We’re back in our series through the book of Exodus, but chapter 32 is a really random place to begin if you’ve never read the previous chapters. The summaries for the rest of the chapters are available on this site, but let us focus on the immediate context.
Before we go on, it is important to understand what a covenant is. A covenant is a chosen relationship in which both parties make binding promises to one another. The closest analogue we have to this today is probably a marriage when two people make this choice to bind their lives together. In this covenant, God is one party and the people are the other other party. But how and why would a holy God do that? Herman Bavinck described the relationship between God and man in this way:
“If there is to be fellowship between God and humanity, and if that relation is to be the model for all other relations among humans, then religion must be the character of covenant. For then God has to come down from His lofty position, condescend to His creatures, impart, reveal, and give himself away to human beings.”
This is why the covenant also resulting in the giving of the law. Or, to put it in another way, law and rules must be understood in the context of the covenant. In Exo 24:18, we read of how Moses went up the mountain and stayed there for forty days and forty nights. Exo 25-31 seems to be full of details that don’t make sense, but if we understand it in the context of a covenant, we see that these are the words of a holy God that are preparing a people to be His dwelling. These are God’s words to be desired, better than honey and better than fine gold. This is a God that seeks to prepare His people to be His dwelling place.
(A) The heart of idolatry: remaking God in our image and incurring His terrible wrath (Exo 32:1-10)
In Exo 32:1-10, we see how the people of God aped God’s actions through their act of idolatry.
These verses show us that idolatry is not just an abstract category. Idolatry begins in the heart, beginning with deep distrust of God and His ways. It works out of their sinful hearts into a perversion of God’s good ways. We may not have made a gold bull and neither do we offer incense to an image but we realise that idolatry isn’t just that and we see that idolatry is very much a part of our lives (c.f. Rom 1:22-23). We tell ourselves that idolatry isn’t really in our lives. We say that we are just trying to be pragmatic, or being attuned to our feelings etc. But whatever we are doing with our lives — relationships, career, social standing — if it leads us to relativize God, diminish Him or not regard Him as ultimate and God, that is idolatry!
Exo 32:5-6 also shows us how deceptive idolatry is. Idolatry can disguise itself as worship! We can tell ourselves that we work hard to give money for God’s missions. We even tell ourselves that we attend Bible study so it should be ok. But if our hearts are not aligned and concerned with the glory of God, we are idolaters. Calvin has described the human heart as an idol-making factory. With sin, we are like children that instinctively reach out for candy. 2020 has just begun but we’ve already been trying to build for ourselves comfort, security and refuge. In the context of the covenant, idolatry is personal transgression against a holy God.
Let’s compare the details of Exo 32:1-4 and Exo 32:7-8 and we can learn something about God’s perspective in the midst of Israel’s idolatry? God knew exactly what the Israelites were doing (cf. Ps 2:1-4).
In the verses, we read that Moses “delayed to come down” (Exo 32:1) and thus the people “turned aside quickly” (Exo 32:8). We may empathise with the Israelites because forty days and forty nights seem to be a long time. But remember what the wait is for — it is for God to reveal how His people could worship Him. Surely that is worth waiting for? Also remember that God had done and also revealed wonderful things to them just before this! Our hearts are quick to build idols.
God describes them as a “stiff-necked people” (Exo 32:9). This is a picture of bending the will to fit needs and notice the real threat wasn’t an external slave master, but internal, idolatrous sin. We all know something of what it is like to stiffen our neck and not heed God’s voice. Our culture tells us to live our best life now and to invest our time to loving ourselves. We are told to have positive vibes and reject anything that limits our will. Yet, these verses show us that God is a holy God that does not tolerate sin. This is God’s principled wrath against sin. Don’t turn a blind eye to these words tonight.
(B) The heart of intercession: imploring God on His own terms (Exo 32: 11-13)
God said to Moses, “Go down, for your people, whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves. (Exo 32:7)”. The sins of Israel is being associated with Moses. Now, Moses had a choice. He could stand idly by and let God make of him a great nation or be an intercessor. Moses chose to intercede on behalf of the people, and there’s something we can learn here about intercession.
This is an intercession that is thoroughly God-centred, where Moses came petitioning God based on who He is. He is not coming in as if it’s a negotiation. As a result of the intercession, God relented (Exo 32:14).
Thus, we see that intercession works. When Moses associated himself with the people’s sins, God relented. We live in a world of sin and this passage calls us to think about our instinctive reaction to sin. How do we react? Do we wag our fingers at them? Do we gossip or do we go to God in prayer like Moses, asking God for His mercy? It is so easy to be cynical and critical in this day and age. We should be rightfully interceding for our church and for the world that is so lost.
Moses was not convincing God to do something He did not want to do. God did not have anger management issues. Moses was just asking God to act sovereignly. Moses wasn’t helping God to be a better God. This passage shows us a God who is powerful but also relates to us in a personal way. He is absolutely sovereign but also personal. He cares and He cares in a near way. This matters because it isn’t just logic. We need to also remember that God looked down on an idolatrous people and chose to come down. He came down and took on the sins of His people and paid the price on the cross. He died, rose and has ascended and is now seated on the right hand of God. He is our true intercessor and has made a way for a sinful people to return to God.
What idols are you convicted of today? Idolatry kills the soul. Turn back to Him, this holy and gracious God that also brings us into His covenant!