October 28, 2010 – Exodus 31 - 32:20

Ch 31 v 6 Has the feel of the saying, “God won’t give you anything you and He cannot handle”.  Everything He ask us to do, He has either given us the tools to do or put people in our lives with the tools or skill to help us do them.  We should take a lot of confidence in the idea that if God calls us to do something, we will not be lacking in equipment or skill, only in our willingness to follow through. 

It doesn’t appear that Aaron needed much convincing to make the Golden Calf.  In the movies, during this scene, Aaron appears to be under a great deal of pressure and almost forced to make the calf, but that isn’t what I get from reading it.  He seems to be joining them in their wishes, not doing so under duress. 

Here we see Moses intercede for Israel.  We see language from the Lord similar to that told to Abraham about making him a great nation, from a single man.  Moses argues that if Israel is destroyed in the desert then Egypt will think God is evil to His own people.  And he brings up the promise to Abraham about the descendants that number as the stars.  So, God holds back His wrath but Moses does not.  He destroys the golden calf and makes the Israelites drink the remains.  I first thought that this was to show them that their god was made of material things that can be destroyed and disposed of.  But in thinking about it a little deeper, could this be an allusion to the Eucharist.  An imperfect eucharist, consuming of their god.