The Adoration of the Golden Calf’ (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Moses was hanging out on Mt. Sinai talking to God for a very long time and the Israelites got tired of waiting for him to come down.
I think I’d get tired too, person. Patience is not my middle name.
Okay, I’m listening.
So the Israelites went to Moses’ brother Aaron and told him to make gods that would go before them.
Can Aaron do that?
Okay, I’ll listen.
Aaron told the people to give him all their gold earrings and he took the gold and made it into an idol in the shape of a calf, fashioning it with a tool.
You’d think he’d at least make it look like a dog.
Of course I’m listening. I just think they need a few more dogs in this story.
The next day the people sacrificed burnt offerings to that golden calf – it really needs to be a dog – and then they had a big party.
I hope the dogs got the leftovers from the party at least.
I’m listening.
God knew what the people were doing and He told Moses to leave Him alone so He could destroy them. But Moses talked God out of it saying that the Egyptians would say that God just brought the people out of Egypt so He could kill them.
So Moses went down the mountain with the two tablets that had the Ten Commandments on them. But when he saw the calf and the people dancing he threw the tablets down and they broke into pieces at the foot of the mountain.
Then he burned the calf, ground it into powder, scattered it on the water, and made the Israelites drink it.
That must have been some odd tasting steak.
When Moses asked Aaron what the people did to him that caused him to lead them to do something so bad, Aaron said the people didn’t know what happened to Moses and told him to make gods to go before them. So he asked for their gold and threw it into the fire and the calf came out.
See, I told you Aaron should have made a dog. If he didn’t have that calf Aaron and the Israelites wouldn’t have gotten into trouble.
thesweetkitten
October 7, 2012 at 10:32 am
A golden dog? Shaped like you?
Bongo
October 7, 2012 at 2:09 pm
Sweet Kitten, don’t you think that would be cool? I could leave all kinds of messages on it for my friends.
marina kanavaki
October 7, 2012 at 10:51 am
..well, of course!
Shame they didn’t know then!
P.S. Does that mean you are back home at last?
Bongo
October 7, 2012 at 2:10 pm
Marina, I’m almost back home. My person promises she’ll spring me out of here tomorrow.
marina kanavaki
October 7, 2012 at 11:48 pm
Grrrrrrrreat news Bongo! 😀
Bet you’ll have stories to tell!
😀
Long Life Cats and Dogs
October 7, 2012 at 1:48 pm
Sorry Bongo but, much as I love the idea of a golden dog, I think they’d still have been in just as much trouble. As always, though, good try 😉
Bongo
October 7, 2012 at 2:13 pm
Susan, you mean no golden dog? I thought maybe I could help them out of their trouble. I guess not.
Misty Shores Chesapeakes
October 7, 2012 at 3:14 pm
I don’t think that would have helped Bongo since the trouble was them worshiping an idol and not God. I’m glad your getting sprung 🙂
Bongo
October 7, 2012 at 7:43 pm
Thanks Misty Shores – so you mean, they can’t worship me either? I hope Moses brings a bone for me down from the mountain then.
Bassas Blog
October 7, 2012 at 11:19 pm
Another entertaining romp through the Bible Bongo 🙂
Bongo
October 8, 2012 at 1:58 pm
Thanks Bassa. But I still think they should have made a golden dog.
Dalton
October 8, 2012 at 1:53 am
So what is your middle name???
Bongo
October 8, 2012 at 2:02 pm
Dalton, I guess I get to make up any middle name that suits me at the time.
Dalton
October 9, 2012 at 1:04 am
The amazing would be good for you?!
Bongo
October 9, 2012 at 12:04 pm
Thanks Dalton. I like that name.
snoopys@snoopysdogblog
October 8, 2012 at 2:24 am
Hey Bongo,
If it had been a Dog, would it have been a Golden Retriever? Tee Hee
Wags to all
Your pal Snoopy 🙂
Bongo
October 8, 2012 at 2:02 pm
Snoopy, that’s a good one. It would definitely be a Golden Retriever.
eripanwkevin
October 8, 2012 at 4:01 am
I’m wondering why Aaron made the idol in the shape of a calf? As you said Bongo, why it wasn’t the other animal? Does it have any meaning to make a calf? I think that Moses should have been more patient to listen to why Israelites did it before throwing the tablets down and breaking into pieces….no???
Bongo
October 8, 2012 at 2:13 pm
Kevin, the calf was probably similar to a god that the Egyptians worshiped. The Israelites would have been familiar with this god since they’d been living in Egypt for the last 400 years. The second commandment on the tablets that Moses was bringing down from the mountain said, “You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.” So the Israelites had already broken one of the commandments and this made Moses angry.
eripanwkevin
October 9, 2012 at 7:25 am
Thanks so much for more explanations, Bongo! That helped me to understand the story better! 🙂
angelswhisper2011
October 12, 2012 at 1:46 am
A golden dog sounds wonderful, Bongo, at least they wouldn’t have eaten it…I hope. Oops, now I’m mixed up.. I meant melting of course 🙂
Bongo
October 14, 2012 at 8:52 pm
Angels Whisper, maybe a golden dog wouldn’t be such a good idea. If Moses got hold of it, it might be saying, “I’m melting – I’m melting!”
colliesofthemeadow
October 12, 2012 at 4:46 pm
A golden Calf? Huh, I Ginger think they should’ve made a statue to me…. muwahahahah
Bongo
October 14, 2012 at 9:15 pm
Ginger, I’ll put in a word to the writer of the story to add a statue of you next time.