“They told Aaron, ‘Make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who led us out of Egypt—we don’t know what has happened to him!’ That was the time they made an idol in the form of a calf. They brought sacrifices to it and reveled in what their own hands had made. But God turned away from them and gave them over to the worship of the sun, moon and stars. This agrees with what is written in the book of the prophets: ‘Did you bring me sacrifices and offerings forty years in the wilderness, people of Israel? You have taken up the tabernacle of Molek and the star of your god Rephan, the idols you made to worship. Therefore I will send you into exile, beyond Babylon.’” (Acts 7:40-43)
At the end of forty days of fasting, God gave Moses two tablets with the Ten Commandments inscribed on them. The Israelites had already broken the First Commandment: “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” Aaron had made a golden calf for them to worship.
Just like the high priest and leaders of the temple that Stephen is speaking to in this Scripture, Aaron was proud and wanted to be a god. He made the golden calf so the Israelites would like and worship him.
When we have a prideful spirit, God can no longer use us. He gives us over to what we want to worship: perhaps ourselves, money, possessions, or astrology and banishes us temporarily from His kingdom.
“God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.” (James 4:6b, 8a, 10)
Father God, I praise you because you’re mighty. Give me the power of Your Spirit and lift me up to be a major player in Your Kingdom. Help me submit myself to Your ways, and convict me if I stray from the path you’ve cleared for me. Let me have no other gods before You. I pray in Jesus’ name, amen.