FAITH DISRUPTED
Exodus 32:1-14
Introduction
Our Faith Journey is always in danger of being disrupted. Be aware of the things that get in our way. They sometimes catch us by surprise.
When the children of Israel acted in faith and put the blood of the lamb on their doorpost, they escaped the terror of the tenth plague. Pharaoh and set them free to follow Moses into the wilderness. They marched across the Red Sea on dry land. They saw bitter waters turned into drinkable water. They were led by a pillar of cloud and fire.
50 days after leaving Egypt they arrived at Mt. Sinai. The mountain was wrapped in smoke, the mountain trembled, the Lord called Moses up. He was on the mountain for 40 days and 40 nights (Exodus 24:18).
Exodus 31:18 And he gave to Moses… the two tablets of … stone, written with the finger of God.
From the foot of the mountain, the Children of Israel did not know what Moses was hearing and experiencing. Over the course of the 40 days their faith began to waver. Their faith was disrupted/ severe consequences.
When the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people gathered themselves together to Aaron and said to him, “Up, 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.” 2 So Aaron said to them, “Take off the rings of gold that are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me.” 3 So all the people took off the rings of gold that were in their ears and brought them to Aaron. 4 And he received the gold from their hand and fashioned it with a graving tool and made a golden[a] calf. And they said, “These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!” 5 When Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it. And Aaron made a proclamation and said, “Tomorrow shall be a feast to the Lord.” 6 And they rose up early the next day and offered burnt offerings and brought peace offerings. And the people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.
7 And the Lord said to Moses, “Go down, for your people, whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves. 8 They have turned aside quickly out of the way that I commanded them. They have made for themselves a golden calf and have worshiped it and sacrificed to it and said, ‘These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!’” 9 And the Lord said to Moses, “I have seen this people, and behold, it is a stiff-necked people. 10 Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them, in order that I may make a great nation of you.”
- Exodus 32:1-10, ESV
5 Faith Truths We learn in this Text
1. FAITH IS DISRUPTED BY IMPATIENCE (32:1)
They didn’t know much about Moses - we have more insights into his story. He’s been gone 40 days.
Wiersbe: “Impatience is often the cause of impulsive actions that are sinful. Israel didn’t know how to live by faith and trust God regardless of where their leader was.”
Merida: God has not given us a script. He says, “I will be with you. Trust me. Trust in my timing. My purposes are good and best.” When you try to do things your way, in your time, you fall into sin…Trust in God’s goodness and wait for him.”
Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
How many times have we given up faith when we perceived a delay in answer to prayer? Faith can be disrupted when we get impatient and try to make our own way without trusting God.
2. FAITH IS DISRUPTED BY INFLUENTIAL PEOPLE (32:2-4a)
Aaron’s participation here is puzzling. He is Moses’ older brother. He was with Moses during plagues / visits Pharaoh. He listened to the crowd and followed the wrong path. Aaron’s feeble faith will cost the nation of Israel. Allowed the crowd to sway him to use the gold that was a symbol of victory over Egypt to create an idol. Here is a good reminder that influential people can get in the way of our faith. Peer Pressure is a real thing. Someone we know or someone who has influence like an author / speaker /celebrity / sports figure - if they are leading us away from God we should be alert! We have to be careful to never let another person disrupt our faith.
3. FAITH DISRUPTED BY COMPETITION (32:4b-6)
Living in Egypt for 430 years, they brought with them pagan concepts of idol worship. Idols in the form of calf/bulls was common. Part of their idolization was to be involved in the sexual festivities of the pagan fertility festivals. Their revelry made such a noise that Moses and Joshua heard it as they made their way down the mountain. This event reverberates throughout Scripture. Nehemiah, David, Stephen and Paul all refer to this event. Nothing can take the place of God in our lives - but there will be many things to try! When you worship the wrong thing, it never works out.
Psalm 16:4 The sorrows of those who take another god for themselves will multiply.
What might be your golden calf today?
4. FAITH DISRUPTED BY UNYIELDING SPIRIT (32:7-10)
The Bible says the Israelites were an obstinate people - stubborn, stiff-necked. This term is used repeatedly in the OT, but this is the first time.
2 Chronicles 30:8 Do not now be stiff-necked as your fathers were, but yield yourselves to the Lord and come to his sanctuary, which he has consecrated forever, and serve the Lord your God, that his fierce anger may turn away from you.
“There’s nothing going on now that Moses didn’t find when he came down the mountain.” - Mary Lomas
Our commitment to the Lord is to be a people who yield. Faith can be disrupted by: Impatience, Influence, Idols and an unyielding spirit. How do we turn our faith around when it’s been disrupted? Look at Moses - Man of Prayer!
5. PRAYER POWER TO RESTORE FAITH (32:11-15)
But Moses implored the Lord his God and said, “O Lord, why does your wrath burn hot against your people, whom you have brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? 12 Why should the Egyptians say, ‘With evil intent did he bring them out, to kill them in the mountains and to consume them from the face of the earth’? Turn from your burning anger and relent from this disaster against your people. 13 Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, to whom you swore by your own self, and said to them, ‘I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have promised I will give to your offspring, and they shall inherit it forever.’” 14 And the Lord relented from the disaster that he had spoken of bringing on his people.
Exodus 32:11-15, ESV
PRAY WITH PASSION - Moses implored the Lord (11) Put your heart into your prayers.
PRAY FOR OTHERS - Moses interceded on behalf (11:b) Intercession - prayed on behalf of the people
PRAY WITH DIVINE PURPOSE - (12). God was to be exalted among all the people. Moses asks God to consider what others would say.
PRAY WITH DIVINE PROMISE (13).Prayed about God’s promises. Moses appealed to the character of God in his prayer.
PRAY WITH DIVINE WORDS (13) He reminded God of His words. Though he did not have a Bible, he prayed from the story of God!
PRAY UNTIL GOD RESPONDS. Don’t give up (14) God listened and relented at this moment from his plan. Our prayers make a difference!
Conclusion
1. The ultimate setting of this story is the great contrast between the holiness of God and our own lack of holiness and commitment.
2. Were it not for the great mercy of God, this story would have ended quite differently - and so would our story.
3. It also reminds us that prayer works - God is moved by our prayers.
Resources
Roper, Coy D. Truth for Today Commentary: Exodus
Weirsbe, Warren W. The Bible Exposition Commentary: Genesis - Deuteronomy
Merida, Tony. Christ-Centered Exposition: Exalting Jesus in Exodus
Motyer, J. A. The Message of Exodus, The Bible Speaks Today series.
