August 17, 2026
Monday, August 17
When we left Moses and the Israelites, they had just made a covenant with God. He had given them a Law that would be the foundation of their new nation. Moses and the elders of Israel had ascended Mt Sinai together and eaten a meal in the manifest presence of God, a sign that He accepted them as His people. Now He had called Moses back up to the top of the mountain. There, He told him about a special tabernacle they should build, a movable sanctuary that would have an altar for offering sacrifices, a golden ark containing the tablets of the Ten Commandments, and other furnishings to help the people worship God.
Moses was alone with God for forty days, which must have been incredible. But down on ground level, things were headed downhill in a hurry. The people had seen God’s presence and guidance every day for months. They saw miraculous plagues fall on their enemies. They saw the Red Sea part. They ate bread that rained down from Heaven, and followed a pillar of cloud and fire. But Moses had been missing for over a month, and the people grew restless. Soon, they would abandon God entirely for a false deity they could see, touch…and control.
Christians tend to read this story with a haughty air: “Those foolish Israelites. How could they do such a thing? I would never…” Yet I contend that many of us—maybe all of us—have our struggles with idol worship. No, we don’t fashion literal golden calves. Nor do we pray to the gods of other religions. But we do look to other things for our identity, our purpose, our security, our joy. If there’s anything you utterly depend on, apart from which life won’t be worth living, whatever that thing is, it’s a god to you. Anything can become an idol for us—Pleasure, power, wealth, success, racial identity, political philosophy…even unquestionably good things like our families.
The problem isn’t that we love such things too much. It’s that we ask those things to do for us what only God can do. In the end, nothing is capable of taking God’s place in our lives. If we put that weight on anything (or anyone) else, it’s like expecting a golden calf to save us.
This week, we’ll see what led Israel to make such a tragic mistake…and also see what happens when we let idols creep into our lives.
“Father, you are the one and only who can create, rescue, and redeem. This week, please confront the idols in my own heart, that I might give you first place in all things. In Jesus’ name, amen.”
Senior Pastor
First Baptist Conroe
More from Pastor Jeff at his website: jeffbergerwriting.com
