The Golden Calf: Israel’s Great Sin at Mount Sinai
Three months after leaving Egypt, the Hebrews came to Mount Sinai, where God would give His law to them. He spoke to all the people from the top of Mount Sinai, revealing His covenant with Israel. Then, He called Moses to come up Sinai, so He might give him the tablets of stone on which the law would be written (Exodus 24:12). The next several chapters reveal details of the law of Moses.
Moses would be with the Lord on the top of Sinai for 40 days. No sooner had God finished revealing & recording His law (Exodus 31:18) than trouble began in the camp. The Lord commanded Moses,
Go, get down! For your people whom you brought 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 themselves a molded calf, and worshiped it and sacrificed to it, and said, ‘This is your god, O Israel, that brought you out of the land of Egypt!’ (Exodus 32:7-8)
