Topical Encyclopedia The worship of the golden calf is a significant event in the history of Israel, representing a moment of idolatry and rebellion against God. The altars associated with the golden calf were erected during times when the Israelites turned away from the worship of Yahweh, leading to divine judgment and eventual destruction of these idolatrous symbols.Historical Context The most notable instance of calf worship in the Bible occurs in Exodus 32, when the Israelites, under Aaron's leadership, fashioned a golden calf at Mount Sinai. This event took place while Moses was on the mountain receiving the Law from God. The people demanded a tangible representation of deity, saying, "Come, make us gods who will go before us" (Exodus 32:1). Aaron complied, and the people proclaimed, "These, O Israel, are your gods, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!" (Exodus 32:4). This act of idolatry provoked God's wrath, and Moses, upon descending from the mountain, destroyed the calf by burning it, grinding it to powder, and scattering it on the water (Exodus 32:20). Calf Worship in the Northern Kingdom The sin of calf worship reemerged during the reign of Jeroboam I, the first king of the northern kingdom of Israel. To prevent his subjects from traveling to Jerusalem to worship, Jeroboam established two centers of worship featuring golden calves, one in Bethel and the other in Dan. He declared, "Here are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt" (1 Kings 12:28). This act was a direct violation of the first and second commandments and led Israel into sin. The prophets repeatedly condemned the worship of these calves. Hosea, in particular, prophesied the destruction of the calf idol at Bethel, saying, "The calf of Samaria will be carried off to Assyria as tribute to the great king" (Hosea 10:5-6). This prophecy was fulfilled when the Assyrians conquered the northern kingdom and took its people into exile. Destruction and Reformation Throughout Israel's history, various leaders sought to reform the nation by destroying idolatrous altars and symbols. King Hezekiah of Judah, known for his religious reforms, "removed the high places, shattered the sacred pillars, and cut down the Asherah poles" (2 Kings 18:4). Although his reforms primarily targeted the southern kingdom, they reflect a broader biblical theme of returning to the worship of Yahweh alone. King Josiah, another reformer, took significant steps to eradicate idolatry from the land. He "smashed the sacred pillars to pieces, cut down the Asherah poles, and covered the sites with human bones" (2 Kings 23:14). Josiah's reforms extended to the northern territories, including Bethel, where he destroyed the altar and high place erected by Jeroboam (2 Kings 23:15). Theological Significance The destruction of the calf altars underscores the biblical theme of God's intolerance for idolatry and the call for His people to worship Him exclusively. The repeated cycles of idolatry and reform highlight the struggle between faithfulness to God and the temptation to conform to surrounding pagan practices. The narrative of the calf altars serves as a cautionary tale about the consequences of turning away from God and the importance of adhering to His commandments. Nave's Topical Index 2 Kings 23:4,15-20And the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest, and the priests of the second order, and the keepers of the door, to bring forth out of the temple of the LORD all the vessels that were made for Baal, and for the grove, and for all the host of heaven: and he burned them without Jerusalem in the fields of Kidron, and carried the ashes of them to Bethel. Nave's Topical Index Library 'Fruit which is Death' Come, Let us Hear How they Contend for victory: the Guilty Ones ... The Assyrian Captivity Acts vii. 35 Antichrist. Knox's Writings from Abroad: Beginning of the Scottish Revolution ... Pagan Shrines and Temples. Introduction Paragraphs from Notable Speeches On the Words Incarnate, and Made Man. Resources How many times did Moses ascend Mount Sinai? | GotQuestions.orgWhat did it mean to be devoted to destruction? | GotQuestions.org Are there errors in the Qur'an (Koran)? | GotQuestions.org Calf: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus Subtopics Calf of Gold was Made of the Ornaments of the Women Calf of Gold was Made: After an Egyptian Model Calf of Gold was Made: To Go Before the Congregation Calf of Gold was Made: To Represent God Calf of Gold: An Altar Built Before Calf of Gold: Destroyed by Moses Calf of Gold: Fashioned With a Graven Tool Calf of Gold: Made on Account of the Delay of Moses in the Mount Calf of Gold: Making of a Forgetting of God Calf of Gold: Making of a Turning Aside from the Divine Command Calf of Gold: Making of a Very Great Sin Calf of Gold: Making of Caused Moses to Break the Tables of the Testimony Calf of Gold: Making of Excited Wrath Against Aaron Calf of Gold: Making of Excited Wrath Against Israel Calf of Gold: Making of Israel Punished For Calf of Gold: Molten in the Fire Calf of Gold: Moses Interceded for Those Who Worshipped Calf of Gold: Punishment of Those Who Worshipped a Warning to Others Calf of Gold: Sacrifices offered To Calf of Gold: Worshipped With Profane Revelry Calf: "Calves of the Lips" a Metaphor Signifying Worship Calf: Images of, Set up in Beth-El and Dan by Jeroboam Calf: Prophecies Against the Golden Calves at Beth-El The Calf of a Year Old Best for Sacrifice The Calf: Eaten in the Patriarchal Age The Calf: Fed On: Branches of Trees The Calf: If First-Born not Redeemed The Calf: Offered in Sacrifice The Calf: Playfulness of, Alluded To The Calf: Sacrifices of Praise The Calf: Saints Nourished by Grace The Calf: The Young of the Herd The Calf: when Fattened Considered a Delicacy Related Terms Sin-offering (115 Occurrences) Commandments (181 Occurrences) |
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