The Golden Calf

Moses was on the mountain with God for a long, long time—forty days!

The people got tired of waiting. 'Where IS Moses? Maybe he's not coming back! We need a god we can SEE!'

They went to Aaron. 'Make us a god!'

Aaron should have said no. But he didn't. He told everyone to bring their gold earrings. He melted the gold and shaped it into a calf—a baby cow statue.

'Here's your god!' Aaron said. 'Let's have a party!'

The people worshipped the golden calf. They forgot all about the real God who had just rescued them from Egypt!

Up on the mountain, God was NOT happy. 'Your people have done a terrible thing! They're worshipping a statue! I should destroy them!'

But Moses begged God. 'Please don't! Remember your promises! Please forgive them!'

God listened to Moses.

Moses hurried down the mountain carrying the stone tablets with God's rules. When he saw the golden calf and the people dancing around it, he was SO angry! He threw down the tablets and they SMASHED into pieces!

Moses burned the calf, ground it up, mixed it with water, and made the people drink it. YUK!

There were big consequences that day. The people had done something very wrong.

Moses went back up the mountain. 'Please forgive them,' he prayed. 'If you won't, then punish me instead.'

Moses loved his people and begged God to forgive them. This reminds us of Jesus, who took our punishment so we could be forgiven.

God forgave the people, but they learned an important lesson: Only worship the true God!