What’s amazing about God is that even though Israel messed up with the golden calf, He was still willing to dwell in the midst of them. He was willing to keep His promise and lead them to the promise land. He didn’t leave them to figure things out for themselves. He didn’t forsake them like they forsook Him.
In a matter of weeks after agreeing to a covenant with God, they broke the first three rules. No. 1 – have no other God before Him. No. 2 – don’t make any graven images of Him. No. 3 – don’t take His name in vain.
Israel was tried and found guilty. They received a just punishment for their crime against God. A lot of people died that day and a lot more would have if Moses didn’t stand in the gap for them.
God is no different now than He was then. He never leaves us or forsake, even when we have done so to Him.
We still pay for our sins against Him and against others because the universal law is we’ll reap what we sow. If we sow bad seeds, we’ll reap bad fruit.
But the joy in all of this is knowing that when we come back to God and repent of our sins against Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us. Sometimes, He’ll even cushion the blow for us, meaning we won’t receive what we truly deserve.
Like Moses, we ought to be thankful for Yeshua and the Holy Spirit for making intercession for us every single day.