Who Is on Jehovah's Side? - JEHOVAH REQUIRES US TO BE LOYAL TO HIM

We can also learn fro what happened after Jehovah freed the Israelites from Egypt.  As the people gathered in front of Mount Sinai, Jehovah showed himself to them in a dramatic way!  They saw a dark cloud, lightning. and smoke, and they heard thunder and a loud noise like horn. (Exodus 19:16-19)  Then they heard Jehovah announce that is is "a God who requires exclusive devotion."  He promised that he would be loyal to those who love him and obey his commandments.  (Read Exodus 20:1-6)   Jehovah was letting the  Israelites know that if they stayed on his side, he would be on their side. If you had been in that crowd, how would you have felt when you heard Jehovah's words? You would probably have answered like those Israelites, who said:  "All the words that Jehovah has spoken, we are willing to do." (Exodus 24:3) But it was not long before something happened that tested the Israelites' loyalty to God. What was it?

The Israelites were frightened by the dramatic display of God's power, so Moses went up to Mount Sinai and spoke to Jehovah for them. (Exodus 20:18-21) But time went by, and Moses did not come back down to the camp. It seemed that the people were stuck in the wilderness without their leader. What would they do?  It may be that the Israelites relied too much on a human leader, Moses. They became anxious and told Aaron; "Make for us a god who will go ahead of us, because we do not know what has happened to Moses, the man who led us out of the land of Egypt." - EXODUS 32:1, 2.

The Israelites knew that it was wrong to worship idols.  (Exodus 20:-5)  But how quickly they began to worshipthe gold calf!  Even though they disobeyed Jehovah's commandment, they fooled themselves into thinking that they were still   on Jehovah's side.  Aaron even called this calf worship  "a festival to Jehovah"!  What did Jehovah do? He told Moses that the people had "corrupted themselves" and left the way he "commanded them to go."  Jehovah was so angry that he even thought about destroying the entire nation. - EXODUS 32:5-10.

But Jehovah is a merciful God. He decided not to destroy the nation. Instead, he gave the Israelites the chance to show that they wanted  to be on his side.   (Exodus 32:14)  When Moses  saw the people shouting, singing, and dancing in front of the idol, he crushed the golden calf and ground it to powder.  Then he shouted:  "Who is on Jehovah's side? Come to me" And "all the Levites gathered  around" Moses. - EXODUS 32:17-20, 26. 

Next time: Who Is on Jehovah's Side? Conclusion of  JEHOVAH REQUIRES US TO BE LOYAL TO HIM

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