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Exodus Chapter 32

Exodus 32:1 “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.”

“Make us gods”: Such was the influence of the polytheistic world in which they lived that the Israelites, in a time of panic or impatience, succumbed to a pagan world view. What made it even more alarming was the rapidity with which pagan idolatry swept in despite recent real-life demonstrations of God’s greatness and goodness toward them. But they weren’t just requesting gods, but gods to lead them forward, “which shall go before us.” The pagan world view had robbed them of seeing God as having led them out of Egypt and instead they scornfully attributed the Exodus to Moses (Acts 7:40).

While Moses was experiencing a spiritual peak, the people of God hit bottom. Fearful that Moses would not return and their desiring something tangible to follow, they asked for substitute gods that would “go before” them. Within weeks of experiencing the presence of God at Mount Sinai (Chapter 19), they were involved in an orgy of idolatry (Acts. 7:40).

We see here, that while Moses was communing with God for 40 days on Mount Sinai, the people became restless. Perhaps, the presence of God, which had led them from Egypt to where they were staying, had moved to the top of the mountain where He was communing with Moses. Moses had not told them how long he would be gone, and they probably thought that he had left for good. These people soon forgot that God was not something you made with your hands.

They should have remembered God through Moses’ discrediting the false gods of Egypt. The true God had led them this far. People have a tendency to soon forget. Soon they had worked themselves up to the point of going to Aaron to make them a god. They had worked themselves up to the state of believing that Moses would not be back. They want something they can see to worship. They wanted a leader they could worship, as well.

Verses 2-4: Aaron suggested the people give him their “golden earrings”; then he melted the gold into a “molded calf”. This action clearly broke the first two commandments (see Exodus 20:3-6). Although the Egyptians worshiped cows, probably more pertinent here is that bovine imagery was directly associated with the Canaanite worship of Baal. This golden calf is a dark foreshadowing of Israel’s future idolatry (1 Cor. 10:7).

Exodus 32:2 “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.”

Perceiving that they were not to be dissuaded from their evil counsel, and diverted from their purpose, but were determined at all events to have an image made to represent God unto them in a visible manner.

“Break off the golden earrings which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters”: These were some of the jewels in gold they had borrowed of the Egyptians. And it seems that, in those times and countries, men, as well as women, used to wear earrings. And so Pliny says, in the eastern countries men used to wear gold in their ears. And this may be confirmed from the instance of the Ishmaelites and Midianites (Judges 8:24). Aaron did not ask the men for theirs, but for those of their wives and children. It may be, because he might suppose they were fonder of them, and would not so easily part with them. Hoping by this means to have put them off of their design.

“And bring them unto me”: To make a god of, as they desired. That is, the representation of one.

Perhaps Aaron thought that they would not give up their gold. I really believe maybe Aaron had given up too on Moses returning. At any rate, Aaron should have known better than to be persuaded to do such a thing.

In chapter 20 of Exodus, we saw that God spoke with the people, and they were warned not to make gods of silver or gold. They heard God’s voice and saw the smoke and were terribly frightened. How in the world they forgot that so quickly, I do not know. Aaron had been even closer than the people. It seems so unthinkable that Aaron would do this.

Exodus 32:3 “And all the people brake off the golden earrings which [were] in their ears, and brought [them] unto Aaron.”

Aaron had miscalculated the strength of the people’s fanaticism. Not the slightest resistance was offered to his requirement, not the slightest objection made. “All the people,” with one accord, surrendered their earrings. Some measure is hereby afforded of the intensity of the feeling which was moving the people and urging them to substitute an idolatrous worship for the abstract and purely spiritual religion which had reigned supreme since their departure from Egypt.

If he thought giving up their valuable jewelry would stop them, he was wrong. It is so strange today that worship of other gods usually costs the person greatly, but he still does it. There is something about giving up something that means a great deal to you that seems to make people happier in their worship. The one true God gives us salvation freely. We may give our tithes and offerings and of ourselves to His service, but salvation is a free gift. We do not work to get it, and we certainly can’t buy it.

Notice that this was not just part of these people; the Scripture says “ALL”. They were so eager to have something that they could see to worship, that they were willing to give their jewelry, or anything else.

Exodus 32:4 “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.”

“A molten calf”: The young bull, which Aaron caused to be fashioned, was a pagan religious symbol of virile power. A miniature form of the golden calf, although made of bronze and silver, was found at the site of the ancient philistine city of Ashkelon. Since it dates to about 1550 B.C. it indicates that calf worship was known not only in Egypt, but also in Canaan prior to the time of Moses. In worshiping the calf, the Israelites violated the first 3 commandments (20:3-7).

Aaron it seemed was more interested in pleasing these people than he was in heeding the instructions God had given all of them at the foot of the mountain. It looks like being raised by Hebrew parents would have taught him better. Moses’ first mistake was asking for a helper, when God first called him to bring the people out of Egypt. We see no mention of Hur, here. Whether Aaron did all the engraving himself or had help, we do not know.

Why he made a calf, only God and Aaron know. Any image of anything would have been just as bad a sin. God had explicitly told them not to do this very thing. Their fear was short lived. Cows are being worshipped even today in various parts of the world. If you will notice the places where cows are worshipped, there is famine in the land.

Exodus 32:5 “And when Aaron saw [it], he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation, and said, Tomorrow [is] a feast to the LORD.”

“Aaron” may have intended a partial obedience – he would give the people what they asked for, and then he would use it to worship God. But by calling it a feast “to the Lord, Aaron broke the third commandment (see 20:7).

“Feast to the Lord”: Syncretism brought about the ludicrous combination of an idol, an altar, and a festal celebration held in a bizarre attempt to honor the true God.

Aaron was really confused. He was proclaiming a feast to the Lord, but at the very same time had made the golden calf (false god). In many countries in the world today when Christianity springs forth in a country where false gods have been worshipped, they have a tendency to try to bring some of the old habits of worship with them. This is not good. You cannot mix worship of other gods in. The true God will not permit it.

The world and the church cannot be mixed. God is a jealous God. This was a terrible mixture. It was almost as if they were saying, I will worship both and whichever one is right will get me to heaven. Compromise is not part of God’s plan. He will not be compromised. This offering would not be acceptable to God.

Exodus 32:6 “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.”

“Rose up to play”: The Hebrew word allows for the inclusion of drunken and immoral activities so common to idolatrous fertility cults in their revelry (see the description in verses 7 and 25). Syncretism had robbed the people of all ethical alertness and moral discernment (1 Cor. 10:7).

The verb suggests illicit and immoral sexual activity in relation to those practices normally accompanying the fertility rites found among the Canaanites who worshiped the god Baal and his consort Ashtoreth. The same verb is used (in genesis 26:8), where it is said, “Abimelech … saw … Isaac was sporting with [caressing] Rebekah his wife.” Most feel this involved conjugal caress. The nakedness of the people (in verse 25), seems to support further the conclusion that this included the sensuous fertility practices common to the peoples all around Israel (see notes on 1 Cor. 10:7-8, 13-14), for the present-day application of these ancient teachings.

The verb rendered “play” comes from the same root as the name “Isaac,” which refers to laughter (see Gen. 21:1-70). Here, it means sexual acts done in the worship of pagan gods. Immorality often accompanies idolatry, even today (Rom. 1:22-24).

We see, that they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings, thinking this would satisfy these gods. It seems they were so anxious to worship, that they got up really early in the morning. After sacrifice, there was always a feast and this was no exception. The difference in this feast and the holy feast was that this was followed by sex play. This play really meant an orgy. Many false religions appeal to the fleshly nature of man. In the Strong’s concordance this particular word used for play means make sport.

Verses 7-14: “Corrupted” and “stiff-necked” means unresponsive and stubborn (33:3, 5; 34:9; Deut. 9:6, 13; 10:16; 31:27). God wanted to destroy the people and create a new “nation” of Moses. Moses appealed to:

(1) God’s responsibility, asserting that these are “Your people;

(2) God’s reputation (the Egyptians would make false conclusions); and

(3) God’s reliability, citing Yahweh’s solemn oath to Israel’s forefathers.

Exodus 32:7 “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]:”

“Thy people”: In alerting Moses to the trouble in the camp, God designated Israel as Moses’ people, a change of possessive pronoun Moses could not have missed. Beforehand God had acknowledged them as “My people.” In pleading with God for Israel and in responding to God’s offer to make of him a great nation (verse 10), Moses maintained what he knew to be true, given the Exodus and the divine promises to the patriarchs (verses 12-13). And designated them correctly as “Your people” (verse 11).

God told Moses hurry up and get down to your people. We see that God told Moses that these people were his responsibility. He called them “thy people” to Moses. You can see quickly from this that God was strongly angered by what they had done. “Corrupted” means that they were ruined as far as God is concerned.

Exodus 32:8 “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.”

“Molten calf”: The people were unable to wait for Moses, and they broke the second commandment by persuading Aaron to make an image of God to satisfy their idolatrous lusts. Aaron sinfully submitted to their dreams, and not only produced a replica of the familiar Egyptian god Apis (god of nature), but called for “a feast to the Lord” (verse 5). Which was really turned into the abominable orgy mentioned above.

We see that God Himself had commanded them not to make a graven image. These people made solemn pledges to God and the minute Moses was gone for a while; they forgot everything they had promised. These people were far too easily deceived into worshipping anything they could see with their eyes. They were not grounded in the one true God.

Exodus 32:9 “And the LORD said unto Moses, I have seen this people, and, behold, it [is] a stiffnecked people:”

This phrase, afterwards so common (Exodus 33:3; 33:5; 34:5; Deut. 9:6; 9:13; 10:16; 2 Chron. 30:8; 36:13; Psalm 75:5; Jer. 17:23; Acts 7:51), occurs here for the first time. It is generally explained as “obstinate,” but rather means “perverse”. The metaphor: being taken from the horse that stiffens his neck against the pull of the rein and will not be guided by the rider. The LXX omits the verse for no intelligible reason.

Rebellion throughout the Bible was called witchcraft. This being stiffnecked had to do with not wanting to be controlled. People who do not like to be controlled are rebellious.

Exodus 32:10 “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.”

Even as our Lord tested the devotion of two of His disciples (Luke 24:28), so here God tested Moses’ singleness of purpose.

“I will make of thee a great nation”: God could have consumed all the people and started over again with Moses, just like he had earlier with Abraham (Genesis 12).

God was so angered by these people and the terrible sin they had committed that He was about to kill the whole 2-1/2 million of them. God told Moses, I will destroy all of them and start again with just you. Many people in the churches today would have you believe that God does not punish, but this is not true. To have Satan attack you is bad, but the worst thing I can think of is to cause God to pour out His wrath upon you.

Exodus 32:11 “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?”

Moses had not lost his interest in God, though Israel had.

“Why doth thy wrath wax hot”: So hot as to consume them utterly? For though he saw reason enough why God should be angry with them, yet he humbly expostulates with God whether it would be for his honor utterly to destroy them. Or this is a petition delivered in form of an interrogation or expostulation, (as Matt. 8:29; compare with Luke 8:28).

“Which thou hast brought out of the land of Egypt with great power, and with a mighty hand?” This had the Lord ascribed to Moses, and observes it is an aggravation of their ingratitude to Moses, and here Moses retorts, and ascribes it to God, and to his mighty power; as for himself he was only a weak feeble instrument. The Lord was the efficient cause of their deliverance, in which he had shown the exceeding greatness of his power. And he argues from hence, that seeing he had exerted his mighty arm in bringing them from thence, that he would not now lift it up against them and destroy them.

Exodus 32:12 “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.”

Those that remained, as the Targum of Jonathan, who were not drowned in the Red sea. A good man will be concerned for the honor and glory of God among the enemies of his people. That their mouths may not be opened to blaspheme the Lord and speak ill of his ways (see Josh. 7:9). And this is sometimes an argument with God himself, not to do that to his people they deserve, lest it should give occasion to the enemy to speak reproachfully, insult, and triumph (Deut. 32:26).

“For mischief did he bring them out, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth”: That he brought them out of Egypt, not with a good but ill design. Not to bring them into the land of Canaan, as they promised themselves, but to destroy them in the mountains. Not to erect them into a great kingdom and nation; which should make a considerable figure in the world; but to cut them off from being a people at all. The mountains where they were at now, are Sinai and Horeb, and there might be others thereabout, among which they were encamped: the Targum of Jonathan is, “among the mountains of Tabor, and Hermon, and Sirion, and Sinai”.

“Turn from thy fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against thy people”: Not that there is any turning or shadow of turning with God, or any change of his mind, or any such passions and affections in him as here expressed. But this is said after the manner of men concerning him, when he alters the course of his dealings with men according to his unalterable will. And does not do the evil threatened by him, and which the sins of men deserve.

We see in this Moses as a type of Christ. Jesus is constantly pleading our case before God. We, like these people, do not deserve the pardon of God. Jesus, as our advocate with the Father, is speaking on our behalf even now in heaven. Moses told God that His anger was about to cause Him to waste all the effort He had spent to save this people. Moses even reminded God that the Egyptians would feel as if their false gods had truly won. This repentance here was not like us seeking repentance for the evil we have done. God was justified in His wrath.

God knew ahead of time that He would forgive them and give them another chance. He showed by this that He could be angered and He could destroy everyone if He desired. He still listens to the prayers of His people. Especially to Moses who had gone to all this trouble along with God to get these people out of Egypt and established as a nation who feared God. This evil against this people was justified, but God found a place of forgiveness. Just as every one of us deserves death, but through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross have been pardoned and given life eternal in Jesus.

Exodus 32:13 “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.”

“Israel”: Another name for Jacob, which means “one who strives with God” (Gen. 32:28).

Moses reminded God of the Abrahamic covenant. Of course God could turn rocks into people. He really doesn’t need us. God promised Abraham this seed would come from him. Abraham was faithful to God. This was one reason right here that God didn’t destroy them. God fulfills all of His promises.

Exodus 32:14 “And the LORD repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people.”

Changed his sentence at the entreaty of Moses, who in this represented the Lord Christ, the great Mediator and Intercessor for all the sinful race. He was pleased not to inflict upon them that punishment which he threatened (Exodus 32:10). And so acted as men do when they repent and change their minds. Though he designed to punish them, yet he would not ruin them. See here the power of prayer! God suffers himself to be prevailed with by humble, believing importunity.

And see the compassion of God toward poor sinners, and how ready he is to forgive! It must, however, be well observed that such expressions as this, of the Lord’s repenting, must be understood as spoken after the manner of men. For that no proper change or repentance can take place in the Divine Mind, plainly follows from the perfection of the divine knowledge. Which comprehends at one view all things, past, present, and to come, and can never be surprised at their happening as they do. Or change his mind on that account. See this further explained (in Genesis 6:6).

This really meant that God’s heart softened and He spared them. He did not intend to kill them from the beginning. They did deserve death, but God spared their lives, partially because of the faith of their ancestors.

Exodus 32:15 “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.”

The “two tables of the testimony” refer to the Ten Commandments.

Moses, after pleading for the lives of the children of Israel, quickly went down the mountain to stop them from doing these things that were so displeasing to God. The two stone tablets were carried in both of his hands. They had carvings on both sides of each one. They had been done by the hand of God. These were the sacred laws that God intended to give the Israelites.

Exodus 32:16 “And the tables [were] the work of God, and the writing [was] the writing of God, graven upon the tables.”

We know now that both tablets had all Ten Commandments on them. When ancient nations made treaties, the stipulations were entered onto two original documents, with each party taking one home to its temple of observation “by the gods.” For Israel, the two complete tablets would stay together as a sign of their belief in one God.

This was not some message that God had given Moses and Moses wrote them down. This was altogether done by God. This was very similar writing to the time when God’s hand wrote on the wall in the book of (Daniel 5:5).

Exodus 32:17 “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.”

Joshua’s presence with Moses in the mount has not been indicated since (Exodus 24:13). But it would seem that when Moses was summoned up into the cloud (Exodus 24:16), his faithful “minister” remained where he was, waiting for his master. He may have found shelter in some “cleft of the rock;” and the manna may have fallen about him, and sufficed for his sustenance during the forty days and nights of his master’s absence.

“The noise of the people as they shouted”: “Shouting” was a feature of idolatrous rites (1 Kings 18:28; Acts 19:34), and was in part a cause, in part a result, of the physical excitement which prevailed during such orgies. Joshua, unsuspicious of the real nature of the shouting, supposed, naturally enough, that the camp was attacked by an enemy, and that the noise was “a noise of war.” But Moses, forewarned of the actual state of affairs (Exodus 32:7-8), had probably a shrewd suspicion of the real nature of the sounds. He contented himself, however, with negating his minister’s conjecture.

Joshua had not been in the camp and did not realize what happened. He had been waiting at a distance for Moses to come down the mountain. All of this shouting and dancing and carrying on in front of this false god had worked them up into such a frenzy that it probably did sound like war.

Exodus 32:18 “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.”

Not Joshua, as Saadiah Gaon thinks, but Moses, in answer to what Joshua had said.

“It is not the voice of them that shout for mastery”: That have got the better of it, and have obtained the victory, and shout on that account. Or, “not the voice of a cry of strength”, or “of a strong cry”; that is, of men who have got the victory, and are in high spirits, and shout with a strong voice. And so the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan, “not the voice of strong men that overcome in battle”.

“Neither is it the voice of them that cry for being overcome”: Which is not a voice of shouting, but of howling. Or, “not the voice of the cry of weakness”, or “of a weak cry. Who being unable to stand their ground are conquered, and make a bitter outcry on falling into the enemy’s hands, or being wounded shriek terribly. And so the above Targums, “not the voice of the weak who are overcome by the enemy in battle”.

“But the noise of them that sing do I hear”. As at a merry entertainment, either on a civil or religious account. Moses, who knew what the children of Israel had done, and what they were about, could better judge of the nature of the sound he heard than Joshua could. Who knew nothing of what was transacting.

Moses already knew that it was not war. God told him what was going on before he pled for them. Moses didn’t really realize how bad it was until he saw it for himself. This was just a drunken orgy that was going on.

Verses 19-28: This passage reveals how serious sin is to the Lord. Moses angrily “broke” the stone tablets to symbolize that Israel had broken the covenant. Although Aaron shifted blame (“the people are set on evil”), Moses was right to confront him before confronting the people. Purging the sin from the Israelite camp required the slaying of 3,000 men by the “sons of Levi.”

Exodus 32:19 “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.”

“Brake them”: Moses pictured the nation breaking God’s commandments by actually breaking the tablets on which they were written.

Moses had never dreamed that the sin was so great. Moses suddenly realized how unworthy these children of Israel were to receive these tablets of commandments. In his anger, he threw them down and broke them. We need a few like Moses in our churches today. Some of the things that are being done and said should anger those who truly love God. This teaching of false doctrines in the church is our golden calf. The entertainment that some churches call worship borders on the very type of revelry that angered Moses, here.

There is far too much pleasing of the flesh going on in many of the churches of today. God is a holy God. Where is the respect and reverence for Almighty God? Take a good look at your church, if God came to visit, would He feel comfortable? We must have a healthy, godly fear of Almighty God. There are far too many ministers of God who are compromising to please someone in the congregation. Don’t be an Aaron, more eager to please the people than to please God. Be a Moses who would not tolerate the world in the church.

Exodus 32:20 “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].”

Melted it either into one great mass, or rather into different little fragments, which afterwards he, by the help of others, might soon grind to powder, or dust of gold.

“Strawed it upon the water”: Upon the brook which came out of the rock Horeb (Exodus 17:6).

“The children of Israel”: Not all, which would require a long time, but some in the name of the rest. And most probably either the chief promoters of this idolatrous design, or the chief rulers of the people, who should by their power and authority have restrained the people from this wickedness.

“To drink of it”: Of the water into which that dust was cast; partly to make them ashamed of their madness in worshipping a god which now must be drunk, and cast out into the draught. And partly to fill them with terror and dreadful expectation of some ill effect or curse of God to come upon them, either by this draught, or by other means.

The very first thing Moses did was destroy this idol. I see Moses as a very strong man and he could easily break this idol apart. The fire had to be pretty hot to melt the gold. Probably it was around 2000 degrees Fahrenheit. He wasn’t even satisfied to have melted it. He then ground it into dust and strew it over the water. An idol cannot even save itself. Just the fact that Moses could go in and destroy this false god shows just how powerless it really was. I believe this drinking of the contaminated water shows that we taste of our sins, even if God does forgive us.

Exodus 32:21 “And Moses said unto Aaron, What did this people unto thee, that thou hast brought so great a sin upon them?”

The second step was to inquire how the idolatry came about; and here Moses very reasonably addressed himself to Aaron. Aaron had been left in charge of the people (Exodus 24:14), to advise them, direct them, control them, if necessary. How had he acquitted himself of this charge? He had allowed the people to commit a great sin. What excuse could he offer for his conduct? Had the people injured him in any way? The question is asked ironically.

This was correct for Moses to jump on Aaron. Moses had left the people in Aaron’s care. They did not force Aaron on threat of death to make this idol. Aaron perhaps was put upon in filling their wishes to furnish a visible god for them to follow. A leader should be strong enough to tell them no. It wasn’t their idea to make the golden calf. That was Aaron’s idea, all by himself. Moses went to the root of the problem (Aaron), before he approached the people with their sins.

Verses 22-24: Aaron, held responsible by Moses for what had taken place in the camp (verses 21 and 25), endeavored to avoid responsibility for the people’s actions by shifting the blame to their propensity to do evil, and also for the presence of the golden calf by ridiculously representing it as having just popped out of the fire all by itself!

Exodus 32:22 “And Aaron said, Let not the anger of my lord wax hot: thou knowest the people, that they [are set] on mischief.”

Aaron’s conduct was really without excuse; but he attempts two pleas, the first insufficient, the second false and fatuous.

(1) The people compelled him; they were “set on mischief;” they made the proposal, they would have it so;

(2) He threw the gold into the furnace, and “it came out a calf,” as if he had not ordered the construction of the mold.

In Deuteronomy, Moses informs us that Aaron’s whole conduct so angered God that God would have destroyed him but for his own intercession (Deut. 9:20).

Exodus 32:23 “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.”

Which was true (Exodus 32:1). But then he should have told them, that gods were not to be made. That what were made with hands were no gods, and could not go before them. That the making of any image, similitude, or representation of God, was forbidden by him. As they had lately heard from his own mouth. He should have dissuaded from such idolatry, by showing them the evil nature of the sin, and the ruin they exposed themselves to by it.

“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”: Their words he truly recites, and perhaps might choose the rather to mention them, because they carried in them some reflection on Moses for staying so long in the mount. And as if that contributed much to this affair, and which put the people on forming such a scheme, they concluding he must be dead through famine. Or, as the Targum of Jonathan, be burnt with flaming fire from the Lord (see Acts 7:40).

We see the guilt and humiliation of Aaron, as he calls Moses lord. He was saying, you are my boss and you know how dead set on committing sin these people are. He was telling Moses that he was afraid of them. He was not being a leader at all. He was trying to please the congregation. Does that sound familiar in the church today? Most of the preachers are preaching to itching ears, preaching what the people want to hear. The job of the pastor is to preach the Word, whether the people want to hear it or not.

2 Timothy 4:1-4 “I charge [thee] therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;” “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.” “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;” “And they shall turn away [their] ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.”

Exodus 32:24 “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.”

That is, any ear rings of gold let them take them off their ears.

“So they gave it me”: Of their own accord, as if unasked by him, though he had bid them bring it to him (Exodus 32:2).

“Then I cast it into the fire”: To melt it, but says nothing of the mold the melted gold was poured into.

“And there came out this calf”: He speaks of it as if the gold became in the form of a calf without any design, or without using any methods to put it in this form; but that it was a matter of chance. Or rather something preternatural and miraculous. He speaks of it as if it was alive, and came out of itself. And indeed the Jews represent it as done by magic art, and by the operation of Satan. And speak of it as coming out alive, bellowing and dancing. The Targum of Jonathan is, “and I cast it into the fire, and Satan entered into the midst of it, and out of it came the likeness of this calf.”

Aaron says not a word of his fashioning it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf. But Moses learned this elsewhere, and has recorded it. What Moses thought of this apology is not said; it could not be satisfactory to him: and it is certain the conduct of Aaron in this affair was displeasing to God. And it seemed as if he would have destroyed him, had not Moses prayed for him (Deut. 9:20).

Now Aaron had added a lie to his other sin. One sin usually requires another to try to cover up the first sin. This really was a half-truth. They did bring the gold to Aaron, but Aaron graved it.

Exodus 32:25 “And when Moses saw that the people [were] naked; (for Aaron had made them naked unto [their] shame among their enemies:)”

Part of leadership’s responsibility is to protectively restrain their people from doing what will bring them harm or judgment. Aaron’s failure to do this brought “shame” on the Lord and His chosen people in front of their enemies.

Exodus 32:26 “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.”

“Who is on the Lord’s side”: Only the tribe of Levi responded to the call to take action in response to this situation which demanded judgment be inflicted. They had understood that neutrality could not exist in the open confrontation between good and evil. Family and national ties were superseded by submission to the lord to do His will, which in this situation was to wield the sword of God’s judgment to preserve His honor and glory.

Moses saw that this orgy was still going on. He had already gotten rid of the idol and he had already reprimanded Aaron, and now he turns to the idolaters. Their nakedness, whether physical or not, was a shame. I really believe this nakedness was physical. Many idol worship services contained sensual activity. Aaron was truly responsible, because he made the calf that started all of this.

Now Moses was trying to separate those who were involved, and called those who worshipped the Lord to come to him, so that the idol worshippers would be separated out. There are actually some churches today involved in sensual services and God is calling His people to come out of them. The sons of Levi loved God and came to Moses. The next verse shows the purpose for the separation. God was going to destroy these wicked through the actions of Moses.

Exodus 32:27 “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.”

The following orders are given by Moses, not of himself the chief magistrate, and as the effect of heat and passion, but they were from the Lord, who was Israel’s God and King. He had them expressly from him or by an impulse on his spirit, or in such a way and manner that he knew it was of God, and this was his will.

“Put every man his sword by his side”: Girt there, ready to be drawn upon order.

“And go in and out from gate to gate throughout the camp”: Not into the tents, where good men might be bemoaning the sin committed, but throughout the streets, where many were loitering, it being a holy day with the idolaters.

“And slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbor”: who were idolaters; none were to be spared on account of relation, friendship, and acquaintance.

Exodus 32:28 “And the children of Levi did according to the word of Moses: and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men.”

They apparently killed those who persisted in idolatry and immorality (Num. 25:6-9).

What this said was go throughout this group of people and anyone you find reveling, kill them. They were told that even if they were related to the person, they were to kill them, if they were involved in this idolatry. These Levites, in a sense, had been called to serve God in this. Moses was acting in behalf of God (“Thus saith the LORD God of Israel”). Three thousand men were killed.

Exodus 32:29 “For Moses had said, Consecrate yourselves today to the LORD, even every man upon his son, and upon his brother; that he may bestow upon you a blessing this day.”

To the Levites, when he first gave them their orders.

“Consecrate yourselves today to the Lord”: Devote yourselves to his service, by obeying his orders, slaying those, or the heads of them, who have cast so much contempt upon him as to worship the golden calf in his room. And which would be as acceptable to him as the offerings were. By which Aaron and his sons were consecrated to the Lord. And as these Levites were consecrated to his service this day, on this account.

“Even every man upon his son, and upon his brother”: Not sparing the nearest relation found in this idolatry, and for which the tribe of Levi is commended and blessed in the blessing of Moses (Deut. 33:8), and as it follows.

“That he may bestow a blessing upon you this day”: Which was their being taken into the service of God to minister to the priests in the sanctuary. To bear the vessels of the Lord, and for their maintenance to have the tithes of the people. This day was, according to the Jewish writers, the seventeenth of Tammuz, or June, on which day the Jews keep a fast upon this account.

Their faithfulness in carrying out these orders that Moses gave them in behalf of God, would be like a dedication to God. They would receive a priestly position with God by their faithfulness and the stand they took for God. If you take a stand for God, you will be richly blessed of God.

Verses 30-32: Moses interceded for the people he loved so much, hoping he could atone for their sin (see Paul’s similar words respecting the salvation of the Jews in Romans 9:3). Of course, as a sinner himself, Moses could not do so, but his words covey the picture of the sacrifice of Christ, which was able to make atonement for humanity (Mark. 10:45).

Exodus 32:30 “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.”

The eighteenth day of Tammuz it was, the same writers say, that Moses implored the mercy of God for Israel. Jarchi (on Exodus 32:11), says it was on the seventeenth day the tables were broke, on the eighteenth the calf was burnt, and on the nineteenth that Moses went up to intercede for them.

“That Moses said unto the people, ye have sinned a great sin; the sin of idolatry (see Exodus 32:21). From whence it appears, that all that were guilty of it were not slain, perhaps only some of one tribe. And there was great reason to fear, that as wrath was gone forth it would not stop here, but others would fall a sacrifice to the divine displeasure. Wherefore it is proposed by Moses to make application to the Lord on their behalf, that they might obtain mercy.

“And I will go up unto the Lord”: On the top of Mount Sinai.

“Peradventure I shall make atonement for your sin”: Not by any sacrifice offered, but by his prayers prevail with God to forgive their sin, and not punish any more for it. He had by his first prayer obtained of the Lord not to consume them off of the face of the earth, and utterly destroy them as a nation. But that he did not hinder but that resentment might be shown in a lesser degree, or by parts. As not 3000 men had been cut off, chiefly out of one tribe, if not altogether, the rest of the tribes might expect to be visited, according to the number of their delinquents.

As we said before, Moses felt responsible for these people. He was their advocate with the Father, just as our advocate with the Father is Jesus Christ. Moses did not cover up the fact that they had committed a terrible sin. He would try to seek God’s forgiveness for them. Moses would try to atone for their sins. Moses would now go back up the mountain to meet with God. We see in this, that this seems to be a more serious sin than some sins, because Moses called it a great sin.

Exodus 32:31 “And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold.”

On the mount where He was in the cloud.

“And said, oh, this people have sinned a great sin”: Which to following words explain; he confesses the same to God he had charged the people with (in Exodus 32:30).

“And have made them gods of gold”: The golden calf, which they themselves called “Elohim”, gods.

Moses told God of their evil, but God already knew. The first place of forgiveness is to admit your sin. Moses was admitting it for the people.

Exodus 32:32 “Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written.”

“Blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou has written”: Nothing more strongly marked the love of Moses for his people than his sincere willingness to offer up his own life rather than see them disinherited and destroyed. The book to which Moses referred, the palmist entitled “the book of life” (Psalm 69:28). Untimely or premature death would constitute being blotted out of the book. The Apostle Paul displayed a similar passionate devotion for his kinsmen (Rom 9:1-3).

The identity of this book has been the subject of considerable debate. Some take it as a reference to the Book of Life in which the names of believers are recorded. Others see it as a register of living men, with reference to only earthly life. Thus, to be blotted out would entail an untimely death, to die prematurely. A third view is that it refers to those who would enter the Promised Land. Some see Paul’s reference in (Romans 9:3-4), as being similar to Moses’ request, that is, to be separated from God forever for the sake of his Israelite countrymen.

Note that in (Romans 9:3), the phrase “I could wish” faithfully brings out the idiomatic construction use here for the stating an impossible wish. Paul could not actually become anathema from Christ, since (Romans chapter 8), proclaims that impossible. The statement by God (in verse 33), would seem to indicate that the reference is to temporal life and not eternal, in addition to the context in which three thousand men fell in that day. Note: “Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.”

Here we see Moses offered to be the substitute for these people, if God had to have vengeance. Here is one of the first mentions of God having a book. This is the book of life. Moses offered God the option. Moses was willing if necessary, to give his life for these sinful people to save them.

Exodus 32:33 “And the LORD said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.”

(Compare Ezek. 18:4). “The soul that sinneth, it shall die.”

A mere man cannot take other men’s sins on him and cannot relieve them of the penalties attached to sin. The worst of which is the depravation of the soul itself. Sin persisted in, blots one out from God’s book by the absolute contradiction that there is between evil and good. Even Christ’s merits cannot avail the sinner who does not put away his sin, detest it, abhor it, and revolt from it. Only One who can implant a principle of life in man can save from death.

God did not allow Moses to be the substitute. God spoke of judgment here. Each person would be judged separately. Each person is responsible for his own actions.

Exodus 32:34 “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.”

I.e., continue their leader until Palestine is reached (see Exodus 3:8; 3:17; 6:4-8).

“Mine Angel shall go before thee”: So far as the form of the expression goes, the promise is, as nearly as possible, a repetition of the original one, “Behold, I send an angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared” (Exodus 23:20). But the meaning of the promise is wholly changed, as we learn from the opening paragraph of the ensuing chapter (Exodus 33:1-3). The “angel” now promised as a guide is not to be God Himself (“I will not go up in the midst of thee “), but a creature, between whom and God, the distance is immeasurable.

“In the day when I visit I will visit their sin upon them”: All sin is followed by suffering; the sequence is inevitable. God had now consented to spare His people, and to take them back into favor. But they were not to expect that matters would be with them as if their sin had not taken place. It would still be “visited upon them”. Not, indeed, by instant death, but still in some way or other. The weary waiting in the wilderness for forty years may have been a part of the punishment (Num. 14:33). But it may also have been inflicted on different persons in many different ways.

Exodus 32:35 “And the LORD plagued the people, because they made the calf, which Aaron made.”

That is, continued so to do at certain times, with the pestilence, or other calamities. For this seems not to refer, as some think, to the slaughter of the 3000 men. The reason follows:

“Because they made the calf which Aaron made”: That is, they provided him with materials to make it; they urged and solicited him to do it, and would not be easy without it. So that the making of it is ascribed to them; or they served it. As Onkelos; or bowed unto it, as Jonathan; with which agree the Syriac, Arabic, and Samaritan versions. Which render it, they served, or worshipped, or sacrificed to the calf which Aaron made.

God was still angry about this terrible sin. He would not bless those who were unfaithful to Him. He was sending an Angel in His stead. Plagues would descend on those who were involved in this sin against God’s person. This plague could possibly have been part of the reason why this generation did not enter the Promised Land.

Exodus 32: Questions