Many of us can remember when we were in grade school how whenever the teacher had to leave the classroom for some reason, she would always tell the class to, “Be quiet and study!” However we also remember that as soon as she left the room, the paper wads would begin to fly! Erasers would be flung across the room while someone would draw caricatures of the teacher on the blackboard.
And then, she would return. There was always that last minute adjustment as we scurried back to our seats and pretended nothing had been going on.
In the book of Exodus we find Moses was called by God to go up into Mount Sinai. While he was away, the Israelites grew restless. Looking for something to entertain them, they melted down their gold, formed a golden calf as an idol and danced around it in worship.
As long as Moses was around, they were doing fine, but as soon as he “left the room,” things changed! They had forgotten all the marvelous things God had done for them, how He had delivered them, and how they were supposed to behave!
Do you recall what the people said when Moses asked about the calf (it sounds just like kids in the classroom when the teacher returns!)?
Exodus 32:21-24 (NIV), He said to Aaron, "What did these people do to you, that you
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