Aaron Makes a Golden Calf, Junior - I, Lesson - 8

JUNIOR

AGE: 10 - 11 YEARS

STANDARD/GRADE: V & VI

Permission is granted only for free distribution among Sunday School children.

No part of this document can be modified, sold or used for any commercial purpose.

LESSON – 8

AARON MAKES A GOLDEN CALF

 

After Joseph’s death, the new Pharaoh, the King of Egypt kept Israelites as slaves. God raised Moses as a leader of the Israelites to deliver them from Pharaoh and to bring them out. God told Moses to take them to a promised land called Canaan. The Israelites had to travel through a large desert before they could enter Canaan. The incident in today’s lesson happened when they were in the large Sinai desert on their way to Canaan.

Sweet Publishing / FreeBibleimages.org.

In the first lesson we learnt about Adam’s sin and how God had challenged the serpent that a woman’s seed would crush the serpent’s seed. It was part of God’s plan that a Messiah or a Saviour would be born as a woman’s seed. God wanted a separated nation and a holy people for Himself, through whom the Saviour could be born. That’s why God chose the Israelites as a Holy nation and gave them many special laws including the ten commandments to keep them holy.

 

Two months after they left Egypt, the Israelites reached the Sinai Desert and they pitched their tents at the base of Sinai Mountain. God called Moses from the mountain to speak with him. God told Moses that he also wanted to speak directly with the Israelites so that they will have the fear of God. On the third day, there was thunder, lightning and a very loud trumpet sound, that the people trembled. All of Mount Sinai was covered with smoke because the Lord had descended on it in fire (Exodus 19: 9-25). Then God spoke to the Israelites and taught them the ten commandments and also gave many laws on how to lead a holy life as God’s chosen people. Read about it in Exodus 20^th to 23^rd chapters.

Moody Publishers / FreeBibleimages.org.

Then God once again called Moses to climb up the mountain so that He could give Moses the Stone tablets on which the ten commandments were inscribed by God himself. To receive these stone tablets, Moses climbed the Sinai Mountain and stayed there for forty days. He had left the Israelites in the care of his brother Aaron and another leader named Hur.

 

But even before the forty days were over, the Israelites started to feel impatient. They were worried that something might have happened to Moses on the top of Mount Sinai. Till that time, it was Moses who had led them and had spoken on their behalf with God. So, the Israelites felt insecure and told Aaron to make a god for them who could go before them and lead them in the desert. They even threatened to stone Aaron if he didn’t do as they told him.

Sweet Publishing / FreeBibleimages.org.

Aaron told them to bring their gold ear rings. Aaron melted the gold ear rings and made an idol in the shape of a calf. The Israelites were very excited with the idol. 

Sweet Publishing / FreeBibleimages.org.

Aaron was very pleased and he even made an altar for it and proclaimed a festival for the calf the next day. The next day the people offered burnt offerings and peace offerings for the calf and there was feasting and dancing.

Sweet Publishing / FreeBibleimages.org.

God told Moses to quickly climb down the mountain because the people had strayed from God’s way. God was so angry that he wanted to destroy them and make Moses into a great nation. But Moses interceded for them and prevented God from destroying them. After Moses climbed down the mountain, he burned with anger when he saw the calf. So, he threw the stone tablets in the ground and smashed them. Then he burnt the golden calf, ground it into a powder and made the Israelites to drink it.

Sweet Publishing / FreeBibleimages.org.

God was angry with the Israelites and wanted to destroy them for making the golden calf. God promised Moses that, He will make Moses into a great nation. Moses did not agree, instead he pleaded for the Israelites, so God forgave them.

Bible Reference: Exodus 32

Memory Verse: There shall be no foreign god …………. and I will fill it. (Psalm 81:9,10)

ASSESSMENT ACTIVITIES

Fill in the blanks:

1. Two months after they left Egypt, the Israelites reached the …………………. Desert.

2. All of Mount Sinai was covered with smoke because the Lord had descended on it in ……………..

3. Moses had left the Israelites in the care of his brother …………. and another leader named ………………..

4. Aaron told the Israelites to bring their ………………………..

Give short answers:

1. What happened when God descended to speak with the people of Israel on Mount Sinai?

 

2.   Why did Moses stay on the mountain top for forty days?

 

3. What did the Israelites ask Aaron to do?

 

4. Why did God tell Moses to quickly climb down the mountain?

 

Answer in brief:

1. What happened at the base of Mount Sinai when Moses was there in the top of the mountain for forty days?