Exodus 32:1-33:6: The golden calf
30/1/22
Preach
Scripture
Questions
1. Earrings are not necessarily bad. There are positive references in scripture, e.g. Ezekiel 16:12. What is the significance of earrings in this passage and Genesis 35:1-5 and Judges 8:24-27? What amulets, or good luck charms, does our culture or the culture around us use?
2. What is YHWH’s response to Israel’s sin [Exodus 32:9-10]? Why is this such a serious sin?
3. Moses intercedes for the people twice [Exodus 32:11-13,31-33]. What is God’s response? How does this encourage us to pray?
4. Which tribe shows evidence of repentance and obedience? What is their blessing of obedience?
5. How many times are the people punished? What does this say about the seriousness of this incident? What is the application today if we continue in our sin? Does this conflict with the character of God [Exodus 34:6-7]?
6. The way back is always repentance. What evidence is there that the Israelites repented?
7. Difficult experiences in life for ourselves and others raise legitimate questions about the goodness of God. How does this passage, and others, speak into the question?
So what!? [restated]
Hendrix[1] sees, quite convincingly, a chiastic structure in this section…
A. 32:1-6 People act, and Aaron (YHWH's High Priest) reacts.
B. 32:7-10 YHWH's two utterances: wayedabbēr, wayyōmer
C. 32:11-14 Moses intercedes
D. 32:15-20 Moses goes down the mountain
E. 32:21-25 Judgment: investigative phase
F. 32:26a OPPORTUNITY FOR REPENTANCE
E'. 32:26b-29 Judgment: executive phase
D'. Moses goes up the mountain
C'. 32:31-32 Moses intercedes
B'. 32:33-33:3 YHWH's two utterances: wayyōmer, wayedabbēr
A'. 33:4-6 YHWH acts, and People react.
The beauty of the passage is that despite Israel’s rebellion there is an opportunity for repentance and given the chiastic argument this is the conclusion of the passage. Repentance. The most grievous sin can be forgiven. The tragedy is that only the Levites respond.
[1] Ralph E Hendrix, ‘A Literary Structural Literary Structural Analysis of the Golden-Calf Episode in Exodus 32: 1 -33:6’, Andrews University Seminary Studies 28, no. 3 (n.d.).
More
Bible Project’s Exodus 19-40 study notes