The story of the golden calf is a familiar one. Moses was holding a
meeting with God—a habit that began with the burning bush. His absence
was prolonged. The people grew restless. They felt that the cure lay in
worship, but why not worship with a little novelty in it? Why not get
out of the rut?
So they brought their jewelry to Aaron and besought him to make them a
golden god. The idea of an unseen God was too difficult for them. Too, a
golden god would be much easier to get on with. It would lay down no laws
and make no ethical requirements. Too, golden gods were the style among
their neighbors. They asked him to make them such a god.
Then Aaron made the mistake of his life. As a spiritual leader, he should
have been listening to see what God would say. But he turned his ear
toward the congregation instead, and listened to see what the leading
members would say. His business was to lead the congregation up to the
foot of God’s throne. But he allowed himself to be persuaded to attempt
to reduce God to the level of human weakness and ignorance.
One of the supreme temptations of every religious leader is to seek public
approval by the adaptation of the principles and standards of religion to
public tastes, ideals, and desires. A thousand voices are raised on every
side to urge him on in his error.
The path of salvation is still a straight and narrow way. All that we can
do or say will not change that fact. When we widen it, plant primroses in
it, and take the stones out of it, we no longer have a path of salvation.
Then real followers of God no longer care to walk in it. They like the
challenge of the harder road.
We cannot adapt God to the world. Whoever tries it fails, just as Aaron
did. We cannot change truth, nor make over religion, nor revise the divine
law. The God Isaiah saw in the temple was high and lifted up. The fact
that Isaiah did not wait for the Lord to come down to his level, but began
the long climb up to God’s level, is what made the prophet great.