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The Golden Calf

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(Exodus 32:8)

They have been quick to turn away from what I commanded them and have made themselves an idol cast in the shape of a calf. They have bowed down to it and sacrificed to it and have said, 'These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.'

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God called Moses to give him special commands on a high mountain.
So Moses went up to the mountain.

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When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain. The people started to worry more and more.

They worried if Moses had died.

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The people were so nervous that they came to demand Moses' brother, Aaron by saying, "Moses must be in big trouble. we are so worried. Make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don't know what has happened to him."

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Aaron thought that was not right but he was afraid of the people, so he decided to make something as they asked for. Aaron said to them, "Take off the gold earrings that your wives, your sons and your daughters are wearing, and bring them to me."

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After hearing Aaron's words, the people took off their earrings and brought them to Aaron. They gathered a lot of gold.

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Aaron melted all the gold gathered from the people and poured it into a mold in the shape of a calf.  They were making a fake god instead of trusting in the True God.

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Aaron made the big shape of a calf with the melted gold.

They shouted before it and said,

"These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt."

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When Aaron saw this, he built an altar in front of the calf and announced,

"Tomorrow there will be a festival to the LORD."

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The next day the people rose early and gathered in front of the golden calf.
They sacrificed as they sacrificed to God.
They made the idol and worshipped to it however, God was not pleased.

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In fact, God was very angry.
God tried to punish the Israelites who had made the golden calf and served it and had committed this great sin.

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Moses sincerely prayed to God, "God!! Please forgive these people. They are your people. Do not bring disaster on your people." God changed his mind because of Moses' plea.

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When Moses went down the mountain, the Israelites were dancing in front of the calf. Moses threw the tablets out of his hands, breaking them to pieces.

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And he took the calf they had made and burned it in the fire; then he ground it to powder, scattered it on the water and made the Israelites drink it.
They drank the water and then knew how big their fault had been.

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God punished many people who served the calf instead of God.
The Israelites were very sinful for serving the idol.

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We should know that God is the only real God. Something made by human hands can never be God. Even if it is made of gold, it cannot be God.
So we should not serve other idols.