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Day 156

Psalm 106:19a "They made a calf in Horeb..."

Day 156 – Psalm 106

“They made a calf in Horeb…” Psalm 106:19a

ANOTHER GRAVE SIN-PROBLEM RECALLED

The psalmist recalled another grave sin-problem in the following text. This problem chronologically antedates the incident of the rebellion led by Korah, Dathan and Abiram.

“They made a calf in Horeb,
And worshipped the molded image.
Thus they changed their glory
Into the image of an ox that eats grass.”
Psalm 106:19-20

1. “They made a calf in Horeb, and worshipped the molded image”

a) This incident was recorded in Exodus 32.
b) The following details are important to note:-
i) God had given the children of Israel a covenant.
ii) They were not to worship other gods.
iii) They were not to make any graven image.
iv) The children of Israel had personally heard the voice of God when he uttered the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1-21).
c) Nevertheless they reneged on the Covenant that God had just given to them.
i) They made a golden calf.
ii) They went on to offer worship to the golden calf.

2. “Thus they changed their glory into the image of an ox that eats grass”

a) Their glory
i) This is a reference to God.
ii) Glory and God are inseparably connected.
b) Changed… into the image of an ox that eats grass
i) The absurdity of it all was expressed here.
ii) How could an ox that eats grass could have been deemed worthy of worship?