Exodus 32 Summary: A Concise Overview in 5 Minutes

Exodus 32 Summary - A Quick Overview

WHEN:

• God delivered the Israelites from slavery in approximately 1491 B.C.

• The events of Exodus 32 took place 3-4 months after the Hebrews left Egypt (19:1).

CHARACTERS:

• God – The Lord’s glory descended on Mount Sinai. In Exodus 32, God spoke with Moses on the top of the mountain.  

• Moses – God selected Moses to lead the Israelites from Egypt to the Promised Land (Canaan).

• Aaron – Moses’ brother who God selected to be the High Priest of the Hebrews.

• Israelites (Hebrews) – The descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God granted them freedom after several hundred years in slavery in Egypt. Unfortunately, they did not always honor God as He deserved.  

WHERE:

• Moses and the Israelites were encamped near Mount Sinai.

OUTLINE:

• THE GOLDEN CALF (32:1-7):

  • The Israelites became impatient with Moses on Mt. Sinai and asked Aaron to make them an idol.

  • Aaron fashioned a golden calf out of gold and built an altar to it.

  • The people worshiped the calf as the god who saved them from Egypt.

• MOSES PLEADS FOR THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL (32:8-14):

  • God informed Moses what the people were doing at the bottom of the mountain and told Moses He would destroy them for their wickedness.

  • Moses implored the Lord not to destroy the people and “reminded” God of His promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to make Israel a great nation.

• MOSES BREAKS THE TABLETS OF STONE IN HIS ANGER (32:15-20):

  • Moses descended the mountain with Joshua and saw the people honoring the golden calf.

  • His anger “burned hot” and he threw the stone tablets, which contained God’s laws, on the ground and broke them.

  • He destroyed the golden calf, ground it to powder, and put it in the people’s drinking water.

• MOSES CONFRONTS AARON (32:21-24):

  • Moses asked his brother what compelled him to do such an evil thing.

  • Aaron blamed the people and told Moses the calf came up out of the fire when he threw gold into it, as if hadn’t intended it and didn’t design it.

• THE LEVITES KILL 3,000 (32:25-30):

  • Moses asked the people “Who is on the Lord’s side?”

  • The Levites answered affirmatively and gathered around Moses.

  • Moses told the Levites to take swords and kill their wicked countrymen.

  • That day, 3,000 Israelites were killed, and the Levites were ordained for the service of the Lord.

• MOSES ATTEMPTS TO MAKE ATONEMENT FOR THE PEOPLE’S SIN (32:31-35):

  • The next day, Moses went up on the mountain and ask God if there was a way to make atonement for the people’s sins.

  • Moses offered to sacrifice himself for the people’s forgiveness.

  • God told Moses the people would bear the consequences of their own sins.

  • The Lord sent a plague on the people.

APPLICATION:

• This chapter shows us why we need Jesus so badly.

• Isn’t it ironic that Aaron, the man who God had selected to be the High Priest, was making an idol for the people just as God finished outlining the holiness of the priesthood to Moses on Mount Sinai (Exodus 25-30).

• Moses offered to sacrifice himself as an atonement for the people’s sin, but no man could atone for the sins of a whole nation.

• The book of Hebrews describes Jesus as the better High Priest, who is perfectly holy, and without personal sin.

• Only Jesus, who lived a sinless life could offer Himself as the atoning sacrifice for the sins of men.

• The Old Testament scriptures show us our needs and our inability to meet them.

• The New Testament scriptures show us the solution to everything… Jesus.