“And they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play. And the LORD said unto Moses, Go, get thee down; for thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves: They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.” Ex. 32:6-8
“Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.” 1Co 10:7
Why does the Lord through the apostle Paul in the New Testament warn us about something the Israelites did way back in the Old Testament when God freed them from bondage in Egypt? Because we’re just as prone to the same heinous sin against God, and some of us are living proof. In fact, is America and the world as a whole not doing exactly what God is warning us against? How many of us are sitting down to eat and drink and rising up to play? Wonder what that means? Let’s look at the verses above.
The people brought their offerings, but to whom did they bring them? Not to God. To a molten cow to worship. A god. Not God! Then straightaway they trollop off to their food, drink, and play with their backs turned against God, living for their own pleasure, rebelling against Him, living for themselves without regard to God. God has set them free, and their response to Him instead of fearing, revering, magnifying, and living for Him is to turn away. Oh sure, at times they turn back to Him. Then they turn away. Over and again. Idolaters. Not living for God.
If there’s anything I’ve noticed being on the road now for Christ it’s that people overall are consumed with the pleasures of this life – food, drink, entertainment, travel, money, houses, clothes, shopping, sports, climbing corporate ladders, awards, competitions, etc. I watch people, hear conversations, talk to people, see billboards ads, etc., and I hear virtually nothing about the Lord unless I speak of Him. Even then most I meet don’t believe in Him, believe in Him but don’t follow Him, or follow Him and are too afraid, uncomfortable, or busy to help others find and follow Him let alone to speak of Him in public. Sundays some hurry off to church, but in between Sundays and even on Sundays after church there is an exceeding focus on pleasure. Pleasure has its place, but have we turned pleasure into our molten god to worship while trampling the Lord underfoot as we stampede off with the crowds in pursuit of more of it? Are we pursuing Christ and righteousness, or the fulfillment of our lusts? If the Lord Jesus Christ returns today, what will He find?