Pastor Ralph Posted September 6, 2005 Report Share Posted September 6, 2005 Q1. Read Exodus 32:1-14. What had the people done that was so bad? How can a loving God be angry? Is God's sentence to destroy Israel and raise up a new nation through Moses justified? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
class1fox Posted September 17, 2005 Report Share Posted September 17, 2005 What had the people done that was so bad? How can a loving God be angry? Is God's sentence to destroy Israel and raise up a new nation throught Moses justified? They demanded that their be Gods made, which shall go before them, because Moses who brought them out of Egypt, they didn't know what had happen to him. Out of ingnorance they fashioned a golden calf and built an altar around it and began to worship that thing. After which they eat, drink and rose up to play. Yahweh was angry because the people had sinned. Elohim clearly states, that we should not have another before him. What ever sentence that Yahweh decides on is justified because it is He who made us, and not we ourselves. It is He who can cause both body and soul to burn in the lake of fire for eternity. Geraldine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RonS Posted September 17, 2005 Report Share Posted September 17, 2005 What had the people done that was so bad? They worshipped an idol How can a loving God be angry? If he would never get angry at sins I would think he did not care. Is God's sentence to destroy Israel and raise up a new nation through Moses justified? Yes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pickledilly Posted September 17, 2005 Report Share Posted September 17, 2005 The Israelites had created their own gods to displace the LORD as the one to be worshipped as their Deliverer. I thought it was interesting that the idols were made from golden earrings given to them by Egyptians before the exodus. They essentially brought symbols of the idolatry of Egypt with them on their journey to the promised land. And now they were worshipping the gods of Egypt. How relevant is that to modern Christianity?!! Because I know that every attribute of God's character is holy, I know that His anger is holy. Which means it is sinless. When it comes to sin, about the only word to convey the depth of His feeling is hatred. He hates sin and what it does to those He loves. He hates anything that draws our attentions and affections away from Him. And it would make Him angry when that happens. Yet any response He has or action He takes would be morally perfect and sinless. I believe any sentence He passes on sin would be justified because His justice is also holy. And He can choose to accomplish His will in any way He desires. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edredd Posted September 17, 2005 Report Share Posted September 17, 2005 the people wanted fellowship and worship..and like many groups today began to do just that..they leaned to their own imagination and had some real "fellowship" we're reminded in Prov 3:5,6 to trust in the Lord with all our hearts and lean not to our own understanding..in all our ways acknowledge Him..and He will direct our path..we need intercession and God's word to remind us of the Lord's provision..as moses did..and we need Him directing our path. ed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TennLady01 Posted September 17, 2005 Report Share Posted September 17, 2005 Q1. Read Exodus 32:1-14. What had the people done that was so bad? Yes, it was bad before Moses could even get the ten commandments down to them they had already broken the first two of them. They had turned back to what God had brought them out of idols. He had proved to them he was the Real GOD not a fake that could do nothing, yet they want something they can see and touch. How short is their memory that they do not know the power of God, the power he has shown them in their deliverance. How can a loving God be angry? Yes, he can be angry he was anger with Adam and Eve and they where punished for the sin they did. This anger of God is how they ended up slaves in Egypt to begin with. They know of the wrath of God they knew throughout the generations speaking of God about his wrath still they chose to defy him and his Holiness. Is God's sentence to destroy Israel and raise up a new nation through Moses justified? I am glad that God is God and not me I would have destroyed them long before he did for all the summering and complaining they did. He is a Holy God he would have kept him promise for the seed of Abraham. He cannot look upon sin think of when Jesus was on the cross. He said My God My God why have you forsaken me. That is because God cannot look upon sin. So it was justified. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sonshine777 Posted September 17, 2005 Report Share Posted September 17, 2005 The people went to Aaron with concern since Moses had been gone in the mountains for a long time and they lost trust and faith in God, so they wanted Aaron to make a god they can see. Aaron went ahead and provided the golden calf for them and they started worshipping it. This was before the 10 commandments were made. I dont know the bible well enough to know what the people were using as guidelines outside of prophets and personal experience with the Lord , but I think it was general knowlege at the time that He wants no other gods before Him. The fact that they lost faith in God combined with putting the golden calf before Him was bad. Plus, according to the bible version I am reading, Aaron did nothing to convince the people to hold off and wait for God to follow thru and return Moses to them. Aaron himself led the people to sin. I agree that a loving God can be angry. How would we clearly know the difference between right and wrong? And what would be our incentive to keep our relationship right with Him? What I dont understand is how God - who is pure love - would want to do *evil* to His people. Yes, I think God's sentence to destroy Isreal and raise up a new nation thru Moses is justified! Even Aaron couldnt be counted on to keep the people on the right track with Him. The thing is, these people were descendents of Abraham with whom God was pleased. Wouldnt something similar happen with Moses' descendents too? I think there would be a very good chance that history would repeat itself anyway because people are sinful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katzen Posted September 17, 2005 Report Share Posted September 17, 2005 The people turned to idols to worship, instead of God. God can be angry, because the people turned to everything God stood against. Yes, His sentence to destroy Israel and raise up a new nations through Moses was justified. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freeindeed Posted September 17, 2005 Report Share Posted September 17, 2005 What did the Isrealites do wrong? After God protected them from plagues, delivered them from slavery in Egypt, gave them the gold of their captors, miraculously parted the Red Sea for them to cross, provided daily food and water, and even clothes and shoes that did not wear out...you would think they might be at least a little grateful. But no, they whined and complained about almost everything, including Moses' leadership. Then, in a final insult to the Almighty God, as soon as Moses was out of sight upon the mountain, they had Aaron fashion a new god, a golden calf, out of the very gold God had provided them. No wonder God was angry! (Unfortunately, it seems that even in modern-day America, blessed as we have been, our behavior is much the same). How can a loving God be angry? I think His anger stemmed from His great love for these people He himself had created, as well as His complete holiness. Nobody can make me as angry as the people I care most deeply about. If I read in the newspaper of some evil deed done by a stranger, I shake my head in wonder or disgust, then go about my business. But if a dear friend or family member of mine is involved, I may fume for days (and sometimes nights too). There is no end to my distress until something is resolved. Is God's sentence to destroy Israel and raise up a new nation through Moses justified? Yes, entirely. Moses was not without fault, but he obeyed God when no one else would. He had a yearning to know God on a personal level. And since he was a descendent of Abraham, he could father a new nation in fulfillment of God's promise that Abraham's seed would produce a great nation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
randy777 Posted September 18, 2005 Report Share Posted September 18, 2005 Eph 4:26 - Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: This to the question of a loving God and an angry God. I love the music that comes from New Orleans. I am saddened, sickened, and angered by all the perversions that keep me from enjoying that music live because of all the things that go on where it is played live. God has created a happiness beyond music if we just could learn to hear it pure and it might be smooth or it might be like a mighty wind but it would be as he is and he just is. I cannot place on God my definition of love or my sin that anger might cause me because in him it is pure and sin is not added to it because he knows the end and so even if he takes our life here from us he has provided beyond that for us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Whittam Posted September 18, 2005 Report Share Posted September 18, 2005 The people of Israel had made a golden calf to be their god. They forgot who really brought them out of Egypt. God is completely separated from sin. He is offened by sin. We are told if we love God, we must hate evil. If God destroyed Israel and started again God would still keep His proismes to the patriarchs because Mose was an offspring to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helenmm Posted September 18, 2005 Report Share Posted September 18, 2005 The people had made the golden calf, to worship it. The people were declaring that the golden calf which they had just made had brought them out of Egypt. This was impossibly out of line with truth - or sense for that matter. God had shown Himself in signs and wonders to the people of Israel, and had personally oversighted their deliverance out of Egypt. Anger was the appropriate emotional recognition of this injustice. God's response to destroy Israel and raise a new nation through Moses was entirely justified. It is His creation and He can do what He likes with it, including destroy it if it doesn't please Him Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
farmboy Posted September 18, 2005 Report Share Posted September 18, 2005 1. The people failed to trust God, lack of faith. God is always present with us even though we can't see Him. If but for a moment we look around us it is obvious His presence is there. If we ponder a minute what He created, it becomes impossible for us, the created, to fashion an image of the Creator. This is part of what the people did. A direct violation of Ex20:5-4. God created them. God delivered them from Egypt. God provided for them. Yet they decided to worship another being. God placed them perfectly to receive his blessing and get the most from it. They became impatient and unfaithful, instead deciding to worship anything that would give more. 2. We tend to forget that love is not an emotion. 1Cor13:4-7 tells us what love is. In modern society the trend is to focus on a loving(emotion) God. Let us not forget there is more to God! For God to be who He is anger must be a part of Him. Don't confuse holy anger, justice, love sadness, joy etc. with our human ideals. 3. Yes!! God makes no mistake or error!! Again for God to be God justice must be a part of Him. I know what I deserve, and it isn't the gift God has handed me at no cost. The people didn't have a book of scripture to ponder and study as we have. However, they were close to hearing God's own voice talk to them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue Posted September 18, 2005 Report Share Posted September 18, 2005 Lesson 2 Q 1 Read Exodus 32:1 -14. What had the people done that was so bad? The people had broken the law. They worshiped a golden calf that they demanded Aaron to make and claimed that the idol brought them out of Egypt - blasphemy. How can a loving God be angry? Because God is holy, separated from sin and our sins offend God's very character. His nature is utterly opposed to injustice, sin, and human degradation. God is a loving God but He can become angry because of His own holiness. Is God's sentence to destroy Israel and raise up a new nation through Moses justified? Yes. Since Moses himself is a direct descendent of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, God's promises to the patriarchs would be fulfilled. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LauraArk Posted September 18, 2005 Report Share Posted September 18, 2005 Q1. Read Exodus 32:1-14. What had the people done that was so bad? They were worshipping another "god" - the golden calf that they had made. They took off their gold earrings and then Aaron made a golden calf. They're worshipping something made with human hands. And Aaron's defense to Moses was as bad - "24 "I said to them, `Whoever has any gold, let them tear it off.' So they gave it to me, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf." God had delivered the people from slavery, protected them from the plagues, parted the Red Sea, led them in a pillar of cloud by day and in a pillar of fire by night, sent manna from heaven and meat in the form of quails covering the camp and bread on the ground when they were hungry, provided water when they were thirsty, etc. How quickly they forgot, and still wanted something visible. Jesus says in John 20, "Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed." But, how quickly we also forget, when God answers our prayers, or we don't take notice. And, today, people worship things like the television set, shopping mall, golf game, etc. Ex 34:14--for you shall not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God-- De 4:39 "Know therefore today, and take it to your heart, that the LORD, He is God in heaven above and on the earth below; there is no other. How can a loving God be angry? Righteous anger. God is holy. God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. (1 John 1:5) Deuteronomy 23:14 says "He must not see anything indecent among you or He will turn away from you." Is God's sentence to destroy Israel and raise up a new nation through Moses justified? Yes. God is just... Deuteronomy 32:4 "The Rock! His work is perfect, For all His ways are just; A God of faithfulness and without injustice, Righteous and upright is He. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alicea Posted September 18, 2005 Report Share Posted September 18, 2005 What had the people done that was so bad? How can a loving God be angry? Is God's sentence to destroy Israel and raise up a new nation through Moses justified? Not only had the people turned to worshipping an idol but they gave the idol credit for delivering them from Egypt. Anger indicates a concern about something, therefore God was showing that He cared. It is a just sentence, by worshipping the false god and crediting it with what God did for them they were spitting into the very face of their deliverer and the only true lover of their souls. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mitchz1 Posted September 18, 2005 Report Share Posted September 18, 2005 What had the people done that was so bad? They turned from worshipping God to worshipping a man-made idol. How can a loving God be angry? A loving God ought to be angry when His children do wrong. I aint no God(!) but I love my kids and I do get angry when they do wrong, so I fully understand God's anger. Is God's sentence to destroy Israel and raise up a new nation through Moses justified? Yes. There are always consequences for our actions - if we do what is right there are good consequences, but if we sin... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lorraine Wright Posted September 18, 2005 Report Share Posted September 18, 2005 Q1. Read Exodus 32:1-14. What had the people done that was so bad? How can a loving God be angry? Is God's sentence to destroy Israel and raise up a new nation through Moses justified? Even though the Israelites had seen God miraculous works, through their impatience and lack of faith, they turned toward false idols instead of trusting in God when Moses didn't come down from the mountain right away. They were ignoring the command he had just given them: "Do not make idols of any kind". God was angy because of the continued disobedience and lack of faith. This was a rigtheous anger. Then God first wanted to destroy the peole he was acting consistently with his justice. When Moses pleaded for mercy God spared them. God did not change his mind but changed his behavior to remain consistent with his nature. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sally7857 Posted September 18, 2005 Report Share Posted September 18, 2005 I am enjoying this study soo much. What the people were doing bad was they were building idols made of gold. Not praising God. God gets angry and He also has a great sense of humor, He has to with what he has to put up with sometimes in His children!!!!!!! Moses had to remind God what He said about the descendents and that is when God relented. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linda Stanley Posted September 18, 2005 Report Share Posted September 18, 2005 WHAT THE PEOPLE HAD DONE THAT WAS SO BAD WAS TO "FORGET"REAL QUICK,HOW GOD HAD BROUGHT THEM OUT OF EGYPT,OUT OF SLAVERY,BECAUSE GOD LOVED THEM.THE PEOPLE QUICKLY,TURNED BACK TO IDOL WORSHIP,BUILDING THEMSELVES AN IDOL TO WORSHIP.THIS MADE GOD VERY ANGRY.GOD IS A LOVING GOD,AND HE SHOWED THE PEOPLE HOW MUCH HE LOVED THEM.IN RETURN TO GODS LOVE THEY BECAME CURRUPT.JUST AS WE OURSELVES DO THINGS THAT HURTS AND DIS-PLEASES GOD, DOES NOT MEAN GOD DOES NOT LOVE US.THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL DID WRONG BY MAKING THAT IDOL AND BREAKING THEIR PROMISE TO GOD,SO GOD WAS ANGRY WITH THEM. GOD WOULD STILL BE FULLFILLING HIS PROMISE EVEN IF HE HAD DESTROYED THE NATION OF ISRAEL,AND RECONSTRUCTED THE NATION FROM MOSES OFFSPRING,BECAUSE MOSES IS A DIRECT DESCENDENT OF ABRAHAM,ISAAC,AND JACOB. MOSES NEW WHAT GOD HAD DONE IN THE PAST IN DESTROYING MAN,SO MOSES NEW GOD COULD VERY WELL DO IT AGAIN. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retired Posted September 18, 2005 Report Share Posted September 18, 2005 Pastor Ralph: What had the people done that was so bad? How can a loving God be angry? Is God's sentence to destroy Israel and raise up a new nation through Moses justified? 1. First of all, the Children of Israel had abandoned God Almighty and were worshiping a false God. They were breaking one of the prime commandments that they should have no other God before God. Of course at this time they had not been given the ten commandments yet, but they were still breaking it. They knew that God was the only God. Look at all the miracles that God had performed to get them out of Egypt and they still abandoned Him. They were deep into sin and debauchery. 2. A loving God can be angry at sin. The Children of Israel were sure exhibiting plenty of that when they were worshiping the golden calf and who knows what all that goes along with it. Sin is so foreign to the nature of God that He couldn't help but be angry. 3. God's sentence to destroy Israel and start over is perfectly justified. In the first place everything is His, everything. He owns it all. So He can do with everything as He will. The children of Israel had gone deeply into sin. They deserved to be punished and God planned to do just that. Remember he had wiped everything but Noah and his family once before and started over. So he had a history of wiping the slate clean. The children of Israel had abandoned Him after a short time and went back to the old style of worshiping. They no longer worshiped Him. so He was perfectly justified in wiping them out and starting over with Moses's clan if he so chose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helen Spaulding Posted September 18, 2005 Report Share Posted September 18, 2005 Q1. Read Exodus 32:1-14. What had the people done that was so bad? How can a loving God be angry? Is God's sentence to destroy Israel and raise up a new nation through Moses justified? The people had rebelled--again--and decided they wanted a god they could touch and see! God had taken care of them and brought them thus far safely. They rebelled against Him. How could they expect God to treat them? The sin rested on them, and God cannot excuse away blatent sinning. They deserved to be punished. Over and over, God had forgiven the Israelites. He decided they would never become the people He demanded they be, so since Moses was obedient to God and none of the others did, even Aaron, He had reason to decide to start over with Moses. God has eternity to complete His plans, so starting over was a viable option. Moses would not accept that option and begged God to keep trying to bring His people to a proper worship and obedience to God. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jen Posted September 18, 2005 Report Share Posted September 18, 2005 What had the people done that was so bad? The people had become corrupt. They turned from the living God who had brought them out of Egypt through the Red Sea and they saw pharoah's army swallowed up when it tried to follow them. They were led by miraculous signs and they still turned away. They saw the power of God and still turned away! Its hard to understand the depth of corruption in the human heart. And the way they did it is interesting also. Earrings identified people as idolators in that culture (Gen. 35:4) and they took what identified them as idolators and made an idol to satisfy their idolatrous nature. Does it make you wonder what you are doing? It makes me examine myself. And am I willing to change those things that need to be changed. Am I willing to recognise them? How can a loving God be angry. Is God's sentence to destroy Israel and raise up a new nation through Moses justified? I wonder how He can be so patient. And would it have done any good to destroy Israel and start a new nation through Moses since we all have sin in us. Would we not all have done the same thing? For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. How it must have hurt the heart of God to watch this even though He knew ahead of time what these people would do and He knows ahead of time what we will do. How many times have I failed Him and put other things over Him. Matthew Henry says "We could not bear to see the thousandth part of that provocation which God sees every day and still keeps silent". "Those who corrupt themselves not only shame themselves, but even make God himself ashamed of them and of his kindness to them." God Bless, Jen Numbers 6:24-26 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisa Rupert Posted September 18, 2005 Report Share Posted September 18, 2005 Q1. Read Exodus 32:1-14. What had the people done that was so bad? The people became impatient while Moses was away and created visible gods ( golden calf idol) like they were use to worshipping. It was hard for these people at the beginning because they didn't know what or who to trust, they felt like foreigners in an unknown land. Moses their leader was away, so what does one do when they become insecure with their current positions, they go back to their old familar habits. How can a loving God be angry? God is angry at sin. He is holy and he is separate from sin. Sin is ugly. His nature is oppose to injustice, sin, and human degradation. Sin offends God's character. Is God's sentence to destroy Israel and raise up a new nation through Moses justified? Yes, everything God does is justified. Especially with something as offensive as SIN. Remember SIN goes against everything he is. The question is will he do it knowing he is a loving God and he loves his people? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sadie Stromberg Posted September 18, 2005 Report Share Posted September 18, 2005 The Isaraelites had broken the commandment, "Thou shalt have no other gods before me." Aaron shirked his responsibility by caving in to the people's request to make them a god to worship. God is a loving God, but he cannot abide sin in His people. We should realize that many things we as Christians do must also make him angry. We should ask forgiveness for the things that anger Him in our lives. God was justified in wanting to destroy His chosen people and raise up a new people from the line of Moses. He had to do just that thing with Noah and His family. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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