Sermon Central
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Seared Beef Or Sacred Cows
Contributed by Craig Benner on Dec 27, 2020 (message contributor)
Summary: I am sure that we have all heard the term "sacred cows". How does a christian respond to such a situation? Is there a biblical answer? I believe that there is, so let us dive into this sermon.
Sacred Cows and Seared Beef
CALF WORSHIP
A heathen (notably Egyptian and Canaanite) practice, in which statues of bull calves were worshipped as symbols of fertility and physical strength. Contrary to the second commandment this was copied by the Israelites and by Jeroboam after the division of the kingdom, in both cases incurring God's wrath.
Aaron made a golden calf for the Israelites to worship
This act was born partly of impatience Ex 32:1-4 See also Ex 32:7-8; Ps 106:19-22; Ac 7:41
It was swiftly condemned Ex 32:19-20 See also Ex 32:35; Dt 9:16-21; Ps 106:23
King Jeroboam initiated calf worship
As a matter of expediency 1Ki 12:26-30 See also 2Ki 17:15-16; 2Ch 11:14-15; 2Ch 13:8
Jeroboam's sin was one of the main reasons for the Assyrian captivity 2Ki 17:18-28 See also Hos 8:4-9; Hos 10:5-6
Calf worship is detestable and useless
Dt 7:25; Isa 44:9-20; Isa 46:6-7; Ro 1:21-23
The egyptians had different gods that were in the form of cows or calves. Even baal worship had a cow god.
Exo. 32:1-4 Aaron
1 ¶ And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.
2 And Aaron said unto them, Break off the golden earrings, which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them unto me.
3 And all the people brake off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them unto Aaron.
4 And he received them at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
Ex 32:35 And the LORD plagued the people, because they made the calf, which Aaron made.
Neh. 9:18 Yea, when they had made them a molten calf, and said, This is thy God that brought thee up out of Egypt, and had wrought great provocations;
2 Kings 10:16-28 King Jehu devised a great plan to rid the kingdom of Baal worship. He is remembered as "the best of the bad kings". Why? He boldly confronted and worked to destroy Baal worship, but calf worship was another matter.
2 K. 10:29 Howbeit from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin, Jehu departed not from after them, to wit, the golden calves that were in Bethel, and that were in Dan.
For Jehu to successfully combat the worship of the calves, he would have to make peace with the king of Judah. For political reasons, he did not touch worship of calves.
Calf worship was so common among the pagans that even the people of God became comfortable with it being close to them.
Holy cow is a eupherism that is comical and yet so true in a mixed culture.
5 Thy calf, O Samaria, hath cast thee off; mine anger is kindled against them: how long will it be ere they attain to innocency?
6 For from Israel was it also: the workman made it; therefore it is not God: but the calf of Samaria shall be broken in pieces.
Sacred Cows is not just a Hindu problem or a problem for the children of Israel, it is a problem in many a church today.
How many sacred cows are we willing to put up with that are impeding the greater work that God wants to perform?
The very thing that should have been erradicated has become revered, or at the very least ignored, as if it is not a problem, nor has any bearing on present standing.
1 Kings 19:19-21 Elisha received and accepted the call.
He destroyed the yoke by making it firewood and grilled steaks for the community for his own farewell party.
Elisha shows us how not to let any "cows" to become sacred cows. When he received his call to the ministry, he didn't just put the cows in the barn for future need. He slaughtered his oxen and called the community to a barbecue feast. There were no sacred cows in his possession to give him trouble later on.
Ro 14:22
Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.
Il.: The emperor has no clothes. A tale of a king who believes that his suit is invisible, while everyone can easily see that it is not. He goes naked, but no one has the nerve to tell him the truth. So he goes on in his deceit.
