Exodus 33:1–6 “Removing Ornaments”

Exodus 33:1-6 NIV

Suggested Praise Songs:

• Jimmy Needham – “Clear The Stage”
• Chris Tomlin – Give Us Clean Hands
• HILLSONG WORSHIP – Christ Is Enough

Resources for Family Worship (with Children):

• What Does Repent Mean? | Bible Lesson for Kids | JAM LABS
• Jesus is My Superhero Hillsong Kids – Song for Kids
• My Best Friend by Hillsong Kids performed by Grace Chapel Kids – Song for Kids
• This Train Is Bound for Glory | Rocky Railway VBS | Group Publishing – Song for Kids
• Discussion Questions for Children & Youth arelocated in the section after Explanation, Meditation, and Prayer (at the end of this email/blog).

Explanation:

After the golden calf incident, God tells Moses to continue the journey toward the land of Canaan. At the same time, He reminds Moses of the covenant He made with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (v. 1). In order to keep His covenant, God promises to send “an angel” to lead the people to the land “flowing with milk and honey” (v. 2). However, He adds, “I will not go up with you.” This is because the people are “a stiff-necked people,” and another incident like the golden calf could arise again. If that happens, God says He might “destroy them” (v. 3).

Upon hearing this news, the Israelites wept and repented (v. 4). As a sign of their repentance, they removed all their “ornaments.” This was a gesture of remorse for having made the golden calf and offered sacrifices, and a deliberate distancing from the valuables used in that sin.

Seeing this, the Lord tells Moses to relay His previous words (v. 3) to the people as well (v. 5). Even though the people had already removed their ornaments, God commands, “Now take off your ornaments,” meaning they are never to wear them again. In obedience to this command, the people no longer wore any ornaments (v. 6).

Meditation:

The expression “a stiff-necked people” is used in English to describe those who are stubborn and rebellious. Given the Israelites’ disposition, it was inevitable that incidents like the golden calf—or even worse—could happen again. In such cases, God’s wrath could break out and utterly destroy them. But God does not desire that outcome. That is why He says He will send an angel to lead them to the land of Canaan, as promised to the patriarchs, but He Himself “will not go up with you.” Since God is present everywhere, this statement means He is choosing to set aside His plan to make them a kingdom of priests.

Upon hearing this, the people wept and repented. They realize the gravity of their sin. They remove all the ornaments from their bodies as a sign of repentance. They felt that worshiping the golden calf differed from adorning themselves with jewelry. The desire to decorate oneself with gold and silver often stems from wanting to stand out, to boast of wealth. At the root of this desire lies a lack of trust in God; their pride was in material wealth rather than in the Lord. If God had truly been the source of their pride and the object of their faith, they would not have made and worshiped a golden calf. God commands them not to wear ornaments anymore, and the people obey.

The massive bull statue at the entrance of Wall Street in New York reminds us of the golden calf the Israelites made and worshipped. In our present age, where capitalism is regarded as the ultimate good, poverty is seen as shameful, and wealth is seen as something to boast about. As a result, people try to earn as much money as possible and display their financial power. They flaunt their success through expensive jewelry, designer bags and shoes, luxury cars, grand homes, and extravagant spending. The phrase “I bought it with my own money” (implying that one has the right to use money however they please) is widely accepted without question.

Even those with strong faith often fail to recognize what is wrong with such thoughts and behaviors, or they do not want to know. The dance party at the foot of Mount Sinai has not yet ended.

Prayer:

Lord, we say we serve You, but each of us carries a golden calf in our hearts. We try to draw on Your power so that we might gain more, faster, and enjoy more in this life. We have no right to criticize the Israelites who danced before the golden calf—we are no different. Oh Lord, have mercy on us. Deliver us from this dance and let us boast only in You. Let You alone be our joy. Amen.

Discussion Questions for Children & Youth:

Key Point: The Israelites removed their gold jewelry to show they were sorry for worshiping the golden calf. Today, we can show our love for God by letting go of things we love too much and putting Him first.

• For Preschool-Elementary
  • What is something you really like or want that might distract your attention from God?
  • Why do you think the Israelites took off their gold jewelry after hearing God’s message?
  • What is one way you can show God that He is the most important in your life?
    
• For Youth
  • What does the “golden calf” look like in your own life today?
  • How do you feel when you see people showing off wealth, popularity, or success?
  • What would it look like for you personally to “take off your ornaments” and choose God as your joy?