RTW 2023

When the people saw how long it was taking Moses to come back down the mountain, they gathered around Aaron. “Come on,” they said, “make us some gods who can lead us. We don’t know what happened to this fellow Moses, who brought us here from the land of Egypt.” So Aaron said, “Take the gold rings from the ears of your wives and sons and daughters, and bring them to me.” All the people took the gold rings from their ears and brought them to Aaron. Then Aaron took the gold, melted it down, and molded it into the shape of a calf. When the people saw it, they exclaimed, “O Israel, these are the gods who brought you out of the land of Egypt!” Aaron saw how excited the people were, so he built an altar in front of the calf. Then he announced, “Tomorrow will be a festival to the Lord!” The people got up early the next morning to sacrifice burnt offerings and peace offerings. After this, they celebrated with feasting and drinking, and they indulged in pagan revelry.
Exodus 32:1-6

The LORD passed in front of Moses, calling out, “Yahweh! The LORD! The God of compassion and mercy! I am slow to anger and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness. I lavish unfailing love to a thousand generations. I forgive iniquity, rebellion, and sin. But I do not excuse the guilty. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children and grandchildren; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations.”
Exodus 34:6-7

• Moses is on the mountain receiving instructions from God.
• In the middle of God’s description of the building of the tabernacle, we find the account of the golden calf.
• For every good thing God creates, the enemy makes a counterfeit.
• The Tabernacle was God’s plan for worship.
• The golden calf represented man’s counterfeit system of worship.
• The Tabernacle represented a faith based system of worship.
• The golden calf represented “seeing is believing” based on the world’s traditions.
• True faith is patient for God to fulfill His promises.
• True faith trusts God, even when you can’t see Him.
• True faith is obedient to God’s Word.
• True faith is walking in holiness.
• True faith trusts in the sacrifice of Christ.
• John 3:16
• Philippians 2:8
• Romans 12:1-2

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Be mindful of “counterfeit faith” in the world. Walk in true faith.