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.
Even as Moses received the holy law from Yahweh on the top of Mount Sinai (Jebel Musa), and seemed to tarry, as far as the people were concerned, they, in contrast, began to play or lapse into that awful Egyptian Apostasy.
Here are powerful inescapable lessons for the ecclesial body of the last days of the Gentiles. They will be deceived into thinking the Lord delays his coming, and will thus be found in a state of gross Apostasy when Christ comes. Anyone who cannot see this lesson is blinding themselves as to the significance of scriptural teaching, and wrongly dividing the Word (2Tim.2.15), and failing to discern the obvious signs of ecclesial Laodicean Egyptian Apostasy of the last days.
The people turn to Aaron, and command him to make them gods "Up make us gods." And Aaron complied without a murmur, he went along with their corrupt rebellious ways. Here is the ecclesial eldership succumbing to a more relaxed doctrinal and moral stand, under pressure from without and from within, more tolerant, less exclusive, more liberal. In Egypt they had been surrounded by every conceivable god and idol, since Egypt deified nature, and had an idol for all their polytheistic cults of Isis and Horus, calves of mithraism, and sun god or solar cults.
When Israel came out of Egypt, they were a "mixed" multitude (Ex.12.38). They had intermarried with the Egyptians, and imbibed their idolatry. Separation had broken down and the world had deeply invaded the body politic of Israel, as it has done to the ecclesial body today.
The mithraic cults of sensuality, have overtaken the youth, the idolatrous nature worship of evolution has invaded the ecclesial camp, and is promoted. Solar cults have entered in, in the acceptance of the churches and the Papacy as legitimate religious expression, whereas they are the dogmas of antichrist (Rev:17.5).
We wot not hat has become of him. This is an attitude of indifference to Christ's imminent apocalypse, and a non attention to the words of the Apocalypse as expounded in Elpis
Israel and Eureka. *
3 And all the people brake off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them unto Aaron.
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.
'Golden earrings. Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God."
Symbolically this is what they were surrendering, to make instead a four footed beast.
"Wherefore God gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: who changed the Truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen." (Rom.1.24-25).
Aaron made (fashioned) a golden calf by melting down the earrings. Once the Truth slips from being the centre of our affections, the flesh inevitably takes over.
This was gross Apostasy: these be thy gods O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. Nothing could have been further from the Truth. How quickly the carnal mind takes over to the total exclusion of Yahweh from a persons thinking (Rom.8) *
THE next illustration Paul cites is that of the golden calf:
"These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt."
The Golden Calf still has an extensive following. Most people regard it as the only haven of safety and deliverance. Not so, however, the people of God who know that more often than not it is an instrument of destruction rather than deliverance, and at best only a useful but quite dispensable tool in the hand of Providence.
Solomon compares the two schools of thought and renders a verdict that bares the fatal weakness of the Golden Calf—
"For WISDOM is a defense, and MONEY is a defense; but the excellency of knowledge is that WISDOM GIVETH LIFE to them that have it." (Eccl. 7:12).
The golden calf gave the Israelites a comforting feeling of security, but not for long. They found it was no protection against the wrath of God, and far from bringing them life, it brought many of them a quick death. That in which they had trusted was the very cause of their destruction.
Bro Growcott - BYT 4.32
5 And when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation, and said, To morrow is a feast to Yahweh.
Aaron built an altar, and proclaimed a feast.
The outward forms were still there, but the principle behind them was sin. They offered sacrifices on the morrow, and then rose up to play.
The Altar and sacrifices represented the things of Christ, the sacrifice of Christ.
This is like a person keeping the memorial but then for the rest of their week, feasting and playing like the world, in total contradiction and denial of the atonement principles of fellowship in Christ they have just endorsed in the bread and wine of memorial.
Such are hypocrites, masquerading as Christs's brethren and sisters. Thus we need to examine ourselves (1 Cor.11. 28). *
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.
...spiritually dark as were the Egyptians with all their wisdom, the Israelites could boast of little more light than they. The relative condition of these two people was very similar to what it is now in regard to the Jews and papal nations among whom they are scattered.
The Jews have a vague idea of the promise made to Abraham, and therefore cherish the hope of restoration to Canaan; but of the name of God they are as ignorant as the generation to whom Moses was sent.
"Who is Yahweh," said Pharoah, "that I should let lsrael go? I know not who the Lord God of Israel is."
This is the predicament of existing nations.... as to God's character, they are as ignorant of it as of His person.
As to Israel of "the fourth generation," we have seen that "they understood not" when Moses supposed they would have recognized in him their deliverer; and, when God was about to send him for that very purpose forty years after, Moses inquired what he should say unto them when the elders of Israel should say to him, "What is his name?" -- The name of him whom he styled the God of their fathers (Exod. 3:13-16).
Thus, without understanding of the promises, ignorant of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and serving the gods of Egypt, they differed only from the Egyptians in being the oppressed instead of the oppressor, and "beloved for the fathers' sake" -- a type of their present condition, preparatory to their everlasting emancipation from the tyranny of as ignorant, but more brutal, nations, than themselves.
Such was the benighted condition into which God's people Israel had fallen
"when the time of the promises (the end of the four hundred years) drew nigh, which God had sworn to Abraham."
Elpis Israel ii.4.1.
14 And Yahweh repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people.
Moses pleads with Yahweh to spare them on the grounds of preserving them from the contempt of Egypt and on the basis of God's promises to Abraham, Isaac and Israel that he had sworn by his own self that he would multiply their seed as the stars of heaven and give them that land of Promise as an inheritance for ever (Hb, Olahm = hidden period).
These promises were a concrete reality to Moses and destruction of the people before Mount Sinai would negate them. This was a powerful argument which Yahweh did not gainsay, but instead showed mercy and acceded to Moses righteous and earnest petition. Here is a lesson for us that Christ came to save sinners not the righteous (Mtt. 9. 12 .13 ). *
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.
Moses returns. This types the return of Christ. Moses is told by Yahweh to get down the mountain, for the "people have corrupted themselves" and "turned aside quickly" and that they are "a stiffnecked people." They had lapsed into total Apostasy. *
16 And the tables were the work of Elohim, and the writing was the writing of Elohim, graven upon the tables.
This is a figure of Christ descending from heaven with the book of life or the genealogy of the firstborn who have been enrolled or written in heaven (for heavens) (Dan.12.1 Rev 13.8 Hb.12.23. Rev .21.2). The true testimony is written not with ink (on paper). nor engraven in stone tablets. but on the fleshly tables of the heart (2 Cor 3.3). The tables were written or engraven with the divine pen on both sides (Rev.5.1). This requires pressure to engrave the Word of Yahweh into our hearts that we might become living epistles and manifestations of the Name of Yahweh (Rev.14.1).
"Both sides" indicates within and without. or intellectual and moral mauitestation of the Father's Name. The stone is an altered igneous (tire) metamorphic rock. formed under great heat and pressure in the bowels of the earth (shield foundation rocks). From thus are we taken and by heat and pressure transformed into living manifestations of Yahweh's Word by a process of metamorphosis (Rom.12.2). As they descended the mount it wasn't war Joshua heard but riotous singing and dancing. *
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.
These represented the law which they had violated in breaking the second comnmndment and worshipping false gods (Apostasy. idolatry, rebellion). *
Meekness is an indispensable trait in the children of God. This is the reason for the many references to it in the Bible. It is described as of great price in God's sight (1 Pet. iii. 4). Not only are we enjoined in a general way to cultivate this virtue (Col. iii. 12; 1 Tim. vi 11), but we have the occasions enumerated when it is to be present and to preside: in the reading of the Word (Jas. i. 1); in the setting forth of the truth (1 Pet. iii. 15); in the restoring of transgressors, and the recovery of the misinformed and misguided (Gal. vi. 1; 2 Tim. ii. 25); and in the exhibition of any and every good work (Jas. iii. 13).
As an incentive to faithfulness in this matter, we are told that Christ was specially sent to enlighten the meek (Is. lxi. 1). That it is the meek who are to receive providential guidance and favour (Ps. xxv. 9), and that it is for the meek that the Kingdom is prepared (Ps. xxxvii.11; Matt. v. 5).
But let us pause and enquire-What is meekness? Let us not confound meekness with weak-mindedness or timidity. Moses was a very meek man-an exemplary one-yet he could lead Israel in battle, and deliver to a disobedient nation the unpleasant messages of God.
Meekness, from the Bible standpoint, is a quiet, humble, submissive attitude towards God and His word. How scarce is the virtue in the world in which we live! ATJ
The Christadelphian, Jan 1899
When Moses came down from the mount, at the end of the forty days, he found the people in the full tide of their apostate worship, and was so fired with anger at their folly that he flung out of his hands the divinely-written stone tables which he had received from the hand of God on the mount, and unsheathed the avenging sword by the hand of the Levites, to the destruction of a multitude of the apostates.
Whether we apply this to the first or second manifestation of the prophet like unto Moses, we see a parallel. At his first coming, he found Israel in a state of complete departure from the law of the Lord, and fulminated in terrible wrath against them, both by word of mouth and deeds of judgment, expelling a sacrilegious crowd from the temple courts with a whip, and afterwards chastising the nation sorely by the sword of the Romans. Concurrently with this outburst of indignation, he flung the law of Moses out of his hands in nailing it to his cross, and taking it out of the way as a ground of acceptance with God.
At his second manifestation, he finds the professing Gentiles in a similar state of apostasy and idolatry, and flames with a similar vengeance against
"them that know not God and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ",
At the same time, he flings the gospel invitation to the ground in withdrawing it from further operative force among mankind, and "shutting the door" against all further admission to the kingdom and glory of God.
Law of Moses Ch 12
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.
Moses smashes the two tables.' He smashes the idol (v.20) by fire and grinding to powder (Dan .2.35). So Yahweh Will plead with all flesh by fire and sword because of their idolatry (ls.66.15.16). The dust is taken and strewed on the water (a spring at the immovable mount of God of living water) which they then had to drink. So those that pollute the living waters of Christ flowing forth from the immovable Rock of Israel (Jhn. 7). will be made to drink of their folly in its bitterness (Mt.13: 49.50). *
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.
A golden calf just happens to form itself by pure chance and coincidence! [Theory of evolution]
Aaron was without excuse but attempted to deflect blame and justify the abomination he had created as an accident that somehow sprang forth from the fire! With such weak excuses will the faithless bring forth at the Judgment seat of Christ in those same mountain fastnesses of Sinai (Mtt. 7: 21-23) .
25 And when Moses saw that the people were naked; (for Aaron had made them naked unto their shame among their enemies)
The people were naked as Moses saw (Rev.16.15. Mtt.22.12.13). Aaron had made them spiritually and literally naked. "Who is on Yahwehs side?"
26 Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on Yahweh's side? let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him.
The day of judgment had come.
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.
Who is on Yahweh's side? Only the sons of Levi with their swords girded gather themselves to Moses in response to the cry.
How many will there be of such of this generation when the Lord comes? "When the son of man cometh shall he find The Faith on the earth?" (Lk.18.1-8). The answer surely is "very scarce to vanishing point."
The company of faithful Levites then went through the camp and slew about 3000 people. having consecrated themselves to Yahweh. This was an act of purging the encampment of Apostasy. Those that threw away the Truth for this present evil worid. Those that rejected the pioneer and turned and fellowshipped the false gods of heresy.*
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 Yahweh; peradventure I shall make an atonement for your sin.
Here appears to be the foreshadowing of the ascension of Christ to make intercession for the transgressors (Isa. 53:12). The parallel at his second coming would be found on his acting as a priest on his throne when the kingdom has been established after the world has been taught righteousness by judgment (Zech. 6:13; Ezek. 45:17; Isa. 26:9; Rev. 15:4).
Law of Moses Ch 12
Ye have sinned a great sin. Moses once again pleads for the people as a faithful and compassionate and merciful intercessor, when he beheld the wrath of Yahweh manifest in the drawn sword of the Sons of' Levi (Beni Levi).*
35 And Yahweh plagued the people, because they made the calf, which Aaron made.
The Angel of God would go before them but the apostasy would not be forgotten. Yahweh then plagued the people for Aaron's folly.*
Bro Richard Lister -
The Apocalyptic Messenger, September 2016
thomas.lister1@btinternet.com