Shut The Door On Manipulation

Exodus 32

We are walking in today: Shut The Door On Manipulation

Witness influence throughout the Bible: Strong's H4575 ma'adannah dubious, to delicately propose an idea to another
Jeremiah 26:23-24; Acts 19:19-20

Exodus 32:21
And Moses said unto Aaron, What did this people unto thee, that thou hast brought so great a sin upon them?

Manipulation Strong's Hebrews 8610 תָּפַשׂ taphas {taw-fas'}

1) to catch, handle, lay hold, take hold of, seize, wield
 to lay hold of, seize, arrest, catch
 to grasp (in order to) wield, wield, use skilfully
 (Niphal) to be seized, be arrested, be caught, be taken, captured
 (Piel) to catch, grasp (with the hands)

"Psychological manipulation is a type of social influence that aims to change the behavior or perception of others through abusive, deceptive or underhanded tactics."

The children of Israel and their journey through the wilderness witnessed this in their midst. The text is an example to us today. The journey of Israel from physical slavery and the process of developing  a trust-based relationship with Yahweh--simply learning to obey rules given through Moses. The children of Israel erred time and time again. This particular instance by manipulating Aaron into making an idol as a symbol of Yahweh in their own idle minds. For four hundred years of captivity and the pagan influence picked up throughout the years in bondage is inevitable. The people fell back on picking up some form of worship from the surrounding nations. The children of Israel manipulated Aaron into creating a golden calf to remind them of the physical representation of Yahweh and as a symbol of Moses as their physical leader. For the people didn't want an up front in your face relationship with Yahweh per se. Yet they needed to see their leader, in his apparent absence--who was fasting 40 days to receive instructions on how build the Tabernacle. They presumed something had happened to Moses because of his extended leave from them.
Here is when the people started in on demands and worked on manipulating Aaron to create a god to go before them. The sin of manipulation was so deep that the golden calf was more than an idol as we have previously understood.  The purpose of having idols was to be a means to connect or manipulate the 'god' for the needs of the people.  This is the root of the golden calf and resulting sin that Aaron fashioned. This symbol was often worshiped during that time frame and was a popular fertility and life symbol of other nations gods. So the bull was to just be a symbol of Yahweh/Moses, God and leader.

Bottom line Israel wanted to replace the presence of Moses as a symbol of connection to Yahweh...an idol. Thinking the symbol would somehow harness Yahweh and manipulate His power. Therefore, the 2nd commandment was broken.

Exodus 20:1-6
3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me. 4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: 5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; 6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.

No images or likeness or symbols of Yahweh like the pagan beliefs, charms or symbols are to believe to harness the power of its deity. So the children of Israel tried to reduce Yahweh and to a symbol of power through the golden calf worship. As we do today with Yahweh in each other.

Manipulating religion as a symbol or sign of Yahweh. When in fact is for selfish gain. We shut the door on manipulation in any format--that does not line up with the principle set forth. Golden calf forms of concepts. Yahweh is omnipresent. A day is as a thousand years to Him and His timing is perfect. We will wait on Yahweh who renews our strength and learn from the examples in the Torah. How to use the keys of David and shut the doors that need to be shut. So that the abundance of life can truly begin. Counting up through the wilderness.  To hear this again click here.

O Lord, open our eyes to our reductive ways. Show us the things in us that cause your nose to burn. And have mercy upon us we pray, for we are indeed a stiff necked people bent on getting where we want to go. Change us, that we might walk tenderly forth in your Presence. Amen.