The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-07-06
THE LESSON STORY.

stages, attended with temporary descents.
THE LESSON STORY.
The Exodus story of the Golden Calf
demonstrates that an intense desire for
image-worship was part of the inherit
ance of the Children of Israel; and also
that there was need of the long disciplinary
trial of the wilderness wandering to pre-
pare them for entrance on their promised
natural domain.
1. The Revolt of the People,
VS.. 10.
The student of American history who
recalls the long continued deliberations
and discussions which attended the forma-
ton of the constitution of the Republic of
North America, will not wonder that
Moses when he had in hand the fashion
ing of the new government of his people,
should in the first place choose for him
self and his intimate advisers the mountain
solitude, and again that the meditations of
these pioneer statesmen should be pro-
tracted. A nation was to be shaped on a
new plan. 1t was to be nation whose
God should be Jehovah, and whose earthly
leader should be first of all Gods servant.
The duties of leadership and the daily life
of the people were to be infinitely directed
by national statutes. 1t was to be nation
saturated with religious symbolism. There
was to be tent or tabernacle, which was
to serve as the moving temple of the peo-
pie until they should have country of
their own; and this tabernacle was to be
in every item symbolic of things pertaining
the people would not be granted, at least
not readily. But all tile 6eobls brake off
the golden RINGS qVAicA 7Osys in their ears,
and brought them to Aay0n. There was
eagerness even to the point of self-sacriice
in the fanaticism which possessed the
people.
BY command of Aaron artifcers melted
the earrings and chiseled the product into
an image of calf. The more exact state
ment probably is that he made an image
of BULL a wooden image covered with
gold.
We assume that Aaron did not deliber-
ately intend to lead the people into idola-
try. The scholars tell us that bull-worship
was common among the Chaldeans before
the day of Abraham. This appears to
have been the highest early form of pagan
worship. The twelve oxen in Solomon's
temple supporting the sea of brass, were
"reminiscences of an ancient worship in the
East. The early psalmists used more an
cient phrases when they spoke of Jehovah's
"horn" being exalted; such phrases point
60 he af Da,fxr
We assume that these things, now dimly
discerned by us, were vivid and controlling
conceptions with Aaron. He may also
have had in mind the sacred bull Apis of
Egypt; he may have associated this con-
ception with that of his forefathers in the
East. But that he did not directly initiate
the Egyptians is apparent in the fact that
the Egyptians did not worship images of
bulls, but the living animals.
When the image was completed the peo-
pie hailed it with acceptance: This is thy
god, o Israel, that brought thee out Of tile
land of EGYPT. These words surely do
not specifically acknowledge the Egyptian
idol; they express instead acceptance of
symbol of their own Deity.
Aaron was, as appears to us, himself
pleased with the image. He appointed
the day following its completion as feast
to the Lord; feast of dedication. The
people were eager for the celebration.
They we're delighted to have a god they
could see. They had high anticipations
of what their image could do for them; the
image which the Jewish historian con-
temptuously names calf They brought
from their focks animals for sacrifice on
the altar which Aaron had placed before
the image. There was provision for gen.
eral eating and drinking. The people rose
early, to make their day of rejoicing long.
They abandoned themselvef to their sem
sual pleasure. The people sat doa0n TO eat
and to drink, and rose np to play. In this
word "play," as used in the Old Tesla
ment, is disagreeable suggestion. The
feast became carousal; the carousal be-
came scene of indecent debauchery.
So the people, or many of them, sudden
ly fell into the sacred indecencies and ami
malism which had made the prevailing
pagan religion a moral abomination.
1t is time for Moses to appear on the
scene.
2. Word is brought to Moses in
the Mountainous. 7, 8.
We are told in the record that the Lord
spake unto Moses informing him of the
exigency. In the Hebrew usage this might
mean that Moses was informed by COM
missioned agent, or by any undoubted wit
ness.
Moses was at first tempted to leave the
people to their own destruction; this he in
the first instance understood to be the will