Exodus 32:5 When Aaron saw this, he built an altar in front of the calf and announced, “Tomorrow there will be a festival to the Lord.”
I wonder what was going through Aaron’s mind at this point? Was he proud of his work? Did he feel like he had brought the Israelites closer to God? Or did he realize his mistake and announce the festival to the Lord in an attempt to bring the Israelites back to God after leading them astray with the golden idol?
Exodus 32:6 So the next day the people rose early and sacrificed burnt offerings and presented fellowship offerings. Afterward they sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.
Regardless of Aaron’s intentions, the Israelites were not thinking of the Lord as they indulged in revelry. (A quick look at various translations of verse 6 on BibleHub.com shows that there is a definite negative connotation there.) Whatever Aaron might have had in mind when this started, the result was not bringing people closer to God.
Exodus 32:7 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go down, because your people, whom you brought up out of Egypt, have become corrupt.
Precious Savior, Forgive me when I jump at the opportunity to DO SOMETHING like Aaron did. Forgive me when I compound bad decisions with worse ones that lead people further away from You. Help me, in my words, actions, thoughts, to point people to You. Always. Amen.
Exodus 32:8 They have been quick to turn away from what I commanded them and have made themselves an idol cast in the shape of a calf. They have bowed down to it and sacrificed to it and have said, ‘These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.’
Have a blessed day.