Moses had gone up to Mount Sinai to receive the law from God. While he was gone the people of God made a golden calf and worshipped it. What lessons can we learn from their actions?

The Importance of Patience. "Now when the people saw that Moses delayed coming down from the mountain, the people gathered together to Aaron, and said to him, Come, make us gods that shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him." {Exodus 32:1}

God's people lacked patience and this allowed them to turn aside from obeying Him. Moses delayed, according to their timetable, but he promised to come back, Exodus 24:14-18. He kept his promise!

We as God's people today must also be patient people. God works on His timetable-- not ours!

Sin Cannot Be Hidden From God. "...Go, get down! For your people whom you brought out of the land of Egypt have corrupted themselves. They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them. They have made themselves a molded calf, and worshiped it and sacrificed to it, and said, 'This is your god, O Israel, that brought you out of the land of Egypt!"{Exodus 32:7,8}

God was well aware of Israel's sin. No one can hide from the all seeing eyes of God. Psalm 139:7-12. In the same manner we today cannot hide our actions from God. One day we will stand before Him in judgment and all secrets will be made known, Romans 2:16.

Sin Has a Penalty. "...You have committed a great sin. So now I will go up to the LORD; perhaps I can make atonement for your sin." {Exodus 32:30}

Sin never goes unpunished! By God's wrath three thousand lives were lost, Exodus 32:28. All sin has a penalty-- spiritual death. One must always remember that there is a price paid for committing sin.

Atonement Must be Made for Sin. Moses sought their atonement, Exodus 32;30-35. We receive atonement for ours sins through the blood of Christ, Romans 5:11.

God Blots Sinners From His Book. "...Whoever has sinned against Me, I will blot him out of My book."{Exodus 32:33} God has a book in which the names of all the faithful are recorded. A name that was entered can be blotted out-- by sin! Dear reader, is your name still written in the Book of life?