Message 174
Scripture Reading: Exo. 32:7-14, 19-29
In the foregoing message we pointed out that in reading chapter thirty-two of Exodus we need to find out the principles implied in this record. Before we go on to consider the matter of the dealing with the idol and the idolaters, we need to consider the principle of the golden-calf idol.
Although there were idol worshippers in Genesis, the worship of the idol in Exodus 32 is unique. At least two million people had been rescued out of the hand of Pharaoh and brought out of the land of tyranny. They crossed the Red Sea and passed through the wilderness. These people had witnessed many great miracles done for them by God. Even in the days when they were making the idol and worshipping it, they still gathered the manna that came down from the heavens. They were in a situation under God’s miraculous care. Nevertheless, they made an idol and worshipped it as the very God who had brought them out of Egypt and led them to Mount Sinai.
Moses had already gone up the mountain once and descended. All the people knew about this. Moses must have told them something concerning the decree of God’s law. I believe that, at least, Moses must have spoken to the people about the Ten Commandments. Then Moses was called back to the mount and stayed there for forty days. According to the context, the idol, the golden calf, was not made in the earlier part of these forty days. As we mentioned already, the golden calf was probably made toward the end of these forty days.
In Exodus 32 we have two scenes: one on the mountain and the other at the foot of the mountain. The scene on the mountain was wonderful. Here the design of the tabernacle and its furniture was given to Moses. It may have been that while God was inscribing the law on the tablets of stone with His finger, Aaron and his helpers were making the golden calf at the foot of the mountain. In the scene at the top of the mountain, the inscribing of the law was taking place. But in the scene at the foot of the mountain, the fashioning of an idol was taking place. The comparison here is very significant.
The situation of God’s people today can be compared to that of the children of Israel at Mount Sinai. The Lord Jesus has gone into the heavens, where He is today. In the heavens the Lord reveals the design concerning God’s dwelling place on earth. In the Old Testament Moses was on the mount. But according to the New Testament, the Lord Jesus is now in the heavens. If you read the book of Hebrews carefully, you will see that Moses’ experience on Mount Sinai was a type. What was revealed to Moses concerning the tabernacle was a type of today’s revelation concerning God’s dwelling place. This is true especially regarding the matter of the priesthood. The priesthood revealed to Moses was a type of the New Testament priesthood revealed through the Lord Jesus in the heavens.
While Moses was tarrying on the mountain, God’s people began to worship the golden-calf idol. In principle, the situation is the same today among Christians. What is happening on earth among Christians while the Lord Jesus is tarrying in the heavens? Golden calves are being fashioned and worshipped by God’s people. The situation at the time of Exodus 32 and the situation among God’s people today are very similar. In fact, today’s situation is almost a copy of what happened in the Old Testament.
Moses received a revelation concerning the tabernacle for God’s dwelling place and the priesthood for God’s service. Likewise, after the Lord Jesus ascended to the heavens, He gave the revelation concerning the dwelling place of God and God’s priesthood. In writing the various New Testament books, apostles such as Paul, Peter, and John were working together with the Christ in heaven to reveal God’s design. As we read the New Testament Epistles, we can see the pattern and design of God’s dwelling place and His priesthood. In the Epistles of Paul, Peter, and John we can see the pattern of the tabernacle, the ark, the lampstand, the showbread table, the incense altar, the bronze altar, the laver, and all the utensils related to the dwelling place of God. Moreover, in all these Epistles we can also see the priesthood. This revelation has been given in the heavens. But at the bottom of the mountain Christians are making a golden calf.
It is important for us to see that the worship of the golden calf in Exodus 32 was a mixture. It was an idol that was worshipped, but it was worshipped in the way that God’s people were supposed to worship God. This is a common practice among many Christians today. Christians may worship in the way that is suitable to the worship of God, but actually the object of their worship may be something other than God. If we have a clear, heavenly view, we shall realize that much of the worship among Christians today is a mixture. Something that pretends to be God is worshipped as if it were actually God Himself.
After Aaron made the golden calf, the people said, “This is your God, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt” (Exo. 32:4). The people worshipped the golden calf as if it were the very God who had brought them out of Egypt. Was that not a mixture? Furthermore, 32:5 and 6 say, “And when Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made a proclamation and said, A feast to Jehovah — tomorrow! And they rose up early the next day and offered burnt offerings and brought peace offerings.” Here we see that an altar was built before the idol, and the people offered burnt offerings and brought peace offerings. This indicates that they worshipped the idol in the way that they were supposed to worship God. That was utterly a mixture. In other words, that worship was not pure. We can compare the worship among Christians today with that of the children of Israel at Mount Sinai. The worship of the golden calf by the children of Israel is a picture of the impure worship among Christians today.
The worship of the golden calf was different from the pagan worship of idols. The golden calf was worshipped by a redeemed people in the name of the Lord their Redeemer. After the golden calf was made, the people declared that it was the Lord who had brought them out of the land of Egypt. This indicates that they worshipped an idol in the name of Jehovah their God.
Furthermore, they worshipped that idol in the way they should have worshipped God, that is, in the way ordained by God. They offered to the idol the kind of offerings that they should have offered to God. This is a shameful mixture.
People would easily condemn the pagan worship of idols. But in its present-day expression it is not easy for anyone to condemn the kind of impure worship we see in Exodus 32, a worship that is full of mixture. Do you have the assurance that the so-called worship services that take place in today’s cathedrals and chapels are a pure worship of God? Is it really God who is being worshipped? If God is not the One who is being worshipped, then who is the object of worship? If the worship is not purely the worship of God, it must be the worship of something other than God. Holy songs may be sung to God and prayers may be offered to God, but actually the worship is to someone or something other than God.
Let us go on to see what is the principle of this kind of worship. The principle of the golden-calf idol is that wealth and treasures — gifts from God, both material and spiritual — are not properly used for God’s purpose. We need to be careful regarding both material things and spiritual gifts received from God, for we may not use these gifts properly for God’s purpose. For example, suppose you have the ability to teach the Bible, and you use this ability to establish a work. Your ability to teach the Bible is a gift from God. But do you use that gift properly for God’s purpose, or do you use it to build up something other than God’s purpose? If you are doing the latter, you are making a golden calf. This is not an extreme statement. I believe that one day, either in this age or in the next, we all shall realize that, in principle, this is the making of a golden calf and is condemned by God. Many golden calves have been made by today’s Aarons.
Those with the gift of gospel preaching may also use this ability to make a golden calf. A certain brother may be an evangelist. God has truly given him the gift of preaching the gospel. But this brother needs to ask himself what is his purpose in exercising this gift. Is his purpose pure? Is it genuine? These questions deserve serious consideration.
We need to examine ourselves and ask what we are doing and what is our purpose for doing it. With Christian workers who are gifted, no temptation is greater than the work itself. The work we are doing is itself the biggest temptation. If you study the history of the church and the biographies of different preachers and evangelists, you will see that many have built idols. Some even fashioned themselves into an idol; that is, they themselves became an idol, a golden calf. This is according to the principle of the golden-calf idol, the principle of not properly using for God’s purpose the gifts received from God.
The golden-calf idol is different from a pagan idol. It is difficult to describe this golden-calf idol. We should not call it a Christian idol. Perhaps we may say that the golden calf in Exodus 32 is a made-by-God’s-redeemed-people idol. Pagans do not make a golden-calf idol and worship it. Only a God-redeemed people, those who were redeemed by the blood of the Passover lamb, who were brought out of Egypt, and who enjoyed the miracles of God, even while they were making the idol, were the ones to make a golden calf. The children of Israel certainly were not pagans. Even while they were making the golden calf, they were eating the manna that miraculously came from heaven. Furthermore, they knew the name of Jehovah and knew how to worship God with the offerings. But even though they were not pagans, an idol was made among them.
Do not think that there are no idols among Christians today. Christians do not have pagan idols, heathen idols. But they may nonetheless have Christian-made idols. Many idols have been made by Christians, especially by Christian leaders, evangelists, and Bible teachers.
If you know the principles in the New Testament, you will realize that three matters are related to one another: division, idolatry, and fornication. Division goes with idolatry, and idolatry, with fornication, both spiritual and physical. Actually division is spiritual fornication.
As soon as there was the golden calf among the children of Israel, there was a division. Suppose there had been more than one idol made by God’s redeemed people in Exodus 32. Immediately there would have been another division. If there had been ten idols, there would have been ten divisions.
The divisions among Christians may be related to idols built in the name of the Lord. Suppose a group of Christians meet together to worship the Lord. But after a period of time some brothers, unhappy with the situation in that group, decide to start another meeting in the same locality. That is a division which involves idolatry. In 1 Corinthians 1 Paul asks the question, “Has Christ been divided?” (1 Cor. 1:13). In the same principle we may ask, “Is our God divided?” Since we all worship the same God, what reason is there for us to be divided? Division may indicate, or at least imply, that some are worshipping something other than the genuine God. We may worship something or someone in the name of Jehovah, but that thing is not the Lord Himself. Furthermore, we may worship something other than God with offerings that should be offered to God and in the way in which we should worship God.
We have seen that division is related to idolatry. When a person commits idolatry, he may go on to commit fornication. Fornication means confusion. If anyone is confused with respect to God, how can he avoid being confused with respect to man? In the letter to Thyatira in Revelation 2 we see both idolatry and fornication. Idolatry and fornication, two evil sisters, always go in a pair. If the one is present, the other will be present also.
The main source of division and fornication is idolatry. Aaron made a golden calf, and that caused a division. The division among the children of Israel was due to the worship of the golden calf.
In principle the making of the golden calf was a matter of abusing God’s gifts. The children of Israel used the gold miraculously given them by God to make the calf. Because God miraculously subdued the Egyptians, they gave gold to the children of Israel. God’s intention was that the gold given to the children of Israel would be used for the building up of His tabernacle. But before the tabernacle was built, the people abused the gold by using it for self-beautification. Then the gold that was used to beautify themselves was turned into a golden calf. Here we see the principle that idolatry involves abusing what God has given us and not using His gifts for His purpose.
The people also abused what God had given them and used it for their amusement and entertainment. The worship of the golden calf was a kind of amusement and entertainment. The children of Israel amused themselves with this idol. Exodus 32:6 says, “The people sat down to eat and to drink, and they rose up to play.” When Moses and Joshua came down from the mountain, they heard the sound of singing, and they “saw the calf and the dancing” (vv. 18-19). This is a picture of amusement and entertainment. We should be warned by this not to have meetings for the purpose of our amusement and entertainment. Yes, we have the enjoyment of the Lord, but this is not a form of entertainment.
I would ask you to consider the situation among Christians today regarding the desire for entertainment. It is difficult to find a so-called church service where there is not any entertainment. Various forms of entertainment are used to attract a crowd. If there is no entertainment in a certain place, people will not want to go there. They want to go where they will be entertained. Many today worship some kind of golden calf for the sake of their entertainment.
We need to be careful not to abuse God’s material gifts or His spiritual gifts. None of the material things given to us by God should be used for our amusement and entertainment. If we use material things in this way, we shall have a golden calf. Likewise, spiritual gifts, such as the gifts of teaching and preaching, should not be abused or usurped for our amusement and entertainment. There is the danger that those who have received spiritual gifts may abuse these gifts to build up something for their own purpose, for their own amusement and entertainment. This is to make a golden calf.
If we truly see this principle, we shall realize how pitiful and even tragic is the situation among Christians today. There are golden calves almost everywhere. People sing to a golden calf, praise it, and rejoice before it. In the presence of a golden calf, people eat, drink, sport, even dance. They may claim to be praising God, singing to God, and rejoicing before God. But we must ask who is being worshipped — Jehovah God, or the god of the golden calf?
Concerning this situation and concerning my speaking about it, I have prayed desperately to the Lord. It is necessary for me to point out the principle to the Lord’s people. However, I do not want to go to an extreme. I do not believe that in this message I have gone too far regarding this matter. I must testify that deep in my spirit I have a view of the scene of Exodus 32 as it applies today. I can also testify that through the years I have been on the alert not to build something for my own purpose or for my amusement or entertainment. In the sight of God, anything we build for our purpose or entertainment is a golden calf. Such a calf will always cause division. Again and again, golden calves have been fashioned, and the result of the worship of these golden calves has been division. There is a real possibility that this situation will be repeated among Christians today.
We all need to see the difference between the pure worship of the Lord and worship that is a mixture. Worship that is a mixture is worship of a golden calf in the name of the Lord. In this kind of worship people worship a calf in the way they should worship the Lord. We have seen that this is different from pagan worship, for worship that is a mixture is a matter of worshipping an idol in the name of the Lord and in the way the Lord should be worshipped.
Exodus 32:21 says, “And Moses said to Aaron, What has this people done to you that you have brought so great a sin upon them?” Aaron tried to excuse himself by saying, “And they said to me, make for us a god who shall go before us; for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt — we do not know what has become of him. And I said to them, Whoever has any gold, let him tear it off; and they gave it to me, and I threw it into the fire, and this calf came out” (vv. 23-24). In Genesis Jacob commanded his household to take off their earrings and bury them under an oak so that they may be pure to go up to Bethel to build an altar to the true God (Gen. 35:2-4). Aaron also told the people to take off their earrings, but he did so for a very different purpose. Aaron told Moses that he threw the gold into the fire and a calf came out. Perhaps Aaron was trying to say that it was through some kind of miracle that the calf was made. Maybe Aaron was saying, “I threw the gold into the fire, and this calf came out miraculously. Wasn’t that something of God? How could I do something like this? It was a miracle.” This “miracle” was wrought by Aaron’s hands, not by God.
Today it is common for Christians to have man-made miracles. For example, certain preachers may claim that there are many cases of healings in their meetings. However, these healings may not come from God’s hand, but from the hand of those preachers themselves. Years ago, I attended such a meeting and observed many cases of man-made healings. In some instances people are healed temporarily. After a short while, their illness returns. Nevertheless, those who conduct these meetings may boast that these healings are genuine. Actually what they have in their meetings is a golden calf. The claim may be made that certain things are done by God when they are actually accomplished by human effort, promotion, and advertisement. I do not believe that the crowds that gather around certain preachers today are the result of miracles done by God. No, the golden calf did not come out of the fire miraculously; it was fashioned by the hands of man.
If we are clear concerning the principle of the golden-calf idol, we shall be careful not to “throw gold into the fire” and not to shape gold with our engraving tools. We shall be fearful lest we use our ability to make a golden calf. This is the reason I have often fellowshipped with the leading ones and the co-workers that we should not do too much. If something is truly of the Lord, He will accomplish it. There is no need for us to do so much. If we try to do too much on our own, we may end up making a golden calf. We all need to be careful, for even in the local churches it is possible for us to make golden calves. We all need to see the principle of the golden-calf idol and be warned by it.
