So many have built their own golden calf

Speaking with some Christians previously, we were discussing how God's people had rebelled against God even after witnessing the Red Sea part. One particular Christian I spoke with said that if he was there, he would have never done what they had. There are many Christians who think if it were them in place of either Adam or Eve, they would have never eaten the forbidden fruit. There are many Christians out there who think they would have not made a golden calf as God's people had after crossing the Red Sea.

Such Christians who think like this are deceiving themselves to think if they were there that they would not have made such choices. Perhaps they would have, perhaps they would have not. But to be confident in one's mind thinking one would have done better is to be prideful of their own strength and understanding. Such thinking and such people would actually be the prime candidate for such deception. We must humble ourselves and know how the flesh can make such choices and decisions. Your enemy is not only the devil but it can be the person you look in the mirror every day.

When Moses went up Mt Sinai for 40 days and nights, according to the people Moses had delayed. God's people were not abandoning HIM. After all, they had witnessed God's judgment and miracles on Egypt. They had just witnessed the Red Sea part with the Egyptians destroyed. They had seen the salvation of the Lord!

Exodus 32:1-7 WHEN THE people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, [they] gathered together to Aaron, and said to him, Up, make us gods to go before us; as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.2 So Aaron replied, Take the gold rings from the ears of your wives, your sons, and daughters, and bring them to me. 3 So all the people took the gold rings from their ears and brought them to Aaron.4 And he received the gold at their hand and fashioned it with a graving tool and made it a molten calf; and they said, These are your gods, O Israel, which brought you up out of the land of Egypt!5 And when Aaron saw the molten calf, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation, and said, Tomorrow shall be a feast to the Lord.6 And they rose up early the next day and offered burnt offerings and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play. 7 The Lord said to Moses, Go down, for your people, whom you brought out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves;  8 They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them; they have made them a molten calf and have worshiped it and sacrificed to it, and said, These are your gods, O Israel, that brought you up out of the land of Egypt!

When the people thought Moses had delayed, they lost patience and planned on going ahead on their own. They told Aaron to make gods to go before them. They did not know if Moses was coming back or not. Perhaps Aaron had such fear as well thinking whether Moses would return or not and that is why he gave into their demands. However, they had not abandon the Living God. In their minds, they were building thing(s) that would help them move forward. In verse 5, Aaron said they would have a feast to the Lord and in verse 6, they had offered burnt offerings and brought peace offerings. In verse 8, the people said, "These are your gods, O Israel, that brought you up out of the land of Egypt!" The people had built their own idols to mingle with the Living God and was stealing His Glory.

Even today, many Christians steal God's glory through their idols of pride, impatience, jealousy, humanism, self righteousness, coveting, wrongfully judging others, their own works in stead of works of obedience, and etc. Many Christians continue to defile God's temple by mingling secular worldly idols not only into His physical buildings of worship but their hearts as well. They do this out of impatience or for the love of the world. Many Christians instead of waiting for God's time create their own methods and process to go ahead of what was promised instead of waiting for HIM.

He requires a HOLY people set apart for HIM but we continue throughout the generations to bring the world into our churches! And we wonder why some of us are sick? Come out from the love of the world and stop participating in her sins.

Exodus 32:35 (AMP) And the Lord sent a plague upon the people because they made the calf which Aaron fashioned for them.

Revelation 18:4 I then heard another voice from heaven saying, Come out from her, my people, so that you may not share in her sins, neither participate in her plagues.

I heard our pastor in California preach on a question he had. The pastor was wondering even after Moses had come down broken the tablets in anger, melted the calf and made the Israelite drink it why the 3000 people still had chosen the wrong side? In those time, acts against God may have required one to be stoned so death was a possibility to those who had rebelled against God. The revelation our pastor had received was that those who died that day did not realize they had done anything wrong. This is why they risked their side knowing death was a possibility. Would people not choose to die for what they believe to be right?

Exodus 32:26-28 Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Whoever is on the Lord's side, let him come to me. And all the Levites [the priestly tribe] gathered together to him.27And he said to them, Thus says the Lord God of Israel, Every man put his sword on his side and go in and out from gate to gate throughout the camp and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbor.28And the sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses; and there fell of the people that day about 3000 men.

The problem is that the 3000 thought the Lord was on their side as well because they believed they had done nothing wrong. They had believed in their cause or what they were doing.

I could speak to many Christians today on how they are breaking God's commandments and stealing His money. But many would rebuke me and they would continue to believe in what they do or not do. They would believe all that they do is allowed by Grace. They would believe they are doing nothing wrong yet their homes and families may be in chaos. His Grace is there for us to get things right with HIM. His Grace is NOT there so we can mingle with the world and make idols for ourselves sharing His temple with lustful things.

You can have a Christian or player waving a big sign John 3:16 in a sports stadium of 80,000 screaming fans on the Lord's Day but do not think Lord is going to accept worship with a golden calf competing with HIM on His Day. Just because we make a feast unto the Lord does not mean He will accept it if we bring our own personal golden calves. God told Moses the people had corrupted themselves. It can look good on the outside because someone is professing or holding a big sign of scripture verses but God will reject what has been defiled or corrupted in the heart. Do not be so prideful to think we cannot become corrupted.

1 Corinthians 10:14 (AMP) Therefore, my dearly beloved, shun (keep clear away from, avoid by flight if need be) any sort of idolatry (of loving or venerating anything more than God).

James 4:4 (AMP) You [are like] unfaithful wives [having illicit love affairs with the world and breaking your marriage vow to God]! Do you not know that being the world's friend is being God's enemy? So whoever chooses to be a friend of the world takes his stand as an enemy of God.

We all need more Grace!! Lord, give us more Grace and Mercy so we can receive your salve onto our eyes and we may rent our clothes and come to the throne through repentance. Help us restore broken fellowship with you by forsaking the things of the world that have caused the tear between you and your people. Lord have mercy on your people. Awaken them from their slumber and slothfulness!


Exodus 23:24-26 You shall not bow down to their gods or serve them or do after their works; but you shall utterly overthrow them and break down their pillars and images. 25 You shall serve the Lord your God; He shall bless your bread and water, and I will take sickness from your midst.26None shall lose her young by miscarriage or be barren in your land; I will fulfill the number of your days.


Please remember, the promises of God are all conditional.

Fire of God!
Steve Yong Kim
January 12, 2012