The Golden Calf

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The Golden Calf
Exodus 321-8 Moses Aaron Joshua
Children of Israel Us
Today
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Now when the people saw that Moses delayed
coming down from the mountain, the people
gathered together to Aaron, and said to him,
"Come, make us gods that shall go before us for
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. And Aaron said to them, "Break
off the golden earrings which are in the ears of
your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and
bring them to me. So all the people broke off
the golden earrings which were in their ears, and
brought them to Aaron. And he received the gold
from their hand, and he fashioned it with an
engraving tool,
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and made a molded calf. Then they said, "This is
your god, O Israel, that brought you out of the
land of Egypt! So when Aaron saw it, he built an
altar before it. And Aaron made a proclamation
and said, "Tomorrow is a feast to the LORD. Then
they rose early on the next day, offered burnt
offerings, and brought peace offerings and the
people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to
play. And the LORD said to Moses, "Go, get down!
For your people whom you brought out of the land
of Egypt have corrupted themselves. They have
turned aside quickly out of the way which I
commanded them. They have made themselves a
molded calf, and worshiped it and sacrificed to
it, and said, 'This is your god, O Israel, that
brought you out of the land of Egypt
Exodus 321-8
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Setting

• Moses led Israel out of Egyptian bondage
• Crossed Red Sea on dry ground
• Traveled for 3 months to Mt. Sinai
• Set up camp at base of mountain
• Went up to receive the Ten Commandments

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40 days and nights
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1. Weak Leadership Leads to Sin
Moses Was a Strong Leader

• Aaron was in charge
• People demanded a god
• Aaron feared the people
• Aaron was a weak character

Elders must hold fast the faithful word
Titus
19
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1. Weak Leadership Leads to Sin

• Ex. 32 Shows That When Leaders Fail
• The people commit sin
• It brings the anger of God upon those leaders
• It leads to shifting blame

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2. Evils of Idolatry Are Seen

• Broken our vow to God
• Debasing and degrading to humanity
• Robs God of Glory that belongs to Him
• Ps. 10619-20
• Consequences are terrible
• - Face anger of God
• - Punishment will follow
• - Enemies can blaspheme

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3. People Soon Forget God
They have turned aside quickly out of the way
which I commanded them Ex. 328 They forgot
God their Savior, Who had done great things in
Egypt Ps. 10621 I marvel
that you are turning away so soon from Him who
called you in the grace of Christ, to a different
gospel Gal. 16
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3. People Soon Forget God
has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old
sins. 2 Pet.
15-9 stony ground hearer - Matt.
1320-21 Nevertheless I have this against
you, that you have left your first love. Rev.
24
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4. Sin in the Camp Grieves God
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4. Sin in the Camp Grieves God
What Happens
1. Brings Defeat - Israel at Ai - Joshua 7 -
Achan sinned - Defeated by Ai
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4. Sin in the Camp Grieves God
What Happens
2. God was not with them - Josh. 712 neither
will I be with you any more - Ex. 333 I will
not go up in your midst - Rev. 320 - Laodicea
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4. Sin in the Camp Grieves God
What Happens
3. Enemies Blaspheme - Ex. 3225 - Davids sin
- 2 Sam. 1214 4. Influences others to commit
sin - Church at Corinth - 1 Cor. 51-6 - A
little leaven Leavens the whole lump
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4. Sin in the Camp Grieves God
What must be done
It must be Removed - Joshua 712, 14 - destroy
the accursed thing - Corinth - 1 Cor. 55, 7,
13 purge out, put away Need of repentance -
Ephesus - repent - Rev. 24-5 - Pergamos -
repent - Rev. 214-16 - Sardis Repent - Rev.
31-3 - Laodicea be zealous and repent Rev.
319
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4. Sin in the Camp Grieves God
Why sin must be Removed
1. Save the soul of the individual - Corinth -
1 Cor. 54-5 2. Save other members - Corinth -
1 Cor. 51-2 puffed up - Pergamos and
Thyatira - Rev. 2 3. Exalt and Magnify the
Lord - Matt. 514-16
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4. Sin in the Camp Grieves God
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Reaction of Moses

• 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.
  Exodus 3220
• 3,000 people died that day

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The Golden Calf

• Exodus 321-8
• Weak leadership leads to sin
• Evils of Idolatry
• Soon forget blessings of God
• Sin in the camp grieves God

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Baptism Acts 238