Moses stayed with God for forty days and forty
nights. The people grew restless, and finally they
went to Aaron and said, “We don’t know what’s
happened to Moses. Make us a god we can see,
one that will be with us.”
So they gave Aaron their gold earrings, and he
melted them down. He then formed the gold into
the shape of a calf. The people were happy with
this and said, “This is the god who brought us out
of Egypt!” They sacrificed to it and had a feast.
Afterwards they celebrated with a wild party.
On the mountain, God said to Moses, “Go
down to your people, the ones you brought
out of Egypt. They’ve corrupted themselves
and turned away from what I told them to do.
They’ve made an idol and bowed down to it
with sacrifices. Step aside and don’t stop Me. I’ll
destroy them and make your descendants into a
great nation.”
Moses pleaded with God, “Don’t be so angry
with your people, the ones you brought out of
Egypt with a mighty hand. If you destroy them
now, the Egyptians will laugh and say you brought
them here to kill them. Remember your promise
to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. You said their
descendants would inherit the land, and become
as numerous as the stars in the sky.” So the Lord
listened to Moses and didn’t destroy the people.
Moses then went down the mountain with the
two stone tablets God had given him. He got
angry when he saw the calf and the dancing. He
threw the two tablets down and shattered them
on the ground. He burned the golden calf in
the fire, ground it to powder, put it in water, and
made the Israelites drink it.
Then Moses said to Aaron, “Why did you
make this golden calf? Look at the people! See
how it has caused them to go into deep sin.”
Aaron said, “Please don’t be angry with me.
You know how wicked these people are. They said,
‘Make us a god.’ I told them to give me their gold. I
threw it into the fire and … out came this calf!”
Moses then stood at the gate of the camp.
He saw how the people were still out of control.
He shouted, “Those who are on the Lord’s
side, come and stand with me!” The sons of
Levi separated themselves from the rest of the
people and stood with Moses. The Lord then
commanded them to strap on their swords and
fight against those who refused to stand with
Moses. Three thousand men died that day.
Afterwards, Moses called the people together
and said, “You have committed a great sin. I’ll
go before the Lord, and maybe I can make an
atonement for you.” With that, he went back up
the mountain.
© God Child