Designer Idols – Day 2

Apis, the golden calf

“So all the people broke off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them to Aaron. And he received the gold from their hand, and he fashioned it with an engraving tool, and made a moulded calf. Then they said, “This is your god, O Israel, that brought you out of the land Egypt!” Exodus 32:2-4 (NKJV)

Camped at the foot of Mount Sinai, the Israelites wondered if they would ever see Moses again? He went up a mountain, covered with smoke and fire while lightning and thunder roared over the peak. Surely, he is dead – they might have wondered – because who can endure that for 40 days and nights? They wanted security: their need to know that God has not forsaken them in the wilderness outweighed their patience.

Aaron moulded a calf from the gold he received from the nation. This was a transaction between Israel and Aaron – they paid for an idol – and from his engravers tool stood a golden calf statue to which they can offer and sacrifice too. But why a calf?

Religiously, Israel knew nothing else except the stories told of God by their ancestors, the miracles of their exodus, and the idol worship in Egypt. The calf represented the Egyptian deity Apis, who was offered to as a mediator between the people and the gods. And with Moses M.I.A, they wanted another mediator to represent the people in the presence of Yahweh.

Our impatience is not that far removed from Israel’s. When we need to hear from God, we will look for mediators instead of just sitting patiently at the foot of the mountain. We gladly pay for intercessors, councilors, or prophets to be the mediator and give us God’s Word. The desire to know about the security that God is there outweighs our faith, and so we build an Apis in our hearts.

God knew that this desire of the heart will cause us to sin and outweigh our faith, but for this to He had a plan. Jesus became our Mediator when He willingly hung on the cross. “For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus” 1 Timothy 2:5. This mediation is personal, intimate, and loving. He does not want your gold, He wants a relationship with you through Jesus, His Son.

Prayer: Father, I ask today that You will please show me the Apis I have built in my heart. I break this idol in my life through the only Mediator – Jesus Christ. Thank You Jesus for Your sacrifice and for becoming my Mediator before I ever know you. Please teach me to replace my impatience with faith in You. Amen.

We would love to pray with you prayer@womenoftheword.co.za