ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

Sapate ‘Epeleli 9, 2023

From Divine to Bovine עגל מסכה 

Mei Langi ki he Kafi

EXODUS 32:4

AND [AARON] RECEIVED THE GOLD FROM THEIR HAND AND FASHIONED IT WITH A GRAVING TOOL AND MADE A GOLDEN CALF. AND THEY SAID, "THESE ARE YOUR GODS, O ISRAEL, WHO BROUGHT YOU UP OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT!" 

‘EKISOTO 32:4

Pea u pehē kiate kinautolu, ‘Ilonga ha ma‘u koula, ke paki mai; pea na‘a nau ‘omi kiate au; pea u lī ia ki he afi, pea na‘e tō mai ‘a e kafi ko eni.

The Lord and his bride were still checked into their Sinai honeymoon suite when she started cheating on him. "Make us a god," the people demanded. And Aaron needed no arm-twisting. We get the impression this wasn't his first rodeo. In no time flat, he had the egel massekah ("molten calf") made. This was likely a wooden model overlaid with gold. An egel is a young ox, often depicted in ancient art as the platform for a deity-a god throne. Chances are that Israel, having sojourned for centuries in a land inebriated with idolatry, were replicating what they had eyed in the motherland. The Israelites were revealing just how Egyptified they were. One small step from divine to bovine for Aaron; one giant fall for Israel.

What saved the nation from immediate annihilation? Only the mediation of Moses. He pleaded for their lives and God relented (32:11-14). Indeed, God would relent and relent, century after century, until finally the Lamb would take care of Israel's (and our) sin once and for all.

Forgive us, dear Father, for all the times we have strayed from you to worship lies and deceptions. Have mercy and draw us back to you.