Background Scripture (read 2-3 times during the week)
Story Summary
This story is a continuation of the story from the previous lesson, Mount Sinai & Ten Commandments. We learned about the first 11 trips that Moses took up and down Mount Sinai. At the end of the 11th trip, Moses had received the two stone tablets that contained a copy of the Ten Commandments, written by the very hand of God. This story picks up as Moses was up on the mountain, before making that 11th trip down. He had been up there for 40 days. Here's a teaching guide for you to follow the trips and their scripture references.
Meanwhile, the people of Israel had become impatient waiting for Moses to return with a message from God.
Aaron Leads the People to Make a Golden Calf
Moses had been gone for so long that the people gave up on him and begged Aaron (Moses' brother) to build them an altar so they could worship.
Aaron answered them, "Take the gold earrings off your wives, your sons and your daughters. Bring the earrings to me." So all of the people took off their earrings. They brought them to Aaron. He took what they gave him and made it into a metal statue of a god. It looked like a calf. He shaped it with a tool. Then the people said, "Israel, here is your god who brought you up out of Egypt." Exodus 32:2-4
Then they held a festival and bowed down to worship their idol. So quickly they had fallen back into the idolatry they were accustomed to in Egypt! They disobeyed the commands God had just given them. This is surprising, especially after all they witnessed before Moses went up to Mt Sinai (remember that from the last lesson?)
When Moses came down from the mountain with the tablets of stone (his 11th trip), his anger burned when he saw the people given over to idolatry. He threw down the two tablets, smashing them to pieces at the foot of the mountain.
He took the calf that the people had made and burned it in the fire. Then he ground it into powder. He scattered it on the water and he made the people of Israel drink it. (Exodus 32:20)
He then called the Levites (the tribe he was from) to go and kill everyone who was not for the Lord. This is a tough part of this story! Did God tell Moses to do this? Or was Moses doing this out of his anger? The story isn't clear.
Trips 12-14: Moses's Final 3 Trips Up and Down Mount Sinai (Exodus 32-34)
Moses made 3 final trips:
- Trip 12: Moses went up the mountain, hoping he could intercede for the people. He had a conversation with God about what the people had done and what their punishment would be. He asked God to either forgive them, or go ahead and kill Moses and essentially be done with the whole project of the nation of Israel. God told Moses to return to the plan, to lead the people to the Promised Land, but did in fact punish the people with a plague. The story doesn't tell us exactly what happened when Moses went down the mountain this time.
- Trip 13: God told Moses to go up to Mount Sinai one more time. There, he cut out 2 stone tablets and wrote the Ten Commandments on them again to replace the ones Moses had broken. Moses stayed up there for 40 days again. Maybe he and God were giving Israel another chance to see if they would make another calf?
- Trip 14: Moses descended down from the mountain with the replacement stone tablets and a face that was shining from talking to God face to face. Moses didn't realize his face was shining, but everyone was afraid when they saw him. Moses told the Israelites (once more!) to obey everything God had told them on the mountain, and then they put a veil over Moses' face.
My Notes
What You Will Need
Supplies
- Gold jewelry
Snack
candy wrapped in gold paper (rolos, gold coins)
Video Options
From Crossroads Kids Club
From LifeKids
Resource Sheet
This coloring sheet depicts the Israelites worshipping the golden calf as Moses returns from Mt Sinai
1 Warm Up get your kids talking and engaged
Have you ever seen anything made out of real gold? Show the children golden jewelry.
Today we are going to learn about a time when the Israelites made something called an "idol" - or a statue of a cow made out of gold.
2 Teach the Story teach a holistic story
Read story from a Children's storybook Bible for younger children.
For older children, read story straight from the Bible or tell the story yourself.
3 Bible Mastery give them basic Bible skills
Scripture for Kids to Read Aloud Exodus 32:1-8
4 Comprehension Questions make sure they understand the story
First, ask the children if they have any questions about the story. What to do if you don't know the answer?
- Who were the Israelites waiting for?
- Moses to come down the mountain
- How long was Moses gone?
- 40 days, see Exodus 24:18
- What did Aaron use to make the golden calf?
- Gold earrings the people were wearing
- How did Moses find out about the calf?
- The Lord told him
- What did Moses do when he came down from the mountain?
- Broke the two tablets with the ten commandments
- What did Moses do to the golden calf?
- Burned it in the fire, ground it into powder, and made the people drink the water
- Which commandment did the people break by making a golden calf?
- Exodus 20:4
5 Faith Questions open up a conversation about faith and the gospel; close with prayer
- The Israelites were tempted to worship something other than the one true God.
- What do you worship instead of God?
6 Memory Verse hide God's Word in their heart
Golden calf
- Print or color a picture of a golden calf.
- Cut picture into pieces, like a puzzle.
- Hang puzzle up on wall.
- As students answer questions from the story, allow them to pull down one puzzle piece at a time, to take down the golden calf idol.
Ice cube tablets
- Freeze water in a 9x9 pan (halfway full) to make two tablets.
- Write commandments on ice cubes with permanent marker.
- Break ice cube tablets, as you tell story of Moses' anger at the Israelites.
Learning Ten Commandments - Commandment #2
- Teach the second commandment.
- When the child can tell you each commandment correctly, without assistance, they are given a bead for a bracelet.
- Keep the bracelet in the classroom and when they have learned all Ten Commandments, they get to take it home.
- To help them remember the commandments, you can separate them into 2 groups for the children.
- The first four commandments are concerning our relationship with God.
- The last six are concerning our relationship with others.
Crumbs on Water
- Sprinkle crushed graham cracker crumbs into the students' water glasses.
- Allow them to drink it (if they would like).
- How do you think the Israelites felt? They had just recently learned that they were God's chosen people.
- Exodus 19:8 - All of the people answered together. They said, "We will do everything the Lord has said."
- They agreed to do all the Lord asked of them. But after that promise, it took only the 40 days that Moses was on Mount Sinai for them to turn away from God.
Gold Glitter calf
- Cover calf with glue.
- Sprinkle gold glitter onto calf
- Let glue dry.
- Write The Bible reference at the top of the paper. Exodus 32- The Golden Calf
Play dough calf
- Make calves out of yellow play dough.
- Allow students to smash calves, as Moses destroyed the golden calf in the Bible story.
Bitter Water
- Tell the kids that you have made them a drink for class
- Add unsweetened lemonade to water, but do not add the sugar
- Give the kids the drinks and as they react to how bitter it is, talk about the part of the story where Moses burned the golden calf, ground it into powder, and made them drink water with the powder in it.
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