• Date: October 6, 2024
• Bible Readings: Exodus 32:1-14
• The Point: Even when we turn away, God remembers God’s promises and welcomes us back.
• Free Resource: Made with Our Hands (3rd-6th, NL)
• Unit Theme (September 8—October 20): Promises Made, Promises Broken

The Israelites experienced fear and responded by taking control and making an idol in the form of a golden calf. How do we respond to fear?

After years of slavery and suffering, God answered the Israelites’ cries for help. God demonstrated power and inspired fear in the Egyptians, ultimately leading to the liberation of the Israelites from slavery. Since then, God parted the sea (Exodus 14), fed them bread from heaven (Exodus 16), provided them water (Exodus 15:22-27; 17:1-7), and has been giving instructions to Moses for a new way of life (Exodus 20–31).

Out of Sight, Out of Mind

As our story begins, Moses has been on Mount Sinai with God for forty days and forty nights (Exodus 24:15-18). It’s not stated directly, but it is reasonable that the cloud covering the mountain and the glory of the Lord remained the entire time. It was the people’s job to wait. As we all know, waiting is hard. As time passed, the people became more and more afraid. How do they know that their leader—their connection to God—is still alive? Without Moses, how can they be assured of God’s presence and protection?

Resolving Fear

What did they do with this fear? They tried to resolve it. A God who is invisible and omnipresent is hard to grasp, especially at a time when the use of cult images (idols) was extremely common. We can perceive God’s presence in either a manifestation (e.g., a burning bush, a column of fire and smoke) or an intermediary (Moses). The manifestation of God they experienced shortly after they arrived at Sinai (Exodus 20:18-19) frightened them, as standing near an erupting volcano would test even the bravest of us (and since the manifestation involved thunder, lightning, and the mountain smoking, a volcano is a pretty good analogy). And their human intermediary, Moses, had disappeared.

So, they fell back on what they had learned in Egypt: create a physical representation of a god (an idol). A nice, safe, and contained image. So, they pressured Aaron—the future high priest—to create a statue of God/gods.* And he did. In his later words to Moses, it was a miracle. Throw gold into a fire, and out comes a statue!

Wrath and Fear

They did this out of fear, but they should have been more afraid of breaking the whole “no graven images” commandment. At this point, God was done with them. “They’re hopeless! Let’s start over.” Moses stood between God and the people with two interesting arguments.

1. What will the Egyptians think? How will this affect your reputation?
2. Don’t forget your promises to our ancestors!

Surprisingly, this worked—mostly. Moses still ordered a slaughter, and God still sent a plague. But the people as a whole survived to complain another day.

Our Fears

What does this have to do with us? What does this have to do with faith formation? A common way to apply this story is to generalize the idol. “Sure, we don’t make statues and claim they are divine, but we put many priorities ahead of God.” This is a great and valuable application of the story (and the Commandments).

But I might suggest a variation on that. Ask the question: what do you do when you are afraid? Perhaps more specifically (for an older audience): what do you do when you are afraid that God isn’t there for you? Our common response is—and should be—to look back at what God has done and the promises God has given us and respond with patient faith. But even that might not be enough.

Reality Check

We must be cautious about casually throwing around responses like “God will provide,” “God will answer your prayers,” and “God will keep you safe.” Why? Because they are easy to disprove (at least from a certain point of view). People of faith can still suffer and die of lack of resources, while others have more than they can ever need. People of faith can suffer and die no matter how many prayers for healing they receive, possibly at the same rates as people without faith. Fear can lead to doubt, and doubt can lead to fear.

Faithful Response

How can we respond to this cycle of doubt and fear? Not with trite encouragements or throwing Bible verses at people. No, this is where the church comes in. The real church, not a building with its member roll. In a time of fear, uncertainty, and doubt, we need to sit with those who are suffering, not just telling people about Jesus, but being Jesus to them.

What if we are the ones filled with doubts and fears? Then be present for each other. Strive to trust and be vulnerable. Listen to each other and hear the stories of God in Scripture and in each others’ lives. For me, at least, God is most present with me in the presence of those who love and care for me.

In God’s love,

Gregory Rawn (Publisher)

* Were the Israelites demanding idols of a plurality of gods or an image of God/YHWH? I don’t have the time to do a thorough search, but the Hebrew word here is elohim, the plural noun commonly used to refer to our singular God (YHWH). While it seems more common to interpret this as multiple gods (the NRSV says “These are your gods” in v. 4), an argument in favor of the people demanding an idol of the singular God is that Aaron made one statue and used the formula so far used only to identify YHWH. Hebrew scholars, if I’m wrong, educate me!

Edited from the original written for October 11, 2020.

Free Resource

During the main Narrative Lectionary year (this year: September 8 to June 8), we provide a free resource download from one of our products to help you in your faith formation ministryThis week, download the activity “Made with Our Hands” from our Living the Word: Kids (3rd-6th, NL) curriculum, though this activity can be easily adapted for worship or other settings!

Order Faith Formation Resources

It’s not too late to order for the 2024-2025 program year! Narrative Lectionary, Revised Common Lectionary, Classic Sunday School, and more. Products are available for immediate download. If you don’t have much time for children’s Christian education, then check out our Kids Mini Lessons for the NL and RCL.

Are you still looking for shorter resources to launch the program year, family/intergenerational events, or Sunday school? Check out our Learning Together series, a set of five-lesson units on a variety of topics. You can read outside reviews on both our newest Do Justice and Created to Care units! Our faith formation resources are easy to use, theologically sound, and inclusive.

Introducing our newest Learning Together unit: Created to Care! Wonder at God’s creation and learn about what we can do to protect and heal it in these five lessons, intended for children and intergenerational groups, family or churchwide events, or Vacation Bible School. This curriculum is published in collaboration with BibleWorm, a weekly Narrative Lectionary podcast, to accompany their summer series on Creation Care.

At Spirit & Truth Publishing, we might have exactly what you are looking for:

• Resources for the Narrative Lectionary (2024-2025): Products for all ages (with NEW mini lessons, if you only have a short time for elementary faith formation).
• Classic Sunday School Curriculum: Key Bible stories for PK-2nd and 3rd-6th, also great for your Christian elementary school!
• Learning Together: Five-lesson, topical units for VBS, Sunday school, children, and intergenerational classes.
• Cross+Generational Confirmation
• Resources for the Revised Common Lectionary (2024-2025): Intergenerational classroom, mini lessons for children.
• Worship and Liturgy Education

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