Consecrate From Being Unrestrained
Exodus 32: 22 So Aaron said, “Do not
let the anger of my lord become hot. You know the people, that they are set
on evil. 23 For they said to me, ‘Make us gods that
shall go before us; as for this Moses, the man who brought us out of the
land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.’ 24 And
I said to them, ‘Whoever has any gold, let them break it off.’ So they
gave it to me, and I cast it into the fire, and this calf came out.”
25 Now when Moses saw that the people
were unrestrained (for Aaron had not restrained them, to their
shame among their enemies), 26 then Moses stood in the entrance
of the camp, and said, “Whoever is on the Lord’s side—come to
me!” And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together to him. 27 And
he said to them, “Thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘Let every man put his
sword on his side, and go in and out from entrance to entrance throughout the
camp, and let every man kill his brother, every man his companion, and every
man his neighbor.’ ” 28 So the sons of Levi did
according to the word of Moses. And about three thousand men of the people fell
that day. 29 Then Moses said, “Consecrate yourselves
today to the Lord, that He may bestow on you a blessing this day, for every man
has opposed his son and his brother.”
============
Aaron spoke to Moses, explaining why he made the golden
calf. Moses told the people that they brought shame on themselves to their
enemies. He then had the people choose whether they would follow GOD.
My Observations:
- Aaron
tried to say that the calf just “came out,” not taking full responsibility
for making the calf.
- About
three thousand people spoke against following GOD.
- The
tribe of Levi put those who were against GOD, to death.
Acting unrestrained was the problem that was exposed by
Moses’s absence. There were people who opposed following GOD but had not had
the chance to openly verbalize it until Moses was gone for a while. When he
went to meet the LORD, the people who did not want to follow GOD, jumped into
temporary leadership and influenced everyone to “play.”
Moses had about three thousand people put to death who would
cause problems with following the LORD. GOD’s mission to save humanity would be
threatened by people who would keep JESUS from going to the cross, or even
being born. The same happens today metaphorically when people oppose those who
sincerely preach the gospel. GOD had Moses deal with the opposition.
Challenge
- Why
did GOD remind Moses about dealing with the opposition in the camp?
- Have
you been around people who opposed your relationship with GOD?
- Is
there anyone in your circle who is opposing your relationship with GOD who
may need to be put out of your circle?
