Spirit of God reveals these things to us - as we repent and “turn from our wicked ways,” we can be assured that God is there, ready to turn to us once again, not to harm, but to do good, and to continue His good work in us and with us, and to fulfill His promises.