Carrying the Fear of God

Part 2

After Moses went up the mountain to receive the law of God the people became restless. When they saw that he was so long in coming down, they gathered around and Aaron and said:

“Come make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t know what happened to him.”

                                                                                                Exodus 32:1

So they took gold earrings and fashioned a golden calf to worship and then they got up to eat, drink and indulge in revelry! Moses carried with him the fear of God. When he was gone, the people fell deep into sin. It was evident from their behavior that they did not carry the fear of God for themselves.  Evangelist Ray Comfort once said,

“When men don’t fear God they give themselves to evil.”

The Israelites cast their lots together and indulged their flesh. They even managed to draw Aaron into the fray. When Moses came off the mountain he asked Aaron:

“What did these people do to you, that you led them into such great sin?”

                                                                                                Exodus 32:21              

Aaron had been influenced by the people! The fear of men became a greater influence in Aaron’s life than the fear of God. There is nothing that will lead you away from the fear of God faster than “casting your lot” in with those who do not fear God at all.  Proverbs 1:10-15 declares:

“My son, if sinners entice you, do not give in to them. If they say, “Come along with us; let’s lie in wait for someone’s blood, let’s waylay some harmless soul; let’s swallow them alive, like the grave, and whole, like those who go down to the pit; we will get all sorts or valuable things and fill our houses with plunder; throw in your lot with us, and we will share a common purse- my son, do not go along with them, do not set your foot on their paths.”

It is interesting to see how many instances that people lost the fear of God when partnered with other people, like Nadab and Abihu in Leviticus 10 and Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5.  Even at the cross we find two criminals, one on either side of Jesus mocking him and hurling insults at him:

“In the same way the robbers who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him.”

                                                                                    Matthew 27:44

Until one of them was awakened to the fear of God!

 

Pastor Scott Burr                                                                    

http://faithandworshipseries.blogspot.com/