The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1907-07-18
THE GOLDEN
CALF
Sunday School Lesson Tor July rs. 1907
Specially Prepared for This Paper
Specially Prepared fer This Paper


Memory verses. "a. 30.
GOLDEN TENr.-"Glttio children keep
yourselves from IDOLS John 5.2l.
TIME. Sometime In July. h. G.. 1871
according TO the common Chronology.
toward the close OF Moses forty days on
Mount Sinai six or seven weeks after the
giving Of the law.
PLACE.-The people are still cncamacd
before Mount Sinai in the Valley OF kL
Rahah.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES Warn
ings against modern idolatry. Rom. 1,2i-
Is 1 Cor. $40; i0.iA 20-2, 1 John sci;
Rev 2t:S.
Comment and Suggestive Thought.
After the commandments had been
given by God through Moses and the
covenant assented to by the people.
Moses again went up into the mount
to obtain the commandments In more
permanent FORM written on tablets OF
stone. and to receive further instruc-
tons; and also TO be prepared by his
intimate communion with God for his
long and difficult work OF forming the
people into a nation that could dwell
in the promised lans. Every quality
Of mind and OF spirit was to be taxed
10 the utmost. Every minister. every
teacher. every believer needs, says
Joseph Parker. periods OF solitude
and communing with God: away from
the fray. the battle. the race. but re-
cc1ving nourishment. nutriment. in
SEPARATION. comfort, and even words by
which to express the divine thought.
And. coming back from the mountain
o. contemplation. he touches life with
a steadier hand. and does HIS duty
with a completer obedience and more
radiant cheerfulness."
V. 1. Saw that Moses delayed"
He was gone 40 days lex. 25:iS). al.
most seven weeks. n the week with
the leaders In the lower parts OF the
mountain Is to be added lex. 24:9, 49,.
The absence OF Moses was 4 time %
testing both the leaders and the peo-
pie They had just taken the cath Of
allegiance to God. and unanimously
promised to obey him.
vi Up. make us gods" or a god,
(which shall go before us" and be our
leader They could not zee God and
they wanted some visible expression
OF God They had several manifesto.
tons Of God.--the pillar % cloud and
fire. the glory on the mountain. and
the daily mamma but even these be-
came so common that they did not
make them realize the presence Of
God. They had just come from the
land OF idols, heather gods every
where. All these gods could be seen.
The attractions OF idolatry were OF
no mean power. They were familiar
with the way In which the idols OF the
heather we're worshiped, with feasting
and rioting and unrestralncd licen'
tiousness. In marked contrast with the
purity and self-control required by
jehovah
V. s. And when Aaron saw II
(thisl." Saw In what llght the peo-
pie viewed the image. HE built an
altar before II and said to-mor
row Is a feast to the Lord" God was
still to be worshiped. but under the
form OF calf Probably Aaron
thought he was very shrewd IN thus
saving for God what he could OF honor
and reverence.
SO Jehu boasted OF bis zeal for the
Lord OF hosts while he was worship
ing the golden calves OF Joroboam e
Kings 1916. 2s).
V. Z. The Lord said unto Moses
Go. get thee down" Moses in the
thick cloud which covered the top Of
Sinai could not see or hear what was
going on below But IL was no time
for him 10 remain apart. even In com.
munion with God; there was work 10
do below. which his mountain-top ex-
perience fitted him to do. So the three
disciples who viewed the Transhgura-
ton weer not allowed to remain on
the Mount. but were sent down 10
their daily work where the others were
in vain trying 10 cure a demoncon-
trolled boy.
To test him. God offered to destroy
the nation and make Moses the second
Abraham Of a new and r-eater people.
Moses stood the test, rejected the
tempting offer. and urged upon God
three pleRs for mercy. Moses hasten
ed down he mountainside. with
Joshua. who lad been waiting for him.
Soon they came In sight OF the abom-
Unable idol, ard the frenzied worship
ers dancing. half naked, around it.
Probably there was a power not only
in his soul. but In his appearance
some CLEANS of that glory described
In FIX. 34:35.
The breaking of the tables OF the
covenant was enough 10 cause the
stoutest heart TO fear.
Moses then burned the golden calf
and ground 1t to powder. 1t Is almost
impossible 10 pulverize pure gold, but
the act was made easily possible, prob
ably, by alloys present in the jewelry |
from which the idol had been made"
Patterson Du Bots.
Then Moses put the question. who |
is on the Lords side?" Who will
stand for the right, whatever their
past mistakes. whoever else may re-
fuse?
Practical Points.
The consequences Of loving anything |
more than we love God are deadly |
The character deteriorates the con-