The People Reject Yahweh For A Molten Calf And Receive Less Than Their Due Punishment (Exodus 32:1-35).
We have in this chapter an interesting contrast between man's way of worship and God's way of worship. Moses was in the Mount receiving from God careful instruction as to how future worship was to be conducted. Its aim was in order to prevent any misconception of God. But here at ground level the people, assisted by Aaron, worked out their own way of worshipping God, a way that could only have led them back into idolatry and rejection of all that was good and right in what Yahweh had given them. It is a reminder of how wary we should be in introducing novelties into our worship. We need to ask what their long term consequences might be.
The chapter begins with the people being fearful of what has happened to Moses and rebelling against Yahweh.
This can be divided into:
a The people rebel against Yahweh and worship the molten image (Exodus 32:1-6).
b Yahweh informs Moses of what is happening below (Exodus 32:7-14).
b Moses descends and witnesses what is happening and acts decisively to bring matters under control (Exodus 32:15-28).
a The rebellion is dealt with and the people are punished (Exodus 32:29-35).
Note how in ‘a' the people rebel against Yahweh and in the parallel they are judged and punished. In ‘b Moses is informed of their rebellion and in the parallel goes down and deals with it.