Exodus Worksheet - Chapter 32

Review: Let's remember that in a relatively short period of time, the people of Israel have seen God smite the Egyptians with ten curses, part the Red Sea, lead them by a pillar of cloud by day and fire by night, miraculously provide water from a rock, and bunches of other supernatural provisions, not the least of which was the manna from heaven that was on the ground six days a week, which continued to be provided while Moses was gone.

Exodus 32

Intro: How can they so quickly turn aside from all that they know and have experienced? How can Aaron lead them in this sin?

1. As we have seen, Moses is on the mountain with God 40 days and 40 nights. The people must have anticipated that he would return much sooner than that. What did they want Aaron to do for them since Moses had not returned yet? vs. 1
2. How did Aaron respond to their request? vs. 2
3. How did the people respond to Aaron's suggestion? vs. 3
4. What did Aaron do with all the gold that he collected from the people's earrings? vs. 4a
5. What did the people say when the calf was constructed of gold? vs. 4b
6. Aaron and every one of them had heard the 10 commandments spoken to them by Moses. What had they agreed to concerning them?

• Exodus 24:3

7. What are 2 commandments that have already been broken here by Aaron and by the people? Read the 10 commandments given and name the 2 that were broken.

• Exodus 20:1-17

8. Back to Exodus 32. When Aaron saw how the people called the golden calf their "god", what did he build for it and what proclamation did he make in regard to it? vs. 5
9. What was offered to the "cow god" the next morning, and what did the people do in regard to it? vs. 6
10. God knows it is happening! What does He say to Moses? vs. 7
11. Is there anything we can do that is hidden from the sight and knowledge of God? Comment on these verses.

• Psalm 69:5 -
• Matthew 10:26 -
• 1 Corinthians 4:5 -
• Isaiah 29:15 -

12. Did God know that they had worshiped the calf and sacrificed to it as well as give credit to the made image for bringing them out of Egypt? vs. 8
13. Not only had God seen them, but God has a name for the character of His people. What does He call them? vs. 9
14. Do you think impatience in God answering a prayer or desire for you has led you into sin at some point in your life? Share if you would like. Look up this verse and comment on it.

• Psalm 37:7-11,34 -
• James 5:7,8 -

15. When they lost patience, they lost faith. They were walking by sight and not by faith. They could not believe what they could not see, feel, smell, touch, and taste. Are we not the same way sometimes? What are we told in regard to the promises of God for the most part.

• 2 Corinthians 5:7 -
• John 20:29 -
• Hebrews 11:6 -

16. What did God want to do to them and in turn create through Moses? vs. 10

Note: This would have been a great temptation for Moses to be the new leader of a new nation. They would be the children of Moses rather than the children of Abraham. But Moses knew that God was One to keep His promises; that He was a covenant keeping God. He begins to reason with the Lord and entreat Him to change His mind.

17. Moses asks the Lord why His anger burns against His people whom He had delivered from the land of Egypt with great power. (vs.11) What did Moses say the Egyptians may think about God's intent for His people? vs. 12
18. What does Moses ask God to do concerning His plans to harm His people? v.s 12
19. What does Moses ask God to remember in regard to the covenant He has made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Israel)? vs. 13
20. What was the result of Moses' intercession with the Lord for His people? vs. 14
21. We hear the slogan "Prayer changes things". This is true! ... There are verses that say God's character never changes and also that He will not go back on His Word, etc. but when He has already stated something in His Word and His children stand on the promises, we can be assured that we will have what is according to His stated will. Read and comment on these verses.

• Matthew 21:22 -
• Mark 11:24 -
• Luke 11:9 -
• John 14:13,14 -
• John 15:7 -
• John 15:15,16 -
• 1 John 3:22 -
• 1 John 5:14,15 -

22. Moses had calmed the Lord down and interceded for the people, but he had no idea what he was about to encounter himself that would make him lose his temper in a major way! He went down from the mountain with the 2 tablets of the testimony in hand. What are we told about the tablets in these verses? vs. 15,16

23. These are extremely precious stones with God's very writing on them. One would think Moses could have controlled himself better than he did to let anything happen to those stones! Joshua was coming down the mountain with him and he thought he heard the sound of war in the camp. (vs.17).. He knew it was not a sound of triump or of defeat...but he realized it was singing that he heard. (vs.18). As Moses got near to the camp and he saw the golden calf that was erected on the altar and the people singing and dancing around it, what did Moses do? vs. 19
24. What did Moses do to the calf they had made and how did he punish the sons of Israel with it? vs. 20 - Name 4 things he did
25. Moses then turned his anger toward his brother Aaron, asking him, "What did this people do to you, that you have brought such great sin upon them?" (vs.21) Did Aaron take responisbility for his lack of leadership? What did he say to Moses? vs.22-24 (summarize)
26. When Moses realized the people were "out of control", because Aaron had "let them get out of control", and that they were a derision among their enemies ... (vs.25) ... he stood in the gate of the camp and called out, "Whoever is for the LORD, come to me!" (vs.26) - Who gathered to him at that time? vs. 26 -
27. What did Moses instruct them to do to cleanse the camp of the crimes and the corruption of the people? vs. 27
28. The sons of Levi obeyed Moses. How many men of the people fell on that day? vs. 28
29. After this, Moses told everyone to dedicate themselves to the Lord because the cleansing would now bring blessing. (vs.29) On the next day, Moses told them they had committed a great sin. What was he going to hope to be able to do for them? vs. 30
30. How much did Moses want the Lord to forgive the people's sins of making the golden god for themselves? vs. 31,32
31. How does this compare to what Paul said about wanting his people Israel to know the Lord Jesus?

• Romans 9:1-5 -

32. Back to Exodus 32. Who did the Lord said would be blotted out of His book? vs. 33

Note: Since these people did not have the new covenant of grace to accept Jesus and be in the Lamb's Book of Life, it is my opinion and many scholars I have read who believe every person is put into the Book of Life when they are born because God says in John 3:16 it is not His will that any should perish but that all have eternal life. Belief that would keep you in the Book of Life was to obey His provisions for redemption and cleansing under the Old Covenant which all pointed to Jesus. Those who chose to disobey and mock His provisions, choosing their own way over His way, would pay the consequences of their unbelief; they would lose their spot in the book of Life. In Jesus, when we place our faith in Him, we are in the Lamb's Book of Life, the book spoke of in Revelation.  Other books were opened, but that was at the Great White Throne judgment of the lost. Amen.

33. A new start! God tells Moses to continue to lead the people where He told him. Who would go with Moses? vs. 34
34. When would the unbelievers be punished for their sin of unbelief? vs. 34
35. What did the Lord do to the people because of what they did with the calf that Aaron made? vs. 35

Application:

36. We witnessed the humble heart of Moses today; how he reminded God of His promises and cared more about the reputation of God than his own. We saw his prayers move upon the heart of God and have God keep the Word of His promise to keep a remnant alive; to keep the promises alive; because through this people the promised seed of Abraham would come. Who is that promised seed of Abraham and how does that include us today?

• Galatians 3:13-16

37. Summarize the chapter and post a prayer if you would like.