“But those who trust in the Lord renew their strength. They take flight like eagles; They run and never tire, they walk and never tire.” (Isaiah 40:31)

There was a time when Moses went up Mount Sinai where he received the Ten Commandments. He stayed there for over a month. His followers thought he died on the mountain and they were tired of waiting. His brother Aaron was charged with maintaining order in the camp and looking after the spiritual welfare of the people.

They wanted a God they could see, touch and talk to. The God demonstrated by Moses was invisible. They could only get to Him through Moses, and they were tired of not seeing Him. They decided they would take matters into their own hands and produce something that would make them happy.

In total rebellion, the people asked Aaron to make them a god. One they could see and worship. Aaron resisted, but he gave in to the demands of the people. They took all their jewelry and melted it down and made a god. One they could see. This god excited them and they began to worship him.

They even forgot that they had been delivered from slavery and hardship in Egypt. They forgot that God was invisible. For them, Moses was God. And when he didn’t come back when they expected, they asked for another God. Aaron, who should have known, bowed to their demands instead of insisting they wait.

We see history repeating itself. People are impatient. He who paid the price for our redemption is gone. He promised us that he would come back to take us to the place he prepared for us. We see that people want a god with flesh. They want God in a man. They want to see him and hear him speak to them. God give them that. But alas, they received the man and forgot the One who sent him. They want to worship this man. They want to sing praises in this man’s name. They will accept any kind of explanation as long as they have a visible god to worship. Many Christians worship the angel instead of the one who sent the angel.

“You shall not make for yourselves idols, neither shall you set up a graven image for yourselves, nor shall you place in your land any stone adorned with figures, to bow down to it; for I am the Lord your God.” (Leviticus 26:1).

According to this scripture, the worship of idols, statues and images is strictly forbidden. In those days images were carved in stone as there was no technology. And today, images can be painted or printed on paper. This verse explicitly shows that prostrating oneself before such an image is a sign of abominable worship before God.

In the case of the Israelis, their story did not have a happy ending, because Moses was not dead, he was alive. Because of idolatry, disobedience and impatience, many died in the wilderness when the ONE GOD unleashed His wrath on them. I’m afraid this generation will have the same tragic end if people don’t repent and return to the only living, adorable God: the Lord Jesus Christ.

Jesus is not dead. He is alive and lives forever. He promised he would come back. He said:”My sheep hear my voice and they will not follow a stranger.”

# Elie-Jonathan Kabamba.