Read Exodus 19.3-6, 32.1-14
Last time we saw God lift his people from slavery at the hands of a cruel oppressor. Now he seeks to establish them in a good place and to help them live in a way that leads to their flourishing as a community. It’s time for another contract, and this time it’s two sided. God will lay out his expectations, and if the people keep them, they will be his personal and treasured possession. The people readily agree, and God sets out the ways to live. Ways to ensure everyone thrives and is safe. Things like not stealing – including other people’s spouses – or being jealous of what others have. Taking a day to rest from work, not worshipping false gods or objects, not murdering or telling lies about another. It’s hard to dispute that these things are good! Surely everyone would thrive best if these ways are respected. And the most important of all is that only God is to be worshipped.
If God demands his people worship him does that mean he has a pretty big ego? Well, lets imagine we ask instead who the best footballer is in the world today. Whoever I ask, I get one of two answers. Its Ronaldo or Messi. Messi or Ronaldo. So, let’s say I ask one of them who the best footballer is. Would it be egotistical if they reply ‘Me’? We can hardly agree that they are the best and then argue they’ve no right to say so!
The God of the Bible claims to be ‘The Best’. The most compassionate and gracious, abounding in love and faithfulness. Slow to anger, loving and forgiving, and also just. If this is true, then would he be egotistical to say so? Or would he simply be directing people to know ‘The Best’ who will ever exist? If it were true, would he not be evil if he failed to do so?
All seems to be going well, but then there is a spectacular fall from grace. The people grow impatient of waiting for Moses, their leader, to return from meeting with God and urge his brother Aaron to make them a new god out of melted jewellery. They worship this lump of metal, presenting it sacrifices and praising it for rescuing them from slavery. And God’s anger burns. The people whom he saved and treasured and loved have abandoned him for a golden calf. How can they put their faith in something so useless? They have broken the contract and he has every right to wash his hands of them.
Great love must provoke anger when the subject of that love is harmed or harms itself. To be indifferent, to say it doesn’t really matter, reveals a lack of genuine love. God wants the best for his creation, and yet they’re so easily satisfied with rubbish. When I choose to give all my time to seeking my own comfort over all else, when I speak badly of others rather than speaking to them, when I trust my happiness to my appearance or other’s opinions of me, I harm myself and I harm others. And I miss out on flourishing in the way I could if I chose to trust that the Creator of the Universe actually knew what he was doing.
Reflect
How do you feel about God demanding your worship?
What things or people do you give your ultimate devotion to instead? Is the outcome always good?
Does God’s anger here provoke fear for you? What difference does it make to know it is motivated by great love?
Susie lives in NE Fife and works in ministry. She loves being with friends, feeding people and half finished creative projects.
