Lesson 59

Exodus 32

Prepare to Learn

Prepare your mind and heart to learn. Take a moment to focus on your thoughts and feelings. If you are experiencing any negative feelings, such as impatience, frustration, or anger, what can you do to resolve these feelings so you can invite the Spirit into your study more fully?

Begin your study with prayer.

Imagine that you discovered that one of your Latter-day Saint friends has recently made decisions that are contrary to God’s commandments and the teachings of latter-day prophets. When you express your concerns, your friend sharply replies, “What’s the big deal? This isn’t the worst thing I could do.”

Consider this scenario as you watch the following video, and think about what you might say to your friend. You can read the text for this video here: James E. Faust, “The Devil’s Throat,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2003, 51.

Drawing Near to the Savior

The following experiences demonstrated the Lord’s power and His love for the children of Israel: the plagues on the Egyptians, the parting of the Red Sea, the miracles of manna and quail, water flowing out of a rock, and the Lord giving Moses the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai.

1. Select one of these events. How do you think it may have helped the Israelites come closer to Jesus Christ?

Moses’s Absence

As you study Exodus 32, look for things that will help you draw near to the Savior and things that will not.

Moses had spent 40 days and nights on Mount Sinai, and the people had begun to wonder what had happened to him. Read Exodus 32:1–6, looking for what the Israelites did in Moses’s absence.

Why do you think the Israelites would turn away from Jesus Christ and instead direct their attention and devotion toward a golden calf?

The Israelites’ Disobedience

Read Exodus 32:7–8, looking for phrases that describe the spiritual direction the Israelites were heading. It might be helpful to know that the phrase “corrupted themselves” (verse 7) means they had become unworthy.

Even though the Israelites had recently made a covenant to keep the Lord’s commandments, they soon violated that covenant by disobeying the commandments and focusing their attention and devotion on something other than the Lord.

What principle can we identify from Exodus 32:7–8?

What Can We Learn?

The children of Israel “corrupted themselves” (verse 7) and “turned aside quickly” (verse 8) from the Lord. Turning aside from the Lord means turning away from Him and placing our attention and devotion elsewhere. From Exodus 32:7–8 we can identify the principle that by turning aside from the Lord and His commandments, we corrupt ourselves. Consider recording this truth next to Exodus 32:7–8 in your scriptures.

Worshipping Other Gods

President Spencer W. Kimball (1895–1985) warned of things that can draw our attention and devotion away from God:

“Modern idols or false gods can take such forms as clothes, homes, businesses, machines, automobiles, pleasure boats, and numerous other material deflectors from the path to godhood. What difference does it make that the item concerned is not shaped like an idol?” (Spencer W. Kimball, The Miracle of Forgiveness [1969], 40).

How can focusing too much on material possessions keep us from drawing nearer to God?

Focus and Rely on the Savior

2. Answer the following questions:

• What has helped you focus and rely on the Savior rather than on things that might cause you to turn away from Him?

• What will you do to more fully and completely focus your attention and devotion on the Savior?

Moses’s Reaction

Exodus 32:9–14 records a conversation between the Lord and Moses about the rebellious Israelites. These verses can be confusing because they make it appear that the Lord needed to repent. The Joseph Smith Translation of Exodus 32:14 (in the Bible appendix) clarifies that the Lord promised to “turn away [His] fierce wrath” if Israel repented.

We read in Exodus 32:15–18 that Moses then came down from Mount Sinai, carrying two stone tables with God’s law written on them.

Read Exodus 32:19–21, looking for what Moses did because the Israelites had turned aside from the Lord so quickly and worshipped the golden calf.

What happened to the stone tables that Moses brought down from Mount Sinai?

On the Lord’s Side

Read Exodus 32:26, looking for what those who wanted to be on the Lord’s side were supposed to do.

According to verse 26, what do we demonstrate when we stand with the prophet?

Standing with the Lord’s Prophet

An important principle we can identify from Exodus 32:26 is that as we stand with the Lord’s prophet, we show that we are on the Lord’s side. Standing with the Lord’s prophet means sustaining him and following all of the commandments the Lord gives us through him.

3. Answer one or both of the following questions:

• How does standing with the prophet show that you stand with the Lord?

• When have you or someone you know chosen to stand with the prophet by following his counsel and teachings?

A Symbol of Christ

Moses was a “prophetic symbol of the Christ who was to come” (Jeffrey R. Holland, Christ and the New Covenant: The Messianic Message of the Book of Mormon [1997], 137). This means that Moses would do things that would resemble things the Savior would do.

Read Exodus 32:30–32, looking for words, phrases, or ideas that show similarities between Moses and Jesus Christ.

What doctrinal truth can Moses’s words and actions teach us about Jesus Christ?

Jesus Christ

Through the symbolism of Moses’s words and actions recorded in Exodus 32:30–32 we can learn the following truth: Jesus Christ is our Mediator with the Father. Jesus Christ took our sins upon Himself. Just as Moses pleaded with the Father to forgive repentant Israel’s sins, the Savior does the same thing for us. Moses also was willing to suffer for the sins of the people. In these ways, Moses serves as a type or shadow of Jesus Christ. Consider recording these two truths next to Exodus 32:30–32 in your scriptures.

The Consequences of Sin

We learn in Exodus 32:34–35 that while many of the people chose to repent and turn back to the Lord after worshipping the golden calf, they still had to endure many of the consequences of their sinful actions. Just because we repent does not mean we avoid all of the negative consequences of our choices.

Identified Truths

The following truths were identified in this lesson:

• By turning aside from the Lord and His commandments, we corrupt ourselves.

• As we stand with the Lord’s prophet, we show that we are on the Lord’s side.

• Jesus Christ is our Mediator with the Father.

• Jesus Christ took our sins upon Himself.

Take time to ponder the truths you identified in today’s lesson. Consider writing in a study journal or your Notes on LDS.org one or two things you will do as a result of what you learned.