Yesterday’s combined post was too long, so I will go back to having separate posts.
I’ve written about the Regulative Principle of Worship, and this is an excellent example. We see here Aaron and the people attempting to worship perhaps the true God, the God who brought them out of Egypt as we just read, but doing it in a very false way. go back and read all the details in the previous chapters.
Exodus 29:46 And they shall know that I am the LORD their God, that brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, that I may dwell among them: I am the LORD their God.
Notice the underlined texts…..
Exo 32:1 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 forthis Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.
Exo 32:2 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.
Exo 32:3 And all the people brake off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them unto Aaron.
Exo 32:4 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.
Exo 32:5 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.
Exo 32:6 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.
Exo 32:17 And when Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said unto Moses, There is a noise of war in the camp.
Exo 32:18 And he said, It is not the voice of them that shout for mastery, neither is it the voice of them that cry for being overcome: butthe noise of them that sing do I hear.
Exo 32:19 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.
So what do we see, making a graven image, an idol, building a false altar, making proclamations, observing a feast (even one supposed to be to the LORD, making offerings, eating, drinking, playing, shouting singing and dancing.
Exo 32:20 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.
Exo 32:21 And Moses said unto Aaron, What did this people unto thee, that thou hast brought so great a sin upon them?
Exo 32:22 And Aaron said, Let not the anger of my lord wax hot: thou knowest the people, that they are set on mischief.
Exo 32:23 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.
Exo 32:24 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.
Exo 32:25 And when Moses saw that the people were naked; (for Aaron had made them naked unto their shame among their enemies:)
Add to the list of errors, polytheism (gods), lying (v24), and the pure paganism practice of naked rituals.
I wonder today how many errors, maybe of good intentions or of following the majority of the people’s desires have crept into our own ways of worship. How many false shepherds and hirelings leading the church do we have as our Aaron’s leading us astray. We certainly have more freedom and liberties today, but how far do these go. Perhaps start with some old readings from The Westminster Confession of Faith. The first link will lead you to all three chapters.
20 Of Christian Liberty, and Liberty of Conscience
21 Of Religious Worship, and the Sabbath Day
Btw…there was a useful post by a woman blogger yesterday , who makes a plea for current day discernment.
Fighting Off the Wolves
20 Tuesday Mar 2018
Posted by Michelle Lesley in Discernment
Joh 10:11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
Joh 10:12 But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.
Joh 10:13 The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.
Rainbow Trout 