Exodus 32 Bible Study, Part 2

At last week’s Bible study we considered the second section of Exodus 32, the Golden Calf: 

19 And it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, that he saw the calf, and the dancing: and Moses' anger waxed hot, and he cast the tables out of his hands, and brake them beneath the mount.

20 And he took the calf which they had made, and burnt it in the fire, and ground it to powder, and strawed it upon the water, and made the children of Israel drink of it.

21 And Moses said unto Aaron, What did this people unto thee, that thou hast brought so great a sin upon them?

22 And Aaron said, Let not the anger of my lord wax hot: thou knowest the people, that they are set on mischief.

23 For they said unto me, 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.

24 And I said unto them, Whosoever hath any gold, let them break it off. So they gave it me: then I cast it into the fire, and there came out this calf. (NKJV)

Here are some questions:

Why does Moses break the tablets of stone in verse 20?

Why does he make the people drink the powdered idol in verse 20?

Does Aaron tell the truth in verses 22-24?

Read the text, consider, and then read below for my responses. Any regulars wishing to hear the discussion may email me for a link.

Why does Moses break the tablets of stone in verse 20?

He was genuinely angry. Having spent forty days with God, and the people having seen God’s power and authority, their rebellion was all the more galling. Sin evokes wrath. By breaking the tablets of stone, upon which were God’s own writing, he symbolised their breaking of God’s moral law. Idolatry is at the heart of the decalogue, and by manufacturing the idol, they had broken the lot. See now God’s wrath poured out on Christ at Calvary. Not now broken stones, but a broken man. 

Why does he make the people drink the powdered idol in verse 20?

Sin is not just an outward action, it’s an expression of the corruption of our innermost being. Drinking the burnt, powdered remains of the idol would presumably have provided an obnoxious taste in the moth and belly, a flavour of God’s own response to the whole affair. Its bitterness might dissuade them from again creating so loathsome a feast. Moses may have thought about illustrating the foolishness of ‘creating’ gods. These deities can be destroyed and consumed like some farmyard animal. The next time it was seen, it would have come out of their bowels in a stinking mess, which is what it always had been, even before Moses attacked it.

Does Aaron tell the truth in verses 22-24?

For the most part, yes, though like Eve, he tries to reduce his own guilt by blaming others. The bit at the end, when he seems to suggest that throwing the gold in the fire caused the calf to miraculously pop out is absurd. This may be why Moses refuses to dignify his brother’s claim with an answer. Alternatively, he was telling the truth, but not the whole truth. He conveniently omits the bit about his hammering the gold into shape. Either way, he shames himself. God can see through our lies and half-truths.