Calf Worship

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July 12, 2006

When the Israelites were in Egypt they were required to serve Egyptian idols, including the sacred cows "Isis" and "Athor". Both were symbols of virility, fertility and power. (If these names sound familiar, you've heard them on Saturday cartoons.)
 
Israel yearned, not for the "cow idols" of Egypt, but for some visible symbol of the unseen Jehovah. The cherubic emblem, the calf or ox, furnished this. The Israelites were familiar with the rites at the feast in Egypt, the boisterous revelry, dancing, and offerings, etc..........so, they transferred this form of worship over to Jehovah's calf image. Aaron's calf was expressly called "Thy Elohim which brought thee up out of Egypt," and the feast to it ............ "A feast to Jehovah."

Today, we know that no outward form can image God. It debases instead of helping the worshipper.Once the first visible representation of God is made or adopted, it calls for another and another endlessly.

No symbol ever adequately represents the attributes of God.

The express image of the Father's person is Jesus!

He alone...as represented in the written word...is the appointed revealer of the "Unseen God."

"KING JEROBOAM  MADE  TWO  CALVES OF GOLD, AND SAID TO THE PEOPLE, IT IS TOO MUCH FOR YOU TO GO UP TO JERUSALEM:  BEHOLD THY GODS, O ISRAEL, WHICH BROUGHT THEE UP OUT OF EGYPT." (I KING 12:28)

HE PLACED ONE IN BETHEL AND THE OTHER IN DAN.  
THIS WAS YET ANOTHER CARNAL ATTEMPT TO APPEAL TO THE FIVE SENSES OF MAN AND CREATE WORSHIP.  MAN WILL ALWAYS LOOK FOR 'NEW WAYS ' TO FURTHER WORSHIP GOD, UNTIL THEY REALIZE
THE TRUTH OF WORSHIP IS BASED ENTIRELY UPON RELATIONSHIP.

THERE WAS A YOUNG PROPHET SENT OF GOD TO CRY OUT AGAINST THE CALF WORSHIP IN BETHEL.  HE SPOKE THE WORD OF THE LORD AND REFUSED TO EAT OR DRINK, LEAVING TO RETURN ANOTHER WAY. 
AN OLD PROPHET STOPPED HIM, LIED TO HIM AND CAUSED HIM TO COMPROMISE WHAT GOD HAD TOLD HIM TO DO. 

HE DIED BECAUSE OF HIS DISOBEDIENCE. (I KINGS 13:1-32) LATER THE OLD PROPHET TOLD HIS SONS..."THE WORD OF THE LORD, SPOKEN BY THE MAN OF GOD, AGAINST THE ALTAR IN BETHEL, (GOLDEN CALF SYMBOL) AND AGAINST ALL HIGH PLACES (IDOLATRY), SHALL SURELY COME TO PASS."
 
 GOD'S PEOPLE CONSTANTLY LONG FOR SOMETHING THEY CAN SEE AND TOUCH TO REPRESENT THEIR GOD. THE GOLDEN CAVES BROUGHT THE JUDGMENT OF GOD UPON ISRAEL FOR MANY YEARS.
                                 
THE BRAZEN SERPENT
THE BRAZEN SERPENT WAS ANOTHER SYMBOL THAT WAS WORSHIPED. "THE LORD SAID UNTO MOSES, MAKE THEE A FIERY SERPENT, AND SET IT UPON A POLE:  AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS, THAT EVERY ONE THAT IS BITTEN WHEN HE LOOKETH UPON IT SHALL LIVE." (NUMBERS 21:8)

THE SERPENT WAS LIFTED UP ON A POLE, JUST AS CHRIST WAS LIFTED UP ON A CROSS.  WE LOOK TO JESUS AND LIVE, THEY LOOKED TO THE BRAZEN SERPENT AND LIVED.   ISRAEL MADE A god OF THE BRAZEN SERPENT AND FOR 900 YEARS IT WAS A SYMBOL THEY WORSHIPPED UNTIL HEZEKIAH   DESTROYED IT.

GOD'S PEOPLE YEARN FOR SYMBOLS.  ISRAEL'S DISASTERS WERE THE PUNISHMENT OF THEIR IDOLATRY. 

THERE ARE TWO 'DEGREES' OF IDOLATRY:

THE WORST.... IS HAVING OTHER GODS BESIDES JEHOVAH (THE FIRST COMMANDMENT IS DIRECTED TOWARD THIS)

THE LESS FLAGRANT.....WORSHIPING THE TRUE GOD IN THE FORM OF AN IMAGE OR A SYMBOLIC LIKENESS
REPRESENTING ANY OF HIS ATTRIBUTES.

TRUE WORSHIP ORIGINATED IN HEAVEN, HOWEVER THE PAGANS (HEATHENS) TOOK IT UP AND BEGAN WORSHIPING THEIR gods. 

THEY ORIGINATED SUCH THINGS AS: CALF WORSHIP, (MEN STILL WORSHIP SILVER AND GOLD) OFFERING THEIR CHILDREN TO MOLECH, (ABORTIONS), BANNERS (SYMBOLISM WE SEE AS HARMLESS), HUMAN SACRIFICES (THEY ARE STILL DONE TODAY), SEXUAL ORGIES AND HOMOSEXUAL ACTS. 

TEMPLE PROSTITUTES INCLUDING HOMOSEXUALS CONSIDERED IT THEIR SACRED DUTY TO PERFORM THESE ACTS.   THAT MIGHT EXPLAIN WHY THESE THINGS ARE STILL PREVALENT TODAY.  WE MUST LEARN TO SEPARATE THE PRECIOUS FROM THE VILE. 
NOT EVERY SACRIFICE OFFERED, IS ACCEPTABLE TO THE LORD! 

"I BESEECH YOU THEREFORE BRETHREN, BY THE MERCIES OF GOD, THAT YE PRESENT YOUR BODIES A LIVING SACRIFICE, HOLY, ACCEPTABLE UNTO GOD, WHICH IS YOUR REASONABLE SERVICE. (ROM. 12:1)

'THE HOUR COMETH, AND NOW IS, WHEN THE "TRUE 'WORSHIPERS' SHALL WORSHIP THE FATHER IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH:   FOR THE FATHER SEEKETH SUCH TO WORSHIP HIM."  (JOHN 4:23)