PSALM 13

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Exo 32:1-5,9-11,19 When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down They gathered around Aaron & said, 'Come, make Us some gods (a god). As for this fellow Moses, We don't know what happened to Him.' Aaron answered Them, 'Take off the gold earrings that Your wives, Your sons & Your daughters are wearing-- which God had them take from the Egyptians for this very testing. In PSALM 60 Gen we will see that Jacob buried the earrings of those that lived with him. He took what [these instruments of temptation that] They handed Him & made it [the pile] into an idol cast in the shape of a calf, fashioning it with a tool. Then They [the leaders-- were there any people who didn't bring their earrings?]' He took what They handed Him & made it into an idol cast in the shape of a calf, fashioning it with a tool. Then They [the leaders-- were there any people who didn't bring their earrings?] said, 'These gold earrings are Your gods (this golden calf is Your 'God'), O Israel, who brought You out of Egypt.' When Aaron saw this, He built an altar in front of the calf & announced, 'Tomorrow there will be a festival-- as to Aaron, what the desire to be accepted or remain popular does!.' So the next day They sat down to eat & drink got up to indulge in revelry. The LORD (YAHWEH) said to Moses: I have seen these people; leave ME alone so that MY Anger might burn; I will make You into a great nation. But Moses sought the Favor (Face) of the LORD (YAHWEH). When Moses approached the camp & saw the calf & the dancing-- having heard the shouting & singing, His anger burned & He threw the 2 tablets [which God had provided; on which God had written the 10 Commandments with HIS Finger] out of His hands, breaking them to pieces at the foot of the mountain. See how he dealt with the calf, in PSALM 7 Deu<2>. As to Moses-- we shouldn't allow the actions of others, neither a heretic nor an apostate, neither a holier-than-thou nor an ivory-palace-dweller, to cause us to take our eyes of the prize, to spur us to frustration & vengeance. We have already seen that this was the sole reason (Moses striking the rock when God had told him to merely speak to it-- demonstrating God's power that accompanies his peace) that Moses did not get to go into the promised land-- despite his long life of service (but as pointed out before, he was on the mount of transfiguration with Jesus & Elijah).