Take this 3-question quiz first to see how much you know BEFORE you read!
This Week's Reading: Exodus 24; 31-34
Come Follow Me Insight #1
We’re about to get into one of the most frustrating parts of the Israelites’ story: when they built a golden calf.
This story is bad enough knowing that the Israelites had JUST witnessed God’s amazing power in the ten plagues, the parting of the Red Sea, the healing of bitter waters, and the provision of manna from heaven. But it gets worse!
In Exodus 24:10 we discover that Moses had been allowed by God to bring 73 men with him (including Aaron) to visit with Jesus face-to-face. Yes, that’s right. They saw Jesus Christ in person.
And yet, shortly later, these same men helped to build a golden calf for the Israelites. It’s absolutely unbelievable!
Come Follow Me Insight #2
Have you ever wondered why Aaron had the Israelites build a golden calf?
Why not a golden donkey? Or a golden Reese’s peanut butter cup?
Well, remembering that these Israelites had spent their entire lives in Egypt, we can assume that it likely had to do with the religion of the Egyptians that they had been surrounded by. Within Egyptian religion the goddess Hathor (depicted as a cow) was “considered the primeval goddess from whom all others were derived” and was believed to be the mother of the sun god Ra (Source).
If the Israelites wanted “gods” (Exodus 32:1), the female creator of all of the Egyptian ones would be a good one to start with.
Come Follow Me Insight #3
After Moses went into the mountain with his 73 friends, they left and he returned to commune alone with God.
While he was up there Moses received stone tablets on which the law was written. When Moses came down and saw the Israelites worshiping a golden calf he threw down the tablets and destroyed them.
He later went back up into the mountain and received a second set of tablets that were different from the first. Because the Israelites were no longer allowed to have the Melchizedek Priesthood or the everlasting covenant of the holy priesthood, this information was removed from the tablets (JST Exodus 34:1-2 and JST Deuteronomy 10:2).
This is a far cry from the nation of priests God had wanted them to be!
My Favorite Scriptures for the Week
- Exodus 24:7
- Exodus 24:10, 32:1, 4
- Exodus 31:3
- Exodus 31:17
- Exodus 32:26
- Exodus 34:4
- Exodus 34:14
The #1 Reason Commandments are Actually HUGE Blessings
Looking for more help in understanding the Old Testament?
Grab my Old Testament Story Outline for FREE!
