Exodus Lecture February 14/16, 2007
Lesson 16: Exodus 32-34

THE MATURITY OF LOVE

I. Happy Valentine's Day! St. Valentine was a Christian martyr, a priest who died near Rome in the third century during the persecutions of the Emperor Claudius the Goth. The major symbols of the day--hearts, the color red, angels, and flowers--and the themes of tenderness, fidelity, the forming of bonds of love--all these belong strongly and beautifully to the Christian tradition. Red has long been the color of martyrdom and the Passion; world lovers have borrowed this symbolism from Christianity precisely because of its power as a theme: to love someone is to be willing to suffer and die for him or her. (Vitz, Evelyn Birge, "A Continual Feast", 231)

So on your tables you have "love knots" symbols of love, a custom from the Middle Ages. "Gold pins, shaped like sideways figure eights, are symbols for infinity, and suggest love that is without end, eternal." (Vitz, 232)

In our discussion of this dramatic story of The Golden Calf, I thought I would focus on the theme of love, using the article called "Growing Up Theologically" by Dr. Leanne Van Dyk, a professor of Reformed Theology at Western Theological Seminary in Holland, MI. She participated in the special committee of the General Assembly in 2001 that wrote the new Presbyterian Catechisms.

She posits the idea of process which is how we ought to think of doing theology: the study of God. Therefore, I looked at this story as an example of how love grows from birth, into childhood, and into maturity.

II. The first commandment that we studied last month was "Love God." It was enthusiastically embraced by the newly freed Israelites, as they were irthed by God from slavery in Egypt to freedom with God in the desert. However, isn't it interesting that it was not six weeks later that the people forgot their binding commitment? Where was Miriam and where was the song the people of God sang at their deliverance? And Aaron....were you as surprised as I was to read of his complicity in this debacle? What a short memory the people of God had reverting so soon to fashioning a "graven image".

I have a note in my Bible that asks us to reflect on the "Golden Calf". It also reminded me that it is six weeks since New Year's Day. How many of us have forgotten our New Year's resolutions? Here's the paragraph from "Meeting God in Everyday Life" (Spritual Formation Bible, NRSV, Zondervan, c1999, p.112) "It is easy for us to sit in judgment on the Israelites for their blatant infidelity to God, the One who had done so much for them. Worship so foolish a thing as a golden calf? We would never do a thing like that, but we do have a great respect for a thriving "bull" stock market! In a world increasingly divided between the "haves" and the "have-nots", we need to supplement Bible reading with reflection on another book. The next time you want to pray, reach for your checkbook. Where does your money go?"


The idea of the Golden Calf probably resulted from their time in Egypt. "The Apis Bulls were part of a cult reaching back nearly to 3000 BCE and represented the incarnation of deity in this symbol of potency and royalty." (Moyter, 294) Other commentators similarly propose that the golden calf often associated with Canaanite Baalism was a throwback to the bull-image of common Semitic heritage. (Dunnam, M. and Ogilvie, L.J., The Preacher's Commentary Series, v.2, Exodus; 1987)

Aaron compounded his sin by placing an altar in front of the image, declaring it to be "the God who had brought you out of Egypt" (32:4). Not only had the first commandment had been broken ("I am your GOD"), but also the second and third, "No other gods, only me", and "No carved gods of any size, shape or form of anything whatever". (Ex.20, Peterson,130) The result of this apostasy was a squandering of their resources since the gold they had received from the Egyptians was ground into powder signifying total destruction. (Ex.32:20) Notice the contrast to the gold they donated for the building of the tabernacle, which was used for beauty and for demonstrating their love for God.

In this birth of their faith, the children of God made a huge mistake and paid for it with their lives. The decision of some to persist in their sin prompted the decision by Moses to enlist the support of those who saw the continued immorality as a sin against the invisible God. Considering the total population of Israel, the comparatively small number which fell -- 3,000 -- (Ex.32:28) suggest that by no means all the people were directly involved in the worship of the calf. (Moyter, 297)

However, the penalty of the possibility of "going it alone" in the desert without God's presence was a possibility for ALL the people to endure. The sin of a few contaminated all. But Moses pleaded with God to consider his promises and mediated for the Israelites a renewed covenant of mercy.

III. If we consider this next stage to be "childhood", it shows that the people of God are growing into the reality that their actions have consequences and that misbehavior does not go unpunished. Our God does not love sentimentally without regard for our participation in the covenant. Natural and logical consequences are played out. If one party to the covenant renegs, the other has cause to re-evaluate the commitment. Additionally, the mountain-top experience of Moses does not alter the reality on the ground. He had to confront the fact of the disobedience of not only the people of God,
but also his closest ally, his brother--who had participated with him in the liberation of the Hebrew people.

However, Moses was confident of God's real love because He knew Moses by name (Ex.33:17). Because of this he could engage God in direct conversation and plead for mercy. As mediator for the people and their side of the covenant, Moses showed his love for the people and reawakened the assertion of God that he would never leave or forsake his own. This certainly was a risk for Moses. And how did God respond? Moses received a vision of God: His splendor and heard His name. (Ex. 33:17-23)

IV. How amazing Chapter 34:6,7 is. "Yahweh, Yahwek, a God of tenderness and compassion,
slow to anger, rich in kindness and faithfulness; for thousands he maintains his kindness, forgives faults, transgression, sin; yet he lets nothing go unchecked, punishing the father's fault in the sons,
and in the grandsons to the third and fourth generation." (Jerusalem Bible)

This is the mark of faith in "maturity". In requesting and receiving the presence of God, Moses was forever altered. "The skin of his face was shining...." (Ex. 34:30) Note however, that this was after 40 days of fasting (Ex.34:28)

V. Next week we celebrate Ash Wednesday, the time set aside by the church to begin a 40 day observance prior to Easter. Would you be willing to participate in fasting in order to experience the presence of God? Would you be willing to put yourself in danger in order to plead for God's people?

Real theology takes place in real life. The Israelites found that out. We also live our lives in real time and in real space. Our lives are theology--the study of God--of how we are birthed into the faith, grow into belief as children of God, and approach maturity as people of God. As people look for God, how do they find God? Is your life a study of God?

Prayer by the late Rev. Russell Vande Bunte, RCA (Reformed Church in America)