Rev. Don Campbell
Exodus 30-32
THOUGHT FOR TODAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2019 WHEN LEADERS BECOME FOLLOWERS
When Moses did not return from the mountain top as quickly as the people had anticipated, they said to Aaron: “‘Up, make us gods who shall 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.’” So Aaron said to them, ‘Take off the rings of gold that are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me’” (Ex 32:1). Aaron obliged and not only made a golden calf for them to worship as their god, but he also built an altar before it and made a proclamation: “tomorrow shall be a feast to the Lord” (32:2-5). “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” (32:6).
Their play was not an innocent game of touch football, but a Marda Gras-like day of debauchery: “For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ. Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness. Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did. Do not be idolaters as some of them were; as it is written, ‘The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.’ We must not indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day” (1 Cor 10:6-8).
God offered to destroy them and make Moses a great nation, but Moses interceded for them and they were spared. Moses confronts Aaron: “And Moses said to Aaron, ‘What did this people do to you that you have brought such a great sin upon them?’ And Aaron said, ‘Let not the anger of my lord burn hot. You know the people, that they are set on evil. For they said to me, “Make us gods who shall 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”’ So I said to them, ‘Let any who have gold take it off.’ So they gave it to me, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf.”
“I threw it into the fire and out came a calf.” Moses, if you buy that “I got some ocean front property in Arizona; From my front porch you can see the sea; I got some ocean front property in Arizona; If you’ll buy that I’ll throw the golden gate in free” (George Strait, 1987 Country Music Song of the Year).
CONNECTIONS – 1 Cor 11:1
1. Many times we read defenses of departures from the New Testament pattern of worship with excuses much like the one Aaron gave: “That’s what this generation wants.” The French politician Alexandre “Auguste Ledru-Rollin who championed the cause of the working class during the French Revolution (1847), upon seeing a crowd marching through the streets, said, “There go the people. I must follow them, for I am their leader.” Is our problem in politics and in the church today leaders who follow instead of lead?
2. Leaders must first learn to follow before they can lead. Jesus said, “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.” Paul said, “Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ” (1 Cor 11:1). Are these two connected: Leaders following followers because they have not learned to follow Christ?
“Link to YouTube Video – Where He Leads Me I Will Follow.”
