And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, 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. And Aaron said unto them, Break off the golden earrings, which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them unto me. And all the people brake off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them unto Aaron. And he received them at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. And when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation, and said, To morrow is a feast to the LORD. And they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play. And the LORD said unto Moses, Go, get thee down; for thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves: (Exo 32:1-7)
How quickly the children of Israel forgot GOD, and His deliverance. How quickly they forgot His Holiness, and His commands that the Lord Himself had preached to them a short time ago. To them, Moses is gone, and GOD is busy, so they needed a god they could see, despite the command against idolatry and graven images. Aaron bowed to the majority, even though they were wrong, and made a god for them to worship. But what a worship and display of depravity. Debauchery, idolatry, and even taking His Name in vain, as they declared a statue to be GOD, and committed both spiritual and physical adultery while offering sacrifices to 'the Lord'.
But, at times we are no better, though we should be, for we have the Holy Spirit within to convict and correct, even chastise when needed. We who know Christ, and have received Him by faith, know His Holiness, and His Word. We have doctrine to teach, reproof to speak in love, correction to apply, and instructions to heed from GOD's Word. We have Truth to live, and a Gospel to preach and proclaim, that tells us of His love and His Judgments on sIn, worldliness, and our life in Him.
We are here not to be apart of the world, but as ambassadors of the Kingdom to this lost and dying world. We are here to minister to the hurting and in need that they may see Jesus in us, the hope of Glory. We are here to disciple one another in Truth and in Love, that others may know we are His disciples. We are here to proclaim the Good News of forgiveness and mercy because of our faith in His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary. As we go, we are to live the Gospel we preach, and share His love and mercy with all who will hear and believe, that in believing they may have life in His Name.
For GOD is not willing that any should perish, but that all would come to repentance and the knowledge of the Truth. Jesus loves you and wants to establish a covenant relationship with you that is real and personal. Surrender to Him on His terms and He will give you a brand new life of discipleship and fellowship with Him that is abundant and everlasting. GOD calls you to trust Him and what He has already done for you to pay your sIn debt. He has provided the only way of reconciliation with GOD with forgiveness and Salvation through Jesus Christ, the Son of GOD who is GOD the Son, to give you a new life in Christ. Turn away from yourself and your sIn and turn to Him alone for eternal Life, now and always.
In Christ,
Jefferson Sweet