Now when the people saw that Moses delayed coming down from the mountain, the people gathered together to Aaron, and said to him, “Come, make us gods that shall go before us; for 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.” And Aaron said to them, “Break off the golden earrings which are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me.” So all the people broke off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them to Aaron. And he received the gold from their hand, and he fashioned it with an engraving tool, and made a molded calf. Then they said, “This is your god, O Israel, that brought you out of the land of Egypt!” So when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it. And Aaron made a proclamation and said, “Tomorrow is a feast to the LORD.” Exodus 32: 1-4, NKJV.
Merciful God, please show us Your glory, so that we will never desire to have any other God but You. This is our prayer in the holy name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Does our text sound familiar? I am sure it does. Our last two devotionals bear a striking resemblance to this portion of Scripture! Let us look at some of the similitude: The people go to a leader in search of help Aaron/Gideon. They are asked to give their possessions: golden earrings/golden earrings, and other possessions. The finished product: an item of “worship” a golden calf/an ephod. The end result: idolatry!
Let me make what I consider, a necessary explanation: Going to our leaders for help is not a sin, in itself. God has made a place for world leaders: ” He removes kings and raises up kings” (Daniel 2: 21b). “Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God” (Romans 13: 1, 2). I am sure these statements are fertile ground for some good theological debates and discussion. But if we are convinced that we have all been equipped with free choice, that should shed some light on our discussions.
The same is true about religious leaders. God has commissioned leaders within the church to, “feed” His sheep and lambs (John 21: 15-17). He has also declared, ” ‘ “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy and say to them, ‘ “Thus says the Lord GOD to the shepherds: ‘ “Woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flocks? You eat the fat and clothe yourselves with the wool; you slaughter the fatlings, but you do not feed the flock. The weak you have not strengthened, nor have you healed those who were sick, nor bound up the broken, nor brought back what was driven away, nor sought what was lost; but with force and cruelty you have ruled them. So they were scattered because there was no shepherd; and they became food for all the beasts of the field when they were scattered. My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and on every high hill; yes, My flock was scattered over the whole face of the earth, and no one was seeking or searching for them” ‘ “ (Ezekiel 34: 2-6). Very strong words!
It is obvious then, that there is a place for leaders in the world and in the church. The problems begin when we put these leaders or rulers in the place that should only be occupied by God. For example, there are certain requests that only God can supply an answer to. “[M]ake us gods that shall go before us,” is one of them. He is Creator and the One and Only True God. He is the only One who can fill that void for a god; someone to worship, in Your life . Human beings have tried and failed to fill that void. He created us with a need for Him, and only He can satisfy that need. Remember, at creation God breathed into humankind, “the breath of life.” As a consequence, I humbly believe, that at the beginning of every life, we all receive some of God, that makes us yearn for, more of God!
”Rule over us, both you and your son, and your grandson also; for you have delivered us from the hand of Midian,” is another such request. The children of Israel did not know how good they had it, until, they chose an earthly king (Saul) to “rule over” them, instead of God – even though God had warned them (See 1 Samuel chapter 8). Only God loves His people with an “everlasting love” (Jeremiah 31: 3)! Only He can forgive our trespasses and also cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1: 9). Only “His mercy endures forever” (Ezra 3: 11)!
Only God really delivers. John 8: 36: “Therefore, if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed[!]” You will know true freedom! Is there any wonder that Daniel, Meshach, Shadrach, and Abed-nego, could be free even in the land of their captivity? They were free to be themselves, and to be true to what they believed, and not be flattered by the invitation to eat of the king’s bounty. That is what real freedom is all about, not feeling a need to compromise what you believe – even in the face of death! They knew what it meant to have God rule over them in the land of freedom; and nothing changed in the land of their captivity! They had been delivered from self and were surrendered to God. As a result, they felt no pressure to subject themselves to any earthly power! Hallelujah!
Tomorrow we will bring this series to an end. But for what is left of today, give some careful thought to the question: Who rules over you? You might be surprised by what your answer could reveal.