Led Into Temptation

Led Into Temptation

Aaron waited. Waited and waited. Still no sign of his younger brother. How much longer should he wait?

Aaron worried. Worried and worried. How much longer would he have to worry? It was driving him to distraction. Maybe that's what he needed... a distraction.

That crazy kid brother. Well, not so much a kid anymore. But even when he was younger he always had his head in the clouds. Like he was following some divine intuition. Boy, the things that kid had talked him into helping him out with, especially recently. It all could fill a book, maybe more.

As a peace-loving man, though lacking self-confidence, the youngster often got himself in trouble trying to do the right thing to help someone else. If he saw an injustice he tried to correct it.

But this time was really earth shaking. Aaron could feel it and hear the rumblings coming down from above. Maybe the God-fearing kid has taken on more than he can handle. More than his big brother can help him with. Could be he was in over his head. Aaron almost decided he had waited long enough and was tempted to go looking for him. Rescue him from whatever God-awful event was befalling him.

Yet, the reluctant leader had told Aaron to wait. Let him handle it until he asked for help. But how long is long enough? Aaron lost count of the days but at least one moon had rolled around since his brother, Moe, hiked up that mountain with his walking stick. And, like he was God Almighty Himself, ordered no one to follow him. What if he had fallen and was laying injured in some ravine up there? The unknown was torturing Aaron.

Not only was he concerned about his brother, Moe had naturally left him in charge of the encampment as well. And the people were getting more than concerned. He could hear them grumbling. A bunch of the refugees were headed his way.

“We put all our faith in the words of that wayward brother of yours and now look! He is no where to be found. He talked us into leaving perfectly good, comfortable living quarters to follow him out into this... this wilderness with promises of plenty of good riches but look at us now. Where's all the abundance? We got less than we ever had while he has run off and deserted us. This land is barren. Food and water is nearly non-existent. If we wanted to perish we could have stayed where we were,” the brave spokesman, Dan, complained.

His sidekick, Nathan, chimed right along, “That's right, Mister Big Mouth, you are the one doing his talking because he gets his words all tumbled together. What do you say now? We've run right up to this belching mountain and you tell us we can't so much as touch it to see if we can get over or around it while he checks it out. Waiting for instructions or whatever. How long we supposed to wait?”

“Yeah, Buster, you are in charge now. We are bored. Give us what we want. Give us something to believe in. Something that can lead us out of here. Or else we'll take matters into our own hands,” threatened a third rabble-rouser, Jesse.

“Now, now, now, Fellows, please be patient. Remember all the good things we have accomplished. We've been through a lot together. This is a minor setback compared to the oppression we came from. Our people weren't free to do anything besides being abused. Think of the fast-talking negotiations we endured to save us from that. Remember the bonds we've made. Better times are right around the corner. Hang in there a little longer.”

Gabe, the biggest and toughest of them all added, “How about we just put a rope around your scrawny neck and hang you around a little longer, Old Man.”

More thunder and lightening boomed from above engulfing the mountain but not the parched plain.

Against his will, Aaron was forced to take evasive action or suffer dire consequences. The disgruntled people were demanding some kind of god. What else could he do?

“Okay, Friends. Have your camps gather all the precious rings, bracelets, necklaces and earrings you can find and bring them to me. Someone build up a fire.”

As the precious metal smelted down Aaron fashioned it into a mock-up of something he saw back in the land they had escaped from. Never being much of an artisan, Aaron thought it barely resembled a young bullock. It would have to suffice.

Some of the men hoisted the shiny statue up on a makeshift pedestal and built an alter in front of their new 'god'. An array of sacrifices were soon spread out upon the virgin butcher block top.

More and more followers were tempted to join in the excitement. Raucous songs of praise were lifted to the heavens and wild abandonment dancing erupted. But their playful adoration soon turned into debauchery and drunken revelry. The crowds grew larger and the noise level increased.

The out-of-control partying lasted on into the evening and throughout the night. The cacophony of sounds rose above the trembling of the mountain and reached the ears of Moe who was descending after forty days and forty nights with the produce of his mission. Two heavy, hand-engraved stone tablets.

Upon seeing the depravity of the peoples, the meek-mannered, tongue-tied truth seeker's anger burned deep as he dashed the treasured tablets against jagged boulders shattering the wisdom written there. “You stiff-necked people! Why must you be so stubborn to not turn from your sinful ways to follow the will of our living God? Would you have a dead idol to lead you into temptation? On wings of an eagle you were delivered from your enemies such a short time ago.

“Aaron, how can you explain this abominable idolatry?”

“These people you led out of the king's land made me do it. They threatened bodily harm to me if I did not comply. They lost hope in you ever coming back. The gold was melted down and this calf came up out of it.”

“Burn it down to ashes, grind it and put it in their water to drink.”

And it was so.

(Quoted from Exodus 32):

And Moses said, ”Who is on the Lord's side? Come to me.” And all the sons of Levi (Aaron and Moses's tribe) gathered around him.

And he said too them, “Thus says the Lord God of Israel, 'Put your sword on your side each of you, and go to and fro from gate to gate throughout the camp, and each of you kill his brother and his companion and his neighbor.””

And the sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses. And that day three thousand men of the people fell.

And Moses said, “Today you have been ordained for the service of the Lord, each one at the cost of his son, and of his brother, so that he might bestow a blessing upon you this day.”

And thus the tribe of Levi became the priests serving the Israelites. Including Aaron who did have to atone for his sin in a ritualistic way.

Moses pleaded with the Lord to forgive His people of this great sin. The great I AM assured Moses He would blot out of His book whoever has sinned against Him. Therefore, none of that generation, those older than 20 years at the time, entered into the promised land of milk and honey. Instead they wandered in the wilderness for forty years.

He who has ears, let him hear. Lest he fall into temptation.

P.S. Aaron was age 83 at this time and Moses age 80. Over 600,000 Israelites were rescued from Egypt after being enslaved there for 430 years. Read the rest of the story in Exodus.