The Distraction

    People get distracted so easily.  They have the best intentions.  They want to keep a close relationship with God.  Then  something comes around and the focus changes.  

    Moses spent 40 days and nights alone with God, but that meant that all the Israelites were at the foot of the mountain left to their own devices.  That is a long time to be allowed to do whatever you want with the idea that there will be no consequences.

    The community went to Aaron to ask him to make them a god.  I guess they wanted something familiar even though they had just gotten the instructions not to have idols.  Aaron had them all bring their gold to him.  He melted it down and made a calf, then an altar.  They just wanted to relax and be rid of some of the stress in their lives.

    The people celebrated by having a huge party with the idol as the center piece.  However, God knew exactly what was happening.  He sent Moses back to deal with them or He would kill them all.  Moses was carrying down the tablets thinking it could not be that back, but when he got to a where he had a visual He was furious.  

    Joshua had been on the mountain too, so he had no idea what was happening.  When he heard the noises, he thought the camp was at war, but he would not leave his post to wait in Moses.  He was going down with Moses, so he was the only other person to see God's handwriting.  Moses' rage overtook him and he threw the tablets and they broke.  

    Moses stormed into camp and burned the idol.  He  put the powder that remained in water and made the people drink it.  Then, he confronted Aaron who was responsible for all the people.  He spoke to the people declaring that whomever follows God were to follow him.  Everyone else was killed (3,000 people).  

    Moses returned to God up in the mountain to talk to Him about atonement.  Atonement had to be made for the sin to be removed from God's book.  However, God told Moses to return to the people and lead them to the promised land.  He had God's angel go before him, but the people were struck with a plague as punishment.

    Distractions are dangerous.  God may not kill us for our distractions, but he very well may make us sick.  It could be stomach issues, contant headaches, cancer, autoimmune, or something else.  God is still trying to be heard and he will use illness to get our attention.

Exodus 32