earrings, cows and slavery

Exodus 32:1-35  ESV

So they escape slavery in Egypt, but they still bear the signs of it with

1. earrings, (boring a hole into someone's ear for a ring was a sign of ownership),

2. their behavior and

3. the obvious golden idol they called 'gods' as they sacrificed to it. 


It interesting that God sets up the sacrifice of a red heifer:

 * they sacrificed burnt offerings to their golden calf

 * the new sacrifice is also a cow, but red (like blood, not golden like the idol they made),

 * so they are sacrificing their chosen idol to the True God by commandment,

 * and Moses makes them internalize their sin by forcing them to drink the grounded gold.  It says that their true God should be invited to reside and abide in them, but their sin is what they swallowed and carried around with them.


And when confronted Aaron lies about his role in the sin (vs 24).  Now he's going to have to sacrifice for everyone daily when the tabernacle is set up.

 

We no longer sacrifice red heifers because Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice, but we still pierce our ears and make ourselves slaves to so many things.

 

Calf, heifer, golden earrings, slavery. All in chapter 32.

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