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This morning we continue our journey through the Old Testament book of Exodus by returning to the story of the golden calf in Exodus 32.

Then Moses turned and went down from the mountain with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand, tablets that were written on both sides; on the front and on the back they were written. The tablets were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, engraved on the tablets. When Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said to Moses, “There is a noise of war in the camp.” But he said, “It is not the sound of shouting for victory, or the sound of the cry of defeat, but the sound of singing that I hear.” And as soon as he came near the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, Moses’ anger burned hot, and he threw the tablets out of his hands and broke them at the foot of the mountain. He took the calf that they had made and burned it with fire and ground it to powder and scattered it on the water and made the people of Israel drink it. And Moses said to Aaron, “What did this people do to you that you have brought such a great sin upon them?” And Aaron said, “Let not the anger of my lord burn hot. You know the people, that they are set on evil. For they said to me, ‘Make us gods who shall go before us. 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.’ So I said to them, ‘Let any who have gold take it off.’ So they gave it to me, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf.” Exodus 32:15-24, ESV

I. The Song of __________

Sin is often initially a pleasurable experience. The writer of Hebrews speaks of “the fleeting pleasures of sin” (Hebrews 11:25b, ESV). However, happiness is not the measure of righteousness.

In other words, just because I say I’m happier than I’ve ever been doesn’t mean that God is blessing me, because for a season sin can make us very happy
Such self-deception often goes hand-in-hand with sinful self-centredness — that is, pursuing personal pleasure no matter the means to that end.

As soon as he came near the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, Moses’ anger burned hot… Exodus 32:19a, ESV

This is not sinful anger, but rather a righteous wrath in the face of outright rebellion against God by his own people. In his anger, Moses does a number of things.

He gave to Moses, when he had finished speaking with him on Mount Sinai, the two tablets of the testimony, tablets of stone, written with the finger of God. Exodus 31:18, ESV

Then Moses turned and went down from the mountain with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand, tablets that were written on both sides; on the front and on the back they were written. The tablets were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, engraved on the tablets. Exodus 32:15-16, ESV

We learn in Exodus 34 and from the New Testament book of Hebrews that the Ten Commandments were written on these tablets. Not long before, the people had gathered in the same place — at the foot of Mount Sinai — and had pledged their loyalty to the Lord.

“All that the Lord has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient.” Exodus 24:7b, ESV

II. The Dance of __________

Moses said to Aaron, “What did this people do to you that you have brought such a great sin upon them?” Exodus 32:21, ESV

Instead of admitting his fault, Aaron tries to deny his responsibility by playing the blame game.

“Let not the anger of my lord burn hot. You know the people, that they are set on evil. For they said to me, ‘Make us gods…’” Exodus 32:22-23a, ESV

“They said to me, ‘Make us gods who shall go before us. 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.’” Exodus 32:23, ESV

“So I said to them, ‘Let any who have gold take it off.’ So they gave it to me, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf.” Exodus 32:24, ESV