ACE #273: Don't Get Caught Up Following the Wrong Crowd

While studying Exodus 32, I was reminded of how dangerous it is to follow the wrong crowd just to make friends, to be popular, or to conform to popular culture.  As I consider Aaron’s decision to build the golden calf at the request of the people, it made me realize that Aaron was afraid to do the right thing because it would make him unpopular or cause him grief.  The problem is – he knew better!

Aaron had been with Moses during all of the plagues.  He knew that his role was to stand beside Moses as an assistant to the mission. Yet, he still followed the choice of the people in Moses' absence.  But here’s where it gets interesting:

³⁰ The next day Moses told the people, “This is a terrible thing you have done. But I will go back to the Lord to see if I can do something to keep this sin from being held against you.”
³¹ Moses returned to the Lord and said, “The people have committed a terrible sin. They have made a gold idol to be their god. ³² But I beg you to forgive them. If you don’t, please wipe my name out of your book.”^[a]
33 The Lord replied, “I will wipe out of my book the name of everyone who has sinned against me. ³⁴ Now take my people to the place I told you about, and my angel will lead you. But when the time comes, I will punish them for this sin.”
³⁵ So the Lord punished the people of Israel with a terrible disease for talking Aaron into making the gold idol.

As a result, those who stood on the wrong side of right, were slaughtered at the hands of the those who were considered faithful by God – even their relatives.  Moses pled with God for their lives.  He actually bargained with God and even threatened Him on behalf of the people.  Imagine God bringing these people out of bondage and they still wanted to worship idols.  How disrespectful and ungrateful.  But Moses still interceded on behalf of the people.

Here are a few points:

1.    There will be times when even your relatives will be standing on the wrong side and you will have to choose between them and remaining faithful to God.

2.    There will be times when doing what is popular completely conflicts with doing what is right.

3.    There will be times when someone will intercede on your behalf even if you are in the wrong, but it doesn't make what you did right – it’s just a sign of grace and mercy.

Always be mindful to remain faithful and uncompromising when it comes to being obedient to God.  While being obedient often seems challenging, remaining in God’s favor doesn't have to be.