Talk about really losing your grip due to a lack of patience. The Israelites really flubbed this one up. They were bored. Moses had been gone a long time. The sad part is that Moses was gone so long because he was working on the Israelites’ behalf. He was receiving detailed instructions on how to unite the Israelites and employ them, if you will, on divine tasks based on their individual gifts and talents. He was preparing the site map for what would become the greatest working team ever put together. This project would require dozens of skilled laborers, and Moses was getting ready to designate who those people were and bestow titles of leadership upon a select few. Likewise, while Aaron was making a pagan god to worship, God was laying out plans so that Aaron and his entire family line could be anointed as God’s official priests and spokesmen. They were to have privileges no one else would have. Aaron, in fact, was so special, that God gave Moses plans for his clothing – right down to his underpants! And the Levites were to be dressed for success, bejeweled and gussied up with pomegranates and bells, by the hand of God. God was probably super excited about presenting His plan to the Israelites. There was so much good news to share! And what did they do? They got impatient. It’s sort of like when your family is planning a surprise party for your birthday, but you don’t know they’re planning a surprise party. You just ASSume they all forgot … or are just complete jerks like so many birthdays before. So, you get angry and take yourself out to a birthday dinner of tacos and a triple scoop brownie sundae before heading home, where you find 15 people waiting for you behind a taco bar, a giant cake your kids spent all day baking … and more ice cream. Regret. Patience isn’t my thing. I’m better than I used to be, but I’m not sure how patient I would have been after Moses had been gone for several weeks. I can say for sure though, that I’m glad I don’t have to depend on one human person so much. Only a handful of them (remember Joshua and a few others were waiting halfway up the mountain) showed any independence and leadership. Why did the Israelites feel they needed Moses there to lead them? It’s sad that they didn’t realize that they could worship God on their own. It’s more sad that Aaron made a gold calf instead of taking the bull by the horns on this one. Har. Har. I couldn’t resist.
Writing prompt: bloody ending
I don’t quite understand the brutality that had to occur at the end of this chapter. I mean I do, but I don’t. I’ll add that to my list of questions to ask Jesus, but I’m curious what others think about it. Write your thoughts about this bloody ending today.
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