Exodus 32:6-10: a reflection

6They rose up early on the next day, and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play. 7The LORD spoke to Moses, “Go, get down; for your people, whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves! 8They have turned away quickly out of the way which I commanded them. They have made themselves a molded calf, and have worshiped it, and have sacrificed to it, and said, ‘These are your gods, Israel, which brought you up out of the land of Egypt.’” 9The LORD said to Moses, “I have seen these people, and behold, they are a stiff-necked people. 10Now therefore leave me alone, that my wrath may burn hot against them, and that I may consume them; and I will make of you a great nation.”

The people of Israel, only weeks removed from God's mighty deliverance at the Red Sea and his awesome presence at Mount Sinai, grow impatient waiting for Moses, and they make a golden calf and worship it. God's word to Moses is stark: your people have corrupted themselves; they have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them. What is striking is how quickly it happened. So soon after such deliverance and such grace, the people turned aside to an idol.

Notice the speed of Israel's turning: they turned aside quickly. It was not a long, gradual drift over many years; it was a swift abandonment, coming soon after they had seen God's power and heard his voice. The human heart, this shows, can turn from God to idols alarmingly fast, even in the wake of great grace. Recent blessing is no guarantee of present faithfulness; the same people God had just delivered were quickly bowing to a calf.

That is a sobering warning. We might think that having known God's grace, having seen his hand, we are secure against turning away; but Israel shows how quickly the heart can turn aside, even after great blessing. The memory of grace fades fast, and idols rise quickly to fill the space. Guard your heart against a swift turning aside. Do not presume that because God has blessed you, you are safe from drifting; stay close to him, keep his grace fresh in your memory, and watch against the idols that can rise quickly in the heart. The people who had just been delivered turned aside quickly; keep near to God, lest you too turn aside faster than you would believe.

Lord, only weeks after your mighty deliverance and your presence at Sinai, Israel turned aside quickly to worship a golden calf; the human heart can turn from you to idols alarmingly fast, even in the wake of great grace. Sober me with that warning. I might think that having known your grace, having seen your hand, I am secure against turning away; but Israel shows how quickly the heart can turn aside, even after great blessing. The memory of grace fades fast, and idols rise quickly to fill the space. Guard my heart against a swift turning aside. Keep me from presuming that because you have blessed me, I am safe from drifting. Help me stay close to you, keep your grace fresh in my memory, and watch against the idols that can rise quickly in my heart. Hold me near to you, lest I too turn aside faster than I would believe. Keep me faithful, close to you.