Podcasts about Golden calf

Emily continues our Exodus series through the Golden Calf narrative in Exodus 32 & 33 – exploring themes of idolatry, mercy & intercession.

This is the fourth lesson in Dr. Lane G. Tipton and Rev. Adam York's Reformed Academy course, The Unfolding Mystery: A Reader's Guide. It was originally recorded for one of Reformed Forum's International Cohort Reading Groups. This lesson covers Chapters 5–6 of Edmund P. Clowney's The Unfolding Mystery: Discovering Christ in the Old Testament, addressing the following topics:00:00 Exodus 24 and the Three-Tiered Mount Sinai05:03 Blood and Smoke: Ascending to God's Presence10:30 The Seventh Day Rest and Heavenly Worship30:51 The Golden Calf and Moses's Intercession37:46 Show Me Your Glory (Exodus 33–34)43:27 The Bronze Serpent and the Rock50:52 Ascension, Pentecost, and PreachingRegister for this free on-demand course on our website to track your progress and assess your understanding through quizzes for each lesson. You will also receive free access to dozens of additional video courses in covenant theology, apologetics, biblical studies, church history, and more: https://reformedacademy.org/course/un...Your donations help us to provide free Reformed resources for students like you worldwide: https://reformedforum.org/donate/#biblicaltheology #gospel #reformedtheology #biblestudy

In this message, Pastor Mack Jarvis teaches about the issue of idolatry. He tells us how to locate our idols and what idolatry really is. Tune in today for this biblical message.

These Are Our People Max Kozak Download Psalm 106,Praise the Lord!Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!2 Who can utter the mighty deeds of the Lord, or declare all his praise?3 Blessed are they who observe justice, who do righteousness at all times!4 Remember me, O Lord, when you show favor to your people; help me when you save them,5 that I may look upon the prosperity of your chosen ones, that I may rejoice in the gladness of your nation, that I may glory with your inheritance.6 Both we and our fathers have sinned; we have committed iniquity; we have done wickedness.Mark Twain famously said that history doesn't repeat itself, but it often rhymes. That's why I love reading narrative nonfiction. Whether it's Shackleton, or John Adams, there is something uniquely “sticky” about gleaning important lessons other men have learned in the context of hearing their stories. And that's what we'll see the Psalmist setting out to do here, in Psalm 106.Similar to last week, the bulk of this Psalm is another recounting of Israel's history. And the story pretty much picks up where we left off last week. God has demonstrated his mighty power and covenant love by rescuing his people out of Egypt — and now, finally, Israel is about to cross the Red Sea and be on their way to the promised land. But although the story continues, the focus shifts. Psalm 106 has been described as “the dark counterpart to Psalm 105,” because its main focus is on the sin and rebellion of God's people. And we need to see both. Let's pray again, and then we'll jump in.Father, you are a mighty God who shows steadfast love to his covenant people. That was true when you led Israel out of Egypt to the promised land — and it's true now, as you lead us by your Spirit, through your Word. Help us to see and receive what you want to show us this morning in your Word, I pray in Jesus name, amen.1. The Tension: Blessing Belongs to the RighteousBefore we get into the story, we notice that there is a tension introduced in the first few verses that continues throughout this Psalm.After calling Israel to praise the Lord and give him thanks (v.1–2), the Psalmist reminds Israel that blessing belongs to the righteous: “blessed are they who observe justice, who do righteousness at all times.” (v. 3)He then personally appeals to God's blessing — asking that he would get in on the prosperity, gladness, and glory of God's covenant people (v.5). He says remember me (when you show favor to your people). Help me (when you save them). He wants to be included in their prosperity and the blessings of their inheritance.But if you read ahead, you'll say time out, this makes no sense.First, we'll see later in the Psalm that Israel is in exile when this psalm is written. The “prosperity and gladness” that he wants to get in on is far from Israel's current reality.Second, he's just linked God's blessing to righteousness, but the history that he then goes to great lengths to recount reveals that Israel's track record is the opposite of righteousness. And remember, God's covenant with Israel includes not just blessings for obedience, but also, curses for disobedience (laid out famously in Deuteronomy 28). And as we go through the story we'll see that it's the curses, not the blessings that fit Israel's track record.So that's the elephant in the room — the tension from the start is this: if blessing belongs to the righteous, how can the psalmist identify himself with Israel's wickedness, and yet appeal to God's blessing?2. Israel's Dark Pattern of SinThe story picks up in v.6:“Both we and our fathers have sinned; we have committed iniquity; we have done wickedness.”Now, before we analyze the story, it's important to recognize what he's not doing and what he is doing. First, He is not denouncing or rejecting his heritage. It's clear in verses 4 and 5 that he has tied his identity to God's chosen nation. “Ride or die,” he has linked his fate to that of God's covenant people. At the same time he is not hiding their wickedness. He calls sin, sin, no matter where he sees it. There is no protecting reputations or sugarcoating here.It's also worth noting that he is not “taking on” or “repenting for” his father's sins. There is no “group guilt” going on here. Scripture is clear:“Each will give an account of himself to God.” (Rom 14:12)And yet, he's honest enough to see himself in their story. He does not say “well if it were me in that wilderness, man, I'd do better” — the arrogant attitude that C.S. Lewis calls “chronological snobbery.”Instead, he leads us through a hard, honest look at Israel's history, and a hard honest look at his own heart to identify the dark pattern of sin and rebellion that cuts through every human heart. “Both we and our fathers have sinned.”If last week's history lesson was meant to show us: “wow, this is our God,” this week's history lesson reveals the flip side of the coin: “uff, these are our people.”The Red Sea (vv. 7-12)And we see their first failure at the Red Sea. Israel is on the cusp of leaving Egypt. They are about to walk free after 400 years of slavery. God had absolutely humiliated Pharaoh. Round after round, demonstrating both his power and his covenant love through his Judgement on Egypt, culminating in the death of every firstborn, and making Pharaoh finally relent and let Israel go. So here they are — their Fourth of July moment. And we see rebellion right at the starting line.“Our fathers, when they were in Egypt, did not consider your wondrous works; they did not remember the abundance of your steadfast love, but rebelled by the sea, at the Red Sea.” (v. 7)Pharaoh changes his mind, the Israelites see the chariots coming, and they turn on Moses and God saying “did you bring us out here to die?! Didn't we tell you in Egypt to leave us alone?”The Psalmist's first charge begins with “they did not consider God's works” — literally, they gave them no thought — “And forgot the abundance of his love.” Not paying attention, and forgetting, are high-stakes moral offenses, when it comes to our posture towards God. Remembering is a reflection of what we value, and God has given his people provisions for our remembering with many rhythms, disciplines, and reminders to reinforce our attentiveness to Him. Take advantage of them! Meditate on his word daily, tell of his wondrous works to one another, teach them to your children!But instead, Israel's forgetting here reveals their disregard for God and it results in rebellion. Yet God still intervened: He split the sea, destroyed the Egyptian army, and brought them out of Egypt. And for a brief moment, “they believed his word and sang his praise” (v.12). And they lived happily ever after … right?No, instead, we see the fickleness of their trust immediately in the next verse.Wilderness Cravings (vv. 13-15)“But they soon forgot his works; they did not wait for his counsel. 14 But they had a wanton craving in the wilderness, and put God to the test in the desert; 15 he gave them what they asked, but sent a wasting disease among them.” (v. 13)Instead of delighting in the Lord who just saved them, they forget again, and their hearts are corrupted by disordered desires.They had “wanton cravings” for food — literally translates “they crave-craved” food — to the point of putting God to the test: trying to manipulate God into proving himself to them on their terms.There is nothing wrong with their desire for meat, nor with asking God to provide good things we crave. But when you combine forgetting God and disordered desires, our cravings become deadly. Yet God gives them the meat they wanted, and his anger came with it in a wasting disease, where many people died, giving that place the name “graves of craving.”The Coup Against Moses (vv. 16-18)We'll skip over verses 16-18, but basically a group of prominent men, driven by jealousy rises up against Moses in a coup … God intervenes … the ground opens and swallows the leaders alive … and fire from heaven consumes the rest.The Golden Calf (vv. 19-23)Then comes the infamous golden calf episode. Verse 19:“They made a calf in Horeb and worshiped a metal image. 20 They exchanged the glory of God for the image of an ox that eats grass. 21 They forgot God, their Savior, who had done great things in Egypt, 22 wondrous works in the land of Ham, and awesome deeds by the Red Sea. 23 Therefore he said he would destroy them—had not Moses, his chosen one, stood in the breach before him, to turn away his wrath from destroying them.”Israel forgets again, and this time the whole nation rebels in idolatry. Instead of worshipping God, their savior, they chose to worship pretty much the most pathetic thing they could find. An ox, (that's a male cow) that eats grass. It was pathetic, but more importantly, it was deeply wicked, and a betrayal of their God. And we see its seriousness in verse 23:“Therefore he said he would destroy them—had not Moses, his chosen one, stood in the breach before him, to turn away his wrath from destroying them.”After everything from Abraham to Moses, God was ready to wipe them out and start over with Moses. That's the gravity of the situation. And there's no doubt that they deserved destruction, on the spot — ground opening up, or fire coming down. But Moses stands in the breach — a military image: when a wall has been breached, the city's about to get sacked except for a champion who steps into the gap, inserting himself to rescue the people.So what's going on here? Is Moses opposing God? Was God overreacting? Not at all. God is displaying here both the gravity of their sin, while also laying the groundwork for what it will ultimately take to deal with it. God wants Israel to know that the only thing that kept them from experiencing the just wrath of God was God's chosen one interceding on their behalf. And because of Moses' intercession, the flood of God's wrath is held back, at least for now, and without any delusions about what their sin deserves.The Spies Refuse the Promise (vv. 24–27)Then, on the very edge of the promised land, twelve spies are sent to scout it out. Ten of them give a cowardly report that ignites fear in the nation: “giants, fortified cities, no chance.” And Israel, again, ignores God's promise.“They despised the pleasant land, having no faith in his promise” (v.24).The result: an entire generation dies in the wilderness, without entering the promised land.Phinehas' Intercession (vv. 28–31)Fast forward to verse 28. Israel is now in Moab, right on the doorstep of the land, and they rebel again. This time they join themselves to the Moabites by worshiping their pagan idols and committing sexual immorality with them. So God's anger breaks out in a deadly plague against his people.And here in the midst of this plague, someone again intercedes — but this time it looks a little different. Phinehas (Aaron's grandson) sees a blatant demonstration of rebellion happening openly between a leading Israelite man and a prominent Moabite woman, so he grabs his spear, and executes judgment on both: with one thrust, deals with sin on the spot. And as the text says:“he intervened, and the plague was stayed, and that was counted to him as righteousness from generation to generation forever” (v.30–31).“Intervened” is an interesting choice of word. It's that intercession language again. Moses turned away God's wrath through intercessory pleading. Phinehas turns away God's wrath through intercessory action, executing justice for sin on the spot. Both are described as acts of intercession that hold back the flood of God's judgement against Israel, for now.And there's an important application for us here: Confront sin in your life head-on. Do not coddle sin, or it will destroy you. That requires calling sin what it is, and not concealing it. Phinehas confronted sin out of his righteous Zeal for the Lord and out of his love for his people. So confront sin starting with your own heart, and then commit to helping one another confront sin in Life Groups. The stakes are too high for a Minnesota-Nice coddling of sin. Sin dishonors God and when left unchecked will destroy you! Help each other root it out, in love. Faithful are the wounds of a friend.Defiling the Land (vv. 34–40)Fast forward to verse 34. Israel is finally in the promised land. You'd think, after everything they've been through, they would have learned. Instead, once they're finally in the land, they again, immediately disregard what God commands. God had told them to destroy the Canaanites, but instead…“They did not destroy the peoples, as the Lord commanded them, 35 but they mixed with the nations and learned to do as they did. 36 They served their idols, which became a snare to them. 37 They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to the demons; 38 they poured out innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan, and the land was polluted with blood. 39 Thus they became unclean by their acts, and played the whore in their deeds. 40 Then the anger of the Lord was kindled against his people, and he abhorred his heritage;”Instead of obeying God and executing righteous judgement (like Phinehas) to remove the evil from the land, they became just like them. They served their gods, and polluted the land with the blood of their own sons and daughters whom they sacrificed to demons!These are dark, dark verses. It should make us sick to our stomach. And it's an important reminder of the trajectory of sin. It is never satisfied staying where it is. It always drags you further and further into darkness, long before you see it's true ugliness.What's our view of sin? Does it make us sick? There's an ever-present danger of minimizing sin and there are many reasons for this. For one, the world around us celebrates it, and it's easy to grow accustomed to it. But also, because we've never seen the full extent of it's depravity. Don't get me wrong, we've seen enough. But, throughout all of history, in countless ways, God always restrains sin from its full expression. Whatever wickedness you have seen (both in your own heart, and in the world around you), is just the tip of the iceberg. Don't underestimate it. And this Psalm helps us not to underestimate it. They sacrificed their own children to demons! Sin is infinitely offensive to God, and it will keep dragging you further and further into it's bottomless pit.So here they are, the ugliness of their hearts on full display. And God can't stand it. He abhors them. He says “Get Out.” Right back into the hand of the nations to be ruled by those who hate them (v.41).Verse 6 opened things up with “Both we and our fathers have sinned” and verse 43 bookends it with his summary:“Many times he delivered them, but they were rebellious in their purposes and were brought low through their iniquity.”Or as the NIV puts it, “they were bent on rebellion.”This wasn't occasional, nor was it circumstantial. Bent. It's who they are and, if we're honest, it's who we are as well. This isn't just Israel's reality, or a uniquely wicked generation. It's the condition of the human heart. From Adam to us, history rhymes in a dark pattern of sin and rebellion against God.“All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Rom 3:23)And it brings us back to our original tension: if blessing belongs to the righteous, how can the psalmist (and how can we) who identify with Israel's wickedness, appeal to God's blessing?Well, Psalm 106 doesn't fully resolve that tension. In a way, it is a true cliff-hanger. The main melody of Psalm 106 is Israel's dark pattern of rebellion and the psalm ends with Israel in exile. But even so, there is a powerful countermelody of God's mercy throughout this psalm, most clearly in verse 44 right after their rock bottom moment.3. God's Countermelody of Mercy“Nevertheless, he looked upon their distress, when he heard their cry. 45 For their sake he remembered his covenant, and relented according to the abundance of his steadfast love. 46 He caused them to be pitied by all those who held them captive.”Unlike Israel, who forgets God's covenant at every turn, God never forgets his covenant. The great miracle of Psalm 106 is God's unwavering commitment to his people despite their sin. Time after time he preserves Israel when they deserve to be swept away in his righteous judgment. In every example we've walked through, anything short of Israel's utter destruction is an example of God's countermelody of mercy — his covenant love inserting itself between Israel's guilt and the judgement they deserve.But how? On what basis does “nevertheless” get to happen? God is no less just here than he was when he wiped out Korah's rebellion. So what holds the flood back?Our psalm has already alluded to it twice, both times incomplete. Moses stood in the breach — interceding through pleading, but absorbing nothing himself. Phinehas interceded through judgment — dealing with sin decisively, but only for one sin, not to mention that they were destroyed in the process. These examples highlight two halves of the same tension. What we need is someone to do both. Someone who will stand in the breach in our place, and satisfy God's justice on our behalf.The tension of Psalm 106 and it's hints of intercession both point forward in time to Christ's intercession on the cross once and for all. Romans 3:23-26 reminds us plainly: “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.”Jesus is God's answer to the tension. The Son of God became a man, lived the righteous life we couldn't, and stepped into the breach for us receiving the full judgement for our sins on the cross. He accomplished what Moses and Phinehas pointed to. He satisfied the judgment that our sin demanded, and displayed God's covenant mercy for all who trust in him. He takes the judgement for our sins, and we inherit the blessings of his righteousness. Intercession, completed.This is what makes the psalmist's plea in verse 47 possible.“Save us, O Lord our God, and gather us from among the nations, that we may give thanks to your holy name and glory in your praise.”He trusted that God in his mercy and justice would make a way to gather his people for worship and thanksgiving despite their track record. And it's why he can appeal to God's blessing despite his own sinfulness. Every “nevertheless” in Israel's history was borrowed against the cross. Every time God held back the flood, he was holding it back until it could finally, fully fall on his Son, in our place. That was true for Israel, and it's true for us. These are our people, and this is our God!And that brings us to the table.The TableThe table reminds us of where God's mercy and justice meet. No longer in tension, not in some uneasy compromise, but both fully satisfied at the cross.That's what this bread and this cup remind us of. His body, broken for us. His blood poured out for us. Christ took our sins upon himself, and we receive the blessings of His righteousness. We don't come to this table because our track record is any better than Israel's, we come because Christ stood where we should have stood, and declared “It is Finished.”As we celebrate the Lord's table together, this meal is a meal for the members of Cities Church, but if you have trusted in Jesus we invite you to eat with us.If you have not trusted in Jesus, we ask that you let the bread and the cup pass, but let this psalm be your invitation. As Tim Keller notes, you are more sinful than you know, and more loved than you imagine. Trust in Jesus today.

In Part 3: The Repercussions of Sin, Pastor Byron Chesney examines Exodus 32:26–35 and we see what happened after the music stopped, the dancing ended, and the golden calf was destroyed. The idol was gone, but the consequences remained. Sin always costs more than it promises. It damages families, weakens churches, corrupts worship, and affects those who come after us. Yet there is mercy, forgiveness, and restoration for those who repent and turn to Jesus Christ.

Parshas Eikev: Yesterday Shapes Tomorrow Season 8 Episode 38 | #369 Why would Moshe remind the Jewish people of the sin of the Golden Calf just before they entered Eretz Yisroel? Wouldn't this have been the time to inspire confidence rather than revisit their greatest failure? In this episode, we explore Rashi's explanation and the Alter Rebbe's transformative insight from Tanya. Discover why the Torah teaches us that our past is not meant to imprison us, but to humble us, strengthen us, and prepare us for a brighter future.

Crossroads Church Podcast

Come Bible Study WITH ME through Deuteronomy 9 and ask all the questions!

In The Odyssey, Odysseus' crew couldn't trust his promise that they would survive without eating the cattle. In Exodus, Israel couldn't trust God's promise while Moses was on the mountain. And in our lives, we struggle to trust God while we're waiting for the next chapter of our own stories. Like the Israelites, who make and worship a Golden Calf, we often turn to other things to try to save us—whether approval, success, or security. The Israelites' problem wasn't that they stopped believing in God. Their problem was that God wasn't moving on their timetable. And we do the same thing. We may never melt down jewelry to make a golden calf, but we do become impatient with God's timing, and in that impatience, we are constantly tempted to place our trust in whatever promises relief right now. But nothing we turn to can accomplish what Christ accomplished for us when he bore our sin, defeated death, and rose again.

This bible story is one that most people have heard of, and maybe even think they know. Let's put that to the test. Bael and Riff are here to educate you. 

When Moses delayed on the mountain, the people of Israel quickly turned from the living God to a golden calf, exposing the deep roots of idolatry and the dangerous exchange of truth for a lie. Yet even in their rebellion, God's judgment, Moses' intercession, and the greater hope pointing to Christ reveal that our only true rescue is found in the mercy of God. The post The Golden Calf appeared first on Mt. Rose OPC.

In Church of the Golden Calf, Part 2, Pastor Byron Chesney examines Israel's rebellion in Exodus 32:7–35, Moses' faithful intercession, Aaron's failure to accept responsibility, and God's righteous judgment. This message reminds us that sin carries consequences, every person is accountable before God, and believers must choose to stand on the Lord's side.

Crossroads Church Podcast

Crossroads Church Podcast

Leviticus is one of the most overlooked books in the Bible, yet it carries a profound answer to one of the most important questions anyone can ask: how does an unholy person connect with a holy God? Built around the concept of holiness, the book moves through sacrifices, priestly ordination, and purity laws, all building toward one goal: bringing God's people from outside the tent of meeting to inside it. At the very center of Leviticus is the Day of Atonement, the moment when sins are forgiven. This is no coincidence. Atonement is the heartbeat of the Old Testament, and it points directly forward to Jesus Christ.In Leviticus 8, God instructs Moses to ordain Aaron as the high priest. Aaron was called by God, cleansed through sacrifice, and clothed in holy garments that identified his role as a mediator between the people and a holy God. Blood was placed on his right earlobe, his right thumb, and his right big toe, symbolizing a life devoted to hearing God, serving God, and walking with God. He wore a breastplate bearing the names of the twelve tribes of Israel, carrying the people over his heart every time he entered God's presence. Yet for all of this, Aaron was still a flawed man. He led the people into idolatry with the golden calf, proving that no human high priest could ever truly save anyone. He was an imperfect picture pointing toward something far greater.Jesus is the greater High Priest that Aaron could only foreshadow. He was chosen by the Father, lived without sin, and gave Himself as a ransom for all of humanity. Through Him, believers are no longer standing outside the tent but have become the very dwelling place of the Holy Spirit. First Peter 2:9 declares that every believer is part of a royal priesthood, called to proclaim the excellencies of God and invite others into His presence. Just as the high priest carried the names of God's people over his heart, believers today are called to carry the names of those around them in prayer and look for every opportunity to bring them closer to God.

DEVARIMWho Are You, To Criticize? Moses, after forty years of loving, patient leadership over Israel, suddenly delivers harsh rebukes in his final speeches in Deuteronomy, something he never did before, even when the people sinned gravely (the Golden Calf, the spies, constant complaints) and were sentenced to wander the desert for forty years. Normally partings involve reconciliation, not harsh words, and if Moses had these grievances all along, why did he wait forty years to voice them? Five weeks before his death, Moses gathered all Israel and revealed a new side of himself: no longer just "the one who loved Israel" who never rebuked them, but now the one who remembers everything, reproves them, and warns them, about the human weaknesses that led to their past failures, so they can avoid repeating them.

In this sermon, Fr. James Rooney reflects on the story of the golden calf and God's call - we must abandon the false gods we create in our own image, and instead, learn to follow the living God on His terms. Rather than allowing culture, personal preferences, or worldly values to shape our understanding of God, we are called to encounter Him through worship, Scripture, and faithful obedience. As we surrender our preconceived notions and follow Christ along the narrow path, He grants us the grace to grow deeper into His mystery, continually transforming us and drawing us closer to Himself.

IT'S HERE! Pre-Order the 4th installment of the Ashtown Burial Series at ashtownburials.com.In this episode, Douglas Wilson considers the Supreme Court's birthright-citizenship decision and possible paths forward, examines the sin of making and worshiping the golden calf, and reviews Kurt Vonnegut's practical writing advice in Pity the Reader. For more from Doug, subscribe to Canon+: https://canonplus.com/  

Every year we celebrate freedom—but what if one of history's greatest days of independence shares a profound connection with one of Judaism's saddest days?In this video, we explore the remarkable fact that July 4, 1776—the day America declared independence—fell on the 17th of Tammuz, the day Moshe Rabbeinu shattered the Luchos after the sin of the Golden Calf, many years before.Is it merely a coincidence, or does it reveal a deeper lesson about the difference between political freedom and spiritual freedom?Along the way we'll explore:• Why the Torah connects the Luchos with true freedom• The fascinating gematria of 1776• "Vayar Elokim es ha'or ki tov" and America's unique spiritual mission• The Frierdiker Rebbe's famous declaration: "America is nit Anderish."• Why the Lubavitcher Rebbe encouraged Jews to proudly embrace their Judaism in America• What the broken tablets teach us about finding holiness wherever we areAs we journey through the Three Weeks, may we reconnect to the freedom that only Torah can provide—and help gather the scattered sparks of holiness around us.If this message inspired you, consider following and sharing it with someone who would appreciate this perspective.Subscribe and hit the bell to see new videos!!!#lifelessons #torah #selfgrowth #jewish #rabbi #wisdom #jewishwisdom #chumash #parsha #purpose #chassidus #emunah #inspiration #jewishinspiration #torahlife #mussar

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As Exodus 32 unfolds, we hear 4 perspectives of what took place. God records this story so we can see how our perspective of God and sin lines up and/or does not line up with each of these perspectives. Ultimately, this story is brimming with elements that Jesus fulfills and accomplishes.

Why do Chazal connect the Parah Adumah, which purifies from tumas meis, to the sin of the Golden Calf?In this shiur, delivered in "Steve's", Rav Burg explore the Cheit HaEigel not simply as primitive idolatry, but as a deep human collapse in the face of absence, uncertainty, and death. When Moshe Rabbeinu disappeared, Klal Yisrael cried, “We do not know what happened to him.” Chazal tell us that the Satan showed them an image of Moshe's death. The Eigel was born from that terror: the desperate need to replace invisible relationship with something visible, tangible, controllable — and even valuable.Death confronts us with the same truth. The body remains, but the life is gone. The visible is still here, but the invisible presence has withdrawn. Tumas meis forces us to face the frightening reality that the deepest things in life cannot be held in our hands.That is where the Parah Adumah comes in. The “mother cow” cleans the mess of the calf by teaching us how to live with mystery without collapsing. As the ultimate chok, the Parah Adumah brings us back to the very place the Eigel tried to escape: humble surrender before the unknowable will of Hashem.Real taharah begins where human certainty ends.

Our Modern-Day Golden CalfJonah Series Introduction | June 14, 2026This week, Pastor Mark opened our new Jonah series by addressing a question that sits at the center of every believer's life: Who has authority over us?It's a question that affects far more than our church attendance or our Sunday morning worship. It impacts our spiritual growth, our relationship with God, our daily decisions, and ultimately our eternity.Pastor Mark pointed out that many Christians would enthusiastically respond "Amen!" when asked if they want to walk in God's power, experience healing, live in obedience, or hear God's voice more clearly. Yet there is often a disconnect between what we affirm in church and how we live throughout the week. The issue may not be that we don't know the truth. The issue may be whether we truly submit to it.Throughout Scripture, authority has always been a central issue. From the Garden of Eden to Jonah's rebellion, humanity has wrestled with the same question: Will we trust God's authority, or will we choose our own way?Jonah's story begins with a direct word from God. The problem wasn't that Jonah didn't hear God. The problem was that he didn't like what God said. Instead of submitting, he ran. Pastor Mark challenged us to recognize that we often face the same temptation. God has already spoken through His Word, yet many times we resist because His instructions conflict with our preferences, emotions, or plans.The sermon invited us to honestly evaluate whether we truly view God's Word as the final authority in our lives. If we did, our actions would reveal it. We would read Scripture to know it, study it to understand it, memorize it to share it, meditate on it to obey it, defend it rather than reshape it, and live it out without shame. Submission to God's Word would become more than intellectual agreement. It would become a lifestyle.Likewise, living under God's authority means yielding our will to His. It means following His plans instead of insisting on our own, responding to the Spirit rather than our flesh, listening to His voice above competing voices, and allowing Scripture to shape our moral compass instead of personal preference. It means viewing correction as spiritual guidance rather than a personal attack.Pastor Mark contrasted God's offer of truth with the world's offer of sin. God freely gives truth that leads to life, while the world continually markets alternatives that appeal to our desires but ultimately lead us away from Him.One of the most challenging portions of the message focused on why many people reject God's authority in the first place. The answer may be found in the nature of God's Word itself.Hebrews 4:12 describes God's Word as living, active, and sharper than a two-edged sword. It cuts. It exposes. It reveals motives and desires that we would often rather keep hidden. While we naturally seek comfort, control, safety, and independence, God's Word confronts those things. It shines light into places we would rather leave untouched.This is why many people resist inner healing. Instead of allowing God to expose wounds, struggles, and areas of brokenness, we convince ourselves that we're fine. We compare ourselves to others, dismiss our struggles as unimportant, or tell ourselves we've learned to live with them. Yet Scripture reminds us that nothing is hidden from God. Everything is already exposed before Him.The goal of exposure is not shame. The goal is healing.Pastor Mark challenged the common belief that we can hide parts of ourselves from God or manage our brokenness on our own. The hidden areas of our lives are often the very places where God desires to bring freedom and restoration. Refusing to acknowledge them only prolongs the struggle.This led into the central theme of the sermon: the modern-day golden calf.When we hear about idols in Scripture, it's easy to imagine carved statues or ancient acts of worship that seem distant from our lives. But Pastor Mark suggested that today's golden calf often looks much different.What if the idol isn't made of gold?What if the idol is ourselves?He challenged the congregation with the possibility that God's greatest rival in our lives may be our own desires, opinions, feelings, and self-will. While we may worship God with our lips on Sunday, we can spend the rest of the week crafting a version of life centered around ourselves.The comparison to King Nebuchadnezzar was powerful. We often marvel at the arrogance of a king who built a giant image of himself and demanded worship, yet we can do something remarkably similar when we elevate our own wisdom above God's and insist on living life according to our own terms.This deception is often difficult to recognize because deception, by definition, remains hidden until it is exposed.Pastor Mark encouraged everyone to ask a difficult question: Does what I praise God for on Sunday align with the way I live throughout the week?If we truly believe God is our provider, why do we so often place our trust in people before Him? If we truly believe His Word is true, why do we knowingly continue in patterns of sin? If we genuinely trust God, why do we so easily believe the lies of the enemy over the promises of Scripture?Many believers walk defeated not because God has abandoned them, but because they have chosen to trust voices other than His.Drawing from Hebrews 12, Pastor Mark warned against refusing to listen when God speaks. The people of Israel suffered consequences when they rejected God's message through earthly messengers. How much more serious is it to reject the One who speaks from heaven?The sermon then addressed one of the defining challenges of our culture: the elevation of feelings and emotions above truth. When individuals or entire societies become driven primarily by emotions, God can no longer function as an authority in their lives because truth becomes subject to personal preference.Looking at the life of Jesus, Pastor Mark pointed out that Christ never altered truth to accommodate feelings. He used Peter as a powerful example. Peter frequently approached Jesus with strong emotions, opinions, and reactions. Yet Jesus consistently responded with truth rather than emotional validation. Whether Peter was resisting Jesus washing his feet, objecting to Jesus' mission, or wrestling with failure after denying Christ, Jesus continually called him back to obedience, purpose, and truth.As the introduction to the Jonah series concluded, Pastor Mark brought everything back to the central issue that runs throughout Jonah's story and throughout human history.The issue is authority.The same question that surfaced in Eden remains before us today. Who gets the final say? God or us?When humanity rejects God's authority, we begin redefining the things He has already established. We place ourselves in the position of determining right and wrong, truth and error, purpose and identity. The farther we move from God's authority, the more confusion and brokenness we experience.Pastor Mark also referenced a recent survey indicating that a significant percentage of churchgoers trust artificial intelligence more than biblical preaching rooted in God's Word. While the statistic was startling, it underscored the larger point: every person is living under some form of authority. The question is whether that authority is God, culture, feelings, popular opinion, personal preference, technology, or self.The message ended with a challenge that every believer should carry into the coming weeks as we journey through Jonah together:What authority do you live under?Who are you submitted to?And perhaps most importantly:"God, what is on Your heart?"

The main story in parashat Sh'lach [Numbers 13:1-15:41] is the tragedy of the spies. In some ways, this sin, the failure of the Israelites to recognize that their destiny is to conquer the land no matter what the odds, is their greatest sin. For the rabbis, there seems to be little question, for they associate the sin of the spies with Tisha B'Av, the worst day on the Jewish calendar, whereas the sin of the Golden Calf is associated with the 17th of Tammuz, a prelude to Tisha B'Av. The verb la-tur, “to seek out, spy out, explore”, which is repeated many times througout the narrative of the spies, is picked up in the final section of the parashah, which we know as the third paragraph of the Sh'ma. There, the tzitzit, the ritual fringes, are intended to prevent Israelites from being led astray by their hearts and eyes. In a sense, this paragraph comes to remind us that the very act of la-tur, seeking out, is fraught with danger. Whether the initial command comes from God or Mose, or even the people themselvies is, perhaps immaterial. It is the command to la-tur, to scout out, without the requisite controls suggested by the tzitzit, which dooms the spies. We are often led astray. God provides the means to withstand the temptation. Now that war seems to have resumed, our thoughts and prayers are with those defending the United States as part of the United States Armed Forces and those defending Israel as members of the Israel Defense Forces. May peace soon descend on the region and all other troubled areas on earth. Shabbat Shalom.

LISTEN!!!

Throughout history, mountains have held deep spiritual significance—serving as meeting places between heaven and earth, battlegrounds of supernatural warfare, and stages for divine encounters. From the Garden of Eden to Mount Sinai, from the transfiguration of Christ to the crucifixion, the Bible is filled with moments where mountains play a pivotal role in God's plan for humanity. But why? What is the deeper connection between these sacred heights and the cosmic battle between good and evil? In this episode of the Revelations Podcast, host Reagan Kramer welcomes pastor, author, and theologian Doug Van Dorn for an eye-opening discussion on biblical mountains, the divine council, and the supernatural forces that have shaped human history. Together, they explore how God uses mountains as places of revelation, how fallen entities have sought to corrupt them, and how Jesus' ministry strategically reversed the destruction caused by the enemy. Whether you're a seasoned Bible scholar or just beginning to explore the deeper spiritual dimensions of scripture, this episode will leave you with a greater understanding of God's plan and the victory we have in Christ. Here are three reasons why you should listen to this episode: Gain a deeper understanding of the biblical significance of mountains and their connection to the supernatural realm. Learn about the concept of the divine council and how it relates to mythological entities like Zeus and Baal, and their connection to Satan. Reflect on the practical implications of understanding the supernatural worldview, particularly in terms of overcoming worry and trusting in God's control. Become Part of Our Mission! Support The Revelations Podcast: Your support fuels our mission to share transformative messages of hope and faith. Click here to learn how you can contribute and be part of this growing community! Resources More from the Revelations Podcast hosted by Reagan Kramer: Website | Instagram | Apple Podcast | Youtube "Rings of Revelation" by Doug Van Dorn "Giant Sons of God" by Doug Van Dorn "The Unseen Real" — by Dr. Michael Heiser Doug Van Dorn: Website | Instagram | https://www.facebook.com/dvd.vandorn.3 Giant Steps Podcast - Apple Podcast | Spotify Podcast Bible Verses Psalm 82:1 Isaiah 14:12-14 Ezekiel 28 Genesis 3:1 Ezekiel 31 Psalm 91 Psalm 24 Psalm 68 Daniel 4 2 Peter 2:4 Jude 1:6 This Episode is brought to you by  Advanced Medicine Alternatives Get back to the active life you love through natural & regenerative musculoskeletal healing: https://www.georgekramermd.com/ Episode Highlights [3:20] Significance of Mountains in the Bible Biblical events unfold on mountains, from Noah's Ark resting on Mount Ararat to the giving of the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai. [4:46] Doug: “"Mountains are all over the place. And the question becomes, why would that be? And that's where you need to understand first of all, that God is meeting with people on all of these mountains.” The "axis mundi," a concept describing mountains as divine meeting points, reveals their role as a bridge between heaven and earth. Mountains hold significance not only in the Bible but also in global mythologies, including Mount Olympus and sacred Native American sites. Isaiah 14 introduces the “mount of assembly,” linking biblical mountains to divine councils where heavenly beings gather. [5:10] Divine Council and Mythological Connections Mountains serve as the setting for the divine council, where God meets with angels and heavenly beings to rule over creation. Ancient mythologies mirror biblical narratives, with figures like Zeus and Baal representing the same rebellious entity—Satan. Mount Zaphon, recognized as Baal's sacred mountain, connects directly to the divine council and the spiritual battle against false gods. The fall of Lucifer in Isaiah 14 echoes the rebellion of spiritual beings, linking the serpent in Eden to later deceptions throughout history. [17:42] Eden and the Divine Council The Garden of Eden is depicted as a mountain, a place where heaven and earth intersect. Adam and Eve's use of fig leaves for covering may symbolize an early attempt to seek refuge in fallen supernatural beings. Satan's jealousy over humanity's God-given authority fueled his deception in Eden, setting the stage for spiritual warfare. The Edenic narrative connects to a larger biblical pattern of rebellion, redemption, and the ongoing struggle between good and evil. [24:01] The Post-Flood Rebellion and the Return of the Nephilim Following the flood, fallen angels were imprisoned in "gloomy chains of darkness," as described in 2 Peter 2:4 and Jude 6. Despite this judgment, the Nephilim reappear after the flood, indicating a renewed rebellion by supernatural forces. Ancient texts, including the Book of Enoch, describe how 200 fallen angels conspired to corrupt humanity. The struggle between God's people and these rebellious beings continues throughout Scripture, reinforcing the need for spiritual vigilance.. [40:16] The Golden Calf and Idolatry The Israelites, fearing God's presence, attempted to worship Him through an idol, reshaping Him into something they could control. [41:02] Doug: “Idolatry is we're going to make that God that's up there come and be in this calf, so that we can somehow manipulate him because that's too terrifying for us.” The golden calf represented a common struggle—seeking to domesticate God rather than submitting to His true nature. Idolatry in all forms distorts faith, leading people to trust in tangible symbols rather than divine truth. Understanding this historical moment sheds light on the continuous human tendency to replace God with lesser things. [43:58] Jesus' Ministry and Supernatural Battles Each phase of Jesus' ministry strategically dismantles Satan's authority over the world. [48:27] Doug: “Jesus's ministry is a multiple phased attack on Satan, and you have to understand some cosmic geography, and some of the motifs we've been talking about here are also very helpful.” The region of Bashan, known as "the land of the serpent," becomes the battleground where Christ begins His campaign against darkness. Key moments—including His temptation in the wilderness, His healing miracles, and His transfiguration—symbolize a reclaiming of territory from the enemy. Through these events, Jesus openly declares war on the forces of darkness, establishing His dominion over both heaven and earth. [52:48] Jesus' Death, Resurrection, and Ascension Calvary stands as the cosmic mountain where Jesus' sacrifice defeats sin and death. Descending into Hades, Christ proclaims victory and liberates those who awaited redemption. His resurrection seals His triumph, securing authority over all spiritual forces. By ascending to the right hand of God, Jesus asserts His role as the ultimate conqueror over evil. [57:10] Practical Implications of a Supernatural Worldview    

We dive into the story of the Golden Calf incident in Exodus 32. We explore the Israelites' impatience during Moses' 40-day absence, their idolatrous worship of the Golden Calf, and the resulting judgment. Despite the people's disobedience, Moses intercedes for them, displaying a selfless love that foreshadows Christ's sacrifice. Yet, God's justice is also seen as He sends a plague upon the people, fulfilling His promise of punishment for violating His law. Amidst this, we're reminded of God's mercy and His unchanging commitment to His promises.Support the showRead along with us in the Bible Brief App! Try the Bible Brief book for an offline experience!Get your free Bible Timeline with the 10 Steps: Timeline LinkSupport the show: Tap here to become a monthly supporter!Review the show: Tap here!Want to go deeper?...Download the Bible Brief App!iPhone: App Store LinkAndroid: Play Store LinkWant a physical book? Check out "Bible Brief" by our founder!Amazon: Amazon LinkWebsite: biblebrief.orgInstagram: @realbiblebriefX: @biblebriefFacebook: @realbiblebriefEmail the Show: biblebrief@biblelit.orgWant to learn the Bible languages (Greek & Hebrew)? Check out our partner Biblingo (and use our link/code for a discount!): https://biblin...

In this Parsha Review of Parshas Beha'aloscha, Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe explores the profound lessons hidden within the mitzvah of lighting the Menorah. The episode begins with Aaron HaKohen's disappointment at being excluded from the tribal inauguration offerings of the Mishkan. While the leaders of the twelve tribes participated in the dedication ceremony, Aaron and the tribe of Levi did not. Aaron feared this exclusion reflected lingering Divine displeasure from the episode of the Golden Calf. Hashem reassured him, however, that his role would be even greater: he would be entrusted with the eternal mitzvah of the Menorah, a privilege uniquely reserved for him and his descendants. Rabbi Wolbe explains that the Menorah symbolizes the Jewish people themselves. All branches stand at the same height, teaching that no Jew stands above another, while the central branch points toward our shared connection with Hashem. The purpose of the Menorah was never merely illumination; rather, it was elevation. The Torah uses the word Beha'aloscha ("when you elevate") instead of simply "when you light" because the true objective is spiritual growth, dedication, and drawing closer to God. The discussion then turns to education, parenting, leadership, and personal influence. Just as the flame was held near the wick until it ignited on its own, parents and teachers must inspire rather than force growth. Rabbi Wolbe highlights Aaron's unique gift as a pursuer of peace who brought harmony to families, friendships, and communities. The Menorah's message is timeless: every person possesses a unique light, talent, and purpose. Our responsibility is not merely to grow ourselves, but to elevate others and illuminate the world with the gifts Hashem has entrusted to us._____________This episode of the Parsha Review Podcast is dedicated in honor of Lenny & Teresa FriedmanDownload & Print the Parsha Review Notes:https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1ncaRyoH5iJmGGoMZs9y82Hz2ofViVouv?usp=sharingRecorded at TORCH Meyerland in the Levin Family Studios (B) to a live audience on June 2, 2026, in Houston, Texas.Released as Podcast on June 3, 2026_____________Subscribe: Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/parsha-review-podcast-rabbi-aryeh-wolbe/id1651930083)Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/22lv1kXJob5ZNLaAl6CHTQ) to stay inspired! Share your questions at awolbe@torchweb.org or visit torchweb.org for more Torah content.  _____________About the Host:Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe, Director of TORCH in Houston, brings decades of Torah scholarship to guide listeners in applying Jewish wisdom to daily life.  To directly send your questions, comments, and feedback: awolbe@torchweb.org_____________Support Our Mission:Help us share Jewish wisdom globally by sponsoring an episode at torchweb.org. Your support makes a difference!_____________Subscribe and Listen to other podcasts by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe: NEW!! Hey Rabbi! Podcast: https://heyrabbi.transistor.fm/episodesPrayer Podcast: https://prayerpodcast.transistor.fm/episodesJewish Inspiration Podcast: https://inspiration.transistor.fm/episodesParsha Review Podcast: https://parsha.transistor.fm/episodesLiving Jewishly Podcast: https://jewishly.transistor.fm/episodesThinking Talmudist Podcast: https://talmud.transistor.fm/episodesUnboxing Judaism Podcast: https://unboxing.transistor.fm/episodesRabbi Aryeh Wolbe Podcast Collection: https://collection.transistor.fm/episodesFor a full listing of podcasts available by TORCH at http://podcast.torchweb.org_____________Keywords:#Torah, #Parsha, #Numbers, #Bamidbar, #Behaaloscha, #Menorah, #ShineYourLight, #AaronHaKohen, #Leadership, #Parenting, #Chinuch,#JewishEducation, #BringPeace, #GrowthMindset, #ElevateOthers, #ShareYourLight ★ Support this podcast ★

In this Parsha Review of Parshas Beha'aloscha, Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe explores the profound lessons hidden within the mitzvah of lighting the Menorah. The episode begins with Aaron HaKohen's disappointment at being excluded from the tribal inauguration offerings of the Mishkan. While the leaders of the twelve tribes participated in the dedication ceremony, Aaron and the tribe of Levi did not. Aaron feared this exclusion reflected lingering Divine displeasure from the episode of the Golden Calf. Hashem reassured him, however, that his role would be even greater: he would be entrusted with the eternal mitzvah of the Menorah, a privilege uniquely reserved for him and his descendants. Rabbi Wolbe explains that the Menorah symbolizes the Jewish people themselves. All branches stand at the same height, teaching that no Jew stands above another, while the central branch points toward our shared connection with Hashem. The purpose of the Menorah was never merely illumination; rather, it was elevation. The Torah uses the word Beha'aloscha ("when you elevate") instead of simply "when you light" because the true objective is spiritual growth, dedication, and drawing closer to God. The discussion then turns to education, parenting, leadership, and personal influence. Just as the flame was held near the wick until it ignited on its own, parents and teachers must inspire rather than force growth. Rabbi Wolbe highlights Aaron's unique gift as a pursuer of peace who brought harmony to families, friendships, and communities. The Menorah's message is timeless: every person possesses a unique light, talent, and purpose. Our responsibility is not merely to grow ourselves, but to elevate others and illuminate the world with the gifts Hashem has entrusted to us._____________This episode of the Parsha Review Podcast is dedicated in honor of Lenny & Teresa FriedmanDownload & Print the Parsha Review Notes:https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1ncaRyoH5iJmGGoMZs9y82Hz2ofViVouv?usp=sharingRecorded at TORCH Meyerland in the Levin Family Studios (B) to a live audience on June 2, 2026, in Houston, Texas.Released as Podcast on June 3, 2026_____________Subscribe: Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/parsha-review-podcast-rabbi-aryeh-wolbe/id1651930083)Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/22lv1kXJob5ZNLaAl6CHTQ) to stay inspired! Share your questions at awolbe@torchweb.org or visit torchweb.org for more Torah content.  _____________About the Host:Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe, Director of TORCH in Houston, brings decades of Torah scholarship to guide listeners in applying Jewish wisdom to daily life.  To directly send your questions, comments, and feedback: awolbe@torchweb.org_____________Support Our Mission:Help us share Jewish wisdom globally by sponsoring an episode at torchweb.org. Your support makes a difference!_____________Subscribe and Listen to other podcasts by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe: NEW!! Hey Rabbi! Podcast: https://heyrabbi.transistor.fm/episodesPrayer Podcast: https://prayerpodcast.transistor.fm/episodesJewish Inspiration Podcast: https://inspiration.transistor.fm/episodesParsha Review Podcast: https://parsha.transistor.fm/episodesLiving Jewishly Podcast: https://jewishly.transistor.fm/episodesThinking Talmudist Podcast: https://talmud.transistor.fm/episodesUnboxing Judaism Podcast: https://unboxing.transistor.fm/episodesRabbi Aryeh Wolbe Podcast Collection: https://collection.transistor.fm/episodesFor a full listing of podcasts available by TORCH at http://podcast.torchweb.org_____________Keywords:#Torah, #Parsha, #Numbers, #Bamidbar, #Behaaloscha, #Menorah, #ShineYourLight, #AaronHaKohen, #Leadership, #Parenting, #Chinuch, #JewishEducation, #BringPeace, #GrowthMindset, #ElevateOthers, #ShareYourLight ★ Support this podcast ★

Exodus 32:1-35

This week we continue with our summer series “Disputing with God,” picking up where we left off last time with the story of the repair of the relationship between God and Israel after the incident of the Golden Calf, as told in Exodus 33:1–23 and 34:1–9. God is at first so angry about the Golden Calf that God seems to be finished with Israel, sending the messenger with them to the Promised Land but the divine presence remaining on Sinai lest God's anger consume them. By the end, though, through the mediation Moses, God and Israel seem to accept one another as they are. The people confess they are stiff-necked, but God commits to being with them in spite of their shortcomings. Likewise, God reveals a divine Self that is anger as well as compassion, but nonetheless the people would rather stay in the wilderness with God than to enter the Promised Land alone. This relationship is messier than we might like, but God and the people remain together in the messiness, committed to a future together.

What if the wilderness wasn't merely a place, but a stage of life that every person must eventually pass through? In this episode of From Binah to Daas, I explore the Torah's concept of the Midbar as the space between who we were and who we are becoming. Drawing on the journeys of Adam HaRishon, the Jewish people, and our own life experiences, we examine how Torah presents recurring patterns that operate on the level of the individual, the nation, and humanity itself. Along the way, we uncover why transformation requires uncertainty, why the Midbar lasted forty years, what the Golden Calf, the spies, and Korach teach us about navigating major life transitions, and how periods that feel like detours may actually be Hashem's preparation for our next mission. If you've ever felt caught between an ending and a beginning, this episode offers a Torah framework for understanding why.Join the Conversation! Be part of our growing community—join the Shema Podcast for the Perplexed WhatsApp group to share feedback, discuss episodes, and suggest future topics. Click here to sign up.Explore The Art of PrayerDownload a collection of beautifully designed blessings (brachos) including Modeh Ani, Asher Yatzar, Netilas Yadayim and more.  Free to download and perfect for your home by clicking here.  

After the golden calf, Israel hits rock bottom--but God didn't leave them there. Join Paul Cook as he discusses Exodus 35 and what repentance looks like when you've failed. Devotionables is a ministry of The Ninth & O Baptist Church in Louisville, KY.  naobc.org

In this first episode of our summer series on Disputing with God, we are reading the story of the Golden Calf, Exodus 32:1-20 and 30-35. We've read it together before, but the regular lectionary stops us pretty early in its unfolding ... and we found that moving farther into the story directed our eyes not to the Israelites or to God, but to the space between them–their relationship, still fairly new and fragile. And you know what else is right between them–our man Moses, holding the tablets, trying to reach in both directions at once. What's left after this kind of rupture? What's possible?

Golden Calf

Read It! The Invasion of False Gods and the Sleeping WatchmenWelcome to Word Time. In this session, Coach Shelby delivers an urgent, uncompromising wake-up call to the modern church. The title says it all: Read It.Many believers are completely blind to the times we are living in simply because they do not know what the Word of God actually says. If we aren't reading the Bible from cover to cover, how can we expect the Holy Spirit to remind us of His truth?We pull back the curtain on the three ancient demonic influences currently running rampant across America:Baal: The god of prosperity, materialism, and perverting scripture for self-gratification—symbolized right in the heart of our economy by the golden bull of Wall Street.Ishtar: The goddess of sexuality and war, driving deep identity confusion, hyper-sexualization, and an aggressive demand for cultural endorsement.Molech: The god of child sacrifice, manifesting today not just in the destruction of innocent life, but in the total spiritual neglect of the next generation.This isn't a message of defeat; it's a strategic call to action for dads, moms, coaches, and leaders. It's time for the slumbering watchmen to wake up, pick up the Word, and reclaim authority over their homes, classrooms, and communities. Before you criticize the message, do one thing: Read it.Key Highlights:The Hat Mic Revolution: Starting a new fashion trend in Coach Shelby's classroom.The Fall Requirement: Why reading the Bible cover to cover is non-negotiable for spiritual common ground.The New York Calf: The striking connection between Israel's wilderness rebellion and modern American materialism.Ishtar's Two Faces: Understanding why the spirit of sexual immorality always turns into a spirit of war and control.A Prayer of Deliverance: Coach Shelby takes authority in the name of Jesus over identity confusion and binding spirits.The Sleeping Watchmen: Why conservative men are seeing the destruction but remaining completely powerless.Gideon's 300: Why a tiny, faithful remnant standing on the Word is more powerful than a compromised multitude.Key Scriptures:Romans 8 – Those who are sons of God are led by the Spirit of God.Proverbs 12:1 – "Whoever loves instruction loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid."Romans 1 – The reality of a nation being "given up" to the lusts of the flesh.Matthew 16:19 – Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven.#ReadYourBible #SpiritualWarfare #WordTime #CoachShelby #ExposingIdols #BoldPreaching #FaithfulRemnant #BiblicalTruthChapters0:00 - Intro: The Hat Mic and a New Classroom Fashion0:33 - The Fall Requirement: Reading the Bible Cover to Cover1:13 - The Holy Spirit is a Gentleman: He Convicts, He Doesn't Force2:06 - The Ancient Threat: Introducing Baal, Ishtar, and Molech3:07 - Proverbs 12:1: Stop Criticizing the Word Before You Read It3:38 - Baal & The Prosperity Gospel: Materialism in the Modern Church4:31 - The Golden Calf of Wall Street: Our National Idolatry5:53 - The Trump Deal vs. National Repentance: Standing Before a Holy God6:52 - Ishtar Exposed: The Sexualization of Culture and Media8:26 - The Quenchless Fire: How False Gods Always Leave a Void9:02 - Ishtar as the Goddess of War: The Enforcement of Culture10:02 - Target the Children: Why the Devil Wants the Next Generation Young11:12 - A Powerful Prayer: Breaking the Bonds of Sexual Deception11:50 - Dads, Check the Social Media: Sowing Seeds and Telling the Truth12:20 - Molech & Child Sacrifice: Human Life and the Hatred of God13:15 - Pharisee Eyesight: Learning How to Function in Pitch Darkness14:24 - The Spirit of Slumber: Why Men are Powerless to Change the Culture15:25 - Do the Homework: Look Up the Scriptures Yourself16:08 - Gideon's 300: The Power of a Faithful Remnant17:40 - Reclaiming Your Garden: Taking Authority Over Your Home and Classroom18:50 - What is Wisdom? The Proper Application of Knowledge

As we near the end of our journey through Exodus, we arrive at a heartbreaking chapter: the Golden Calf. In Exodus 32, we see the Israelites—freshly rescued from 400 years of slavery—abandoning their vows to God. They break the covenant mere days after making it. But before we judge them too harshly, we must recognize that we, too, are prone to wander. As John Calvin noted, the human heart is a "perpetual factory of idols." This sermon explores why we create idols, what they cost us, and how we can find freedom through the Greater Moses, Jesus Christ.Key Points1. The Context of the Crime The sin of the Golden Calf wasn't just about breaking a rule; it was spiritual adultery. The Israelites had just entered into a marriage covenant with Yahweh (Exodus 20), promising to have no other gods. Yet, while on their "honeymoon," they turn to an Egyptian idol. Taking something created and placing it in the position of the Creator always leads to destruction.2. Why Do We Make Idols?We want something NOW: Moses was delayed on the mountain, and the people grew impatient. Delay either deepens our faith or detours it. Often, when we feel God isn't moving fast enough, we turn to idols for immediate relief.We want something we can HOLD: Yahweh is invisible; the gods of Egypt were tangible. We crave physical things to put our trust in.We want a Genie, not a God: An idol like a golden calf cannot speak, correct, or demand holiness. The Israelites wanted a god they could control so they could indulge in whatever behavior they pleased without conviction.3. The Cost of Idolatry Idols demand sacrifice. They over-promise and under-deliver. While following Jesus requires sacrifice, He promises life and rest. Idols only demand more of you. Furthermore, you become like what you behold. Just as the golden calf was rigid and stiff-necked, God calls the Israelites stiff-necked. Whatever you worship will shape your character.4. The Greater Moses When God threatens to destroy the Israelites, Moses steps in as a mediator. He even asks God to blot his name out of the book to save the people. God says no to Moses, but centuries later, He says yes to Jesus. Jesus is the Greater Moses who took our sins upon Himself, granting us positional holiness before God so we can pursue progressive holiness in our lives.ConclusionEvery person is wired for worship; the question is not if you will worship, but what. Idols are sneaky, often masquerading as good things (family, politics, comfort) that we have made ultimate things. When we bring our idols into the presence of God, they will eventually shatter. God is a gracious Father who welcomes us back every time we choose to cast our idols down.Calls to ActionRecognize Your Idols: Look closely at what you crave (comfort, control, power, approval) and identify what has taken the center seat in your life.Repent and Confess: Do not justify or minimize your idolatry. Call it sin, confess it aloud, and ask Jesus to cover it.Renounce and Replace: You cannot just remove an idol; you must replace it with the true God. Bow your knee and consciously return the throne of your life to Jesus. Support the show*Summaries and transcripts are generated using AI. Please notify us if you find any errors.

What if the chains you've worked so hard to escape are still wrapped around your heart? The Israelites discovered their greatest enemy wasn't Pharaoh, but the idol-making factory within—turning God's gifts into false gods when fear struck. Pastor Jason reveals how we become like what we worship, sharing his own struggle with making work an idol that demanded sacrifice of family time. Discover how naming your hidden idols, asking forgiveness, and replacing them with devotion to Jesus leads to the true freedom your soul craves. 

 Brad and Dan dig into another whirlwind week in Trumpworld, beginning with the unveiling of a towering gold-leaf Donald Trump statue at his Doral golf resort and the increasingly explicit fusion of political power, religious symbolism, and personality cult. The hosts unpack Trump's comments that he does not think about Americans' financial struggles while simultaneously pushing a pro-natalist agenda alongside figures like RFK Jr. and Dr. Oz. From “under-babied” rhetoric to Heritage Foundation proposals incentivizing marriage and large families, the episode traces how Christian nationalism, wellness culture, patriarchal masculinity, and reactionary family politics are converging into a broader authoritarian vision for American life. Along the way, Brad and Dan connect these themes to neoliberal economics, the collapse of affordable childcare and healthcare, and the deep contradictions at the heart of conservative family policy. The second half of the episode turns to a lawsuit against Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins over religiously coercive emails sent to federal employees, offering a concrete example of how Christian nationalism operates through state power and workplace culture. Brad and Dan examine how the Trump administration simultaneously promotes an “anti-Christian bias” narrative while embedding conservative Christianity into federal governance. They also discuss a new study showing that corporations rolled back DEI initiatives largely due to direct pressure from Trump and his allies, highlighting the administration's broader effort to reshape public institutions around a narrow vision of American identity. The episode closes with reflections on resistance inside federal agencies, the Supreme Court's decision not to restrict access to abortion medication, and why ordinary people continuing to assert their rights still offers reason for hope. Subscribe for $3.65: ⁠https://axismundi.supercast.com/⁠ Subscribe to our free newsletter: ⁠https://swaj.substack.com/⁠ Order American Caesar by Brad Onishi: ⁠https://static.macmillan.com/static/essentials/american-caesar-9781250427922/⁠ Donate to SWAJ: https://axismundi.supercast.com/donations/new Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This time John's monologue is 2 fold. First he talks about the Trump Mobile "T1" gold smartphone which is still unreleased and has faced non-stop delays, missing its initial August 2025 launch date. Trump is still promising to ship units soon and the website continues to accept $100 deposits on the $499 device. Second, he discusses Miami residents filing a federal lawsuit over land gifted to Trump by the state of Florida for use as his Presidential Library and skyscraper hotel; and the very wrinkly 22 ft golden statue of Trump erected at his National Doral golf course in Miami which local pastors immediately claimed is NOT idolatry. Then, John jokes with actor and podcast star Bob Cesca. They chat about Trump's pregnancy push, his reflecting pool renovation, and the wonders of NY Mayor Zoran Mamdani. Next, Desimber Rose and Dillon Naber Cruz (AKA The God Squad) are back to talk about Trump's gold statue and Trump's big prayer festival this Sunday; according to organizers, it's intended to honor America's Christian roots and rededicate the nation for its 250th anniversary. Then winding it up, legal analyst Dr. Tracy Pearson is back to chat about Kash Patel's goofy testimony lying his pants off before the Senate appropriations subcommittee and Trump's visit to China.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A strange natural phenomenon sends Jase down a rabbit hole that leads him, Al, and Zach into a deep discussion about truth, love, obedience, and the meaning behind God's commands. Jase revisits an old Bible insight that reframes the Ten Commandments, and the guys connect the teachings of Jesus to creation, the golden calf, modern idols, and the struggle people have with uncomfortable truth, arguing that God's commands were never meant to be empty rules but a path to life. In this episode: 1 John 2, verses 3–6; 2 John 1, verses 4–6; 3 John 1, verses 1–8; Deuteronomy 4, verse 13; Deuteronomy 5, verses 6–10; Deuteronomy 30, verses 19–20; Exodus 20; Exodus 23, verses 20–22; 2 Corinthians 4, verses 1–6; Jude 1, verse 5 “Unashamed” Episode 1332 is sponsored by: https://chministries.org/unashamed — See why Christians are ditching health insurance for good. Get a simpler alternative at half the cost! https://myphdweightloss.com — Find out how Al lost 80+ pounds. Visit the website or call 864-644-1900 and mention "AL" to get 2 weeks free in the program! https://ruffgreens.com — Get a FREE Jumpstart Trial Bag for your dog today when you use promo code Unashamed! http://unashamedforhillsdale.com/ — Sign up now for free, and join the Unashamed hosts every Friday for Unashamed Academy Powered by Hillsdale College Check out At Home with Phil Robertson, nearly 800 episodes of Phil's unfiltered wisdom, humor, and biblical truth, available for free for the first time! Get it on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, and anywhere you listen to podcasts! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/at-home-with-phil-robertson/id1835224621 Listen to Not Yet Now with Zach Dasher on Apple, Spotify, iHeart, or anywhere you get podcasts. Chapters 00:00 Love Bugs, Mayflies & Opelousas Catfish 11:05 Truth Without Love or Love Without Truth? 18:40 A Rabbit Hole on the “Ten Commandments” 24:27 The First Commandment 30:25 When Truth & Reality Align 36:36 The Consequences of Idolatry 42:20 The Golden Calf & Distorted Thinking 47:44 Choosing Life Through God's Word — Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to the first episode of True Thirty 30 | a new weekly conversation where Joey and his Producer Sean X break down the biggest stories, questions, and cultural moments shaping the week.In this episode, we discuss Iran, rising gas prices, tariffs, farming pressures, and the symbolism behind the “Golden Calf” controversy. We also talk about diesel prices, California regulations, global trade pressures, and the strange state of modern political culture.TIMESTAMPS0:00 Welcome to True Thirty 0:42 Iran War Questions 1:03 Gas Prices and Taxes 2:47 California Gas Island 3:41 Farmers Feeling the Squeeze 5:05 Tariffs Fertilizer and Margins 7:10 No End in Sight 8:01 Asymmetric War Explained 12:06 Hormuz and Global Ripple 13:29 Trump China and Ceasefire 14:57 Generational Farms at Risk 16:32 Golden Calf Statue Story 22:50 Wrap Up and SubscribeFULL TRANSCRIPTJoey Dumont: Hello, everyone. We are doing something called True Thirty 30, which is basically an idea of our members reaching out to us over the weekend with stories that they thought were either crazy, unfounded, or they wanna know more about. So that's what we're doing today. Some of the subjects, we're gonna cover the Iran war for all the obvious reasons.Joey Dumont: We're gonna talk a little bit about some of the deleterious effects of that war specific to farming. And we're gonna end the conversation with the golden calf discussion. In case you guys don't know what that is, you will soon find out. So I'm here with my producer, Sean X, and we are gonna go through these topics, um, as best as possible.Joey Dumont: Hey, buddy.Sean X: Hey. How you doing?Joey Dumont: I'm doing well. It's a happy Monday.Joey Dumont: So I don't know, why don't you share some of the comments we got specific to the... Well, they wanna know more about what's going on in Iran.Joey Dumont: For the most part, people have said, “Okay, what's the nuance with the war going in Iran?”Joey Dumont: Because we keep on hearing it's on again, it's off again. It's affecting prices. It's not affecting prices. Yeah.Joey Dumont: So The New York Times has Iran war long-term energy discussions specific to Iran defended its demands for a peace deal, and President Trump called them garbage.Joey Dumont: Mr. Trump said he wanted to suspend the federal gasoline tax. So obviously everyone knows that gas has been affected by the Straits of Hormuz being shut down because of this war. We're now seeing gas prices at what, six- Six, si- six.Sean X: It's $6.35Joey Dumont: For regular?Sean X: For regular in San Francisco. Yeah. It's $6.74 for premium, and it's-Joey Dumont: And diesel fuel is anywhere between 7 and 8Sean X: $7.80 for diesel.Joey Dumont: Um, a lot of it is from California policies, and some of it is from the pipelines or gas can't reach us. Yeah. We're a gas island. If a refinery goes down, we're screwed. So for the most part, we pay the worst gas prices, so we're feeling the biggest effect here.Joey Dumont: So we are up over a dollar compared to the rest of you folks out there in the United States of America.Joey Dumont: And Donald Trump wants to suspend the gasoline tax, which is how much? It's eight-Sean X: 18 cents.Joey Dumont: 18 cents.Joey Dumont: So- Do, do you know what 18 cents means for those of us in California?Joey Dumont: With the gas prices I just mentioned, it's 2 to 3%. Yeah, every little bit helps, but it's really our California regulations that are the things that are screwing us.Joey Dumont: I read a meme recently that said, uh, “Donald Trump is so awesome that my truck only used to hold $59 worth of gas and now it holds $130 worth of gas.”Joey Dumont: Which I thought was brilliant. Um, so whoever wrote that, good for you. Um, but yeah, the, the gas tax is not gonna help us and- for us, . No.Sean X: It's, it's not gonna help us.Joey Dumont: Like, what we need help with is all the regulations in our state- Yeah ... and let that make us... A lot of people don't understand.Sean X: We use different gasoline here.Joey Dumont: We do. We do. And it's actually called CARB, um, which stands for California Air Resources Board, in case you guys have never heard of it, ‘cause I sure haven't. And it basically means that our gas burns cleaner, reduces smog, lowers certain pollutants, and it's chemically different from gasoline used in the rest of the country.Joey Dumont: So when they say that we're a gas island or a, an actual island on its own, that's what they mean by our taxes. So yeah, I don't think the, uh, suspending the gasoline tax is gonna work. And by the way, he has to get congressional approval to do so. So there's another wrinkle.Joey Dumont: Dude- Uh, we'll see ... we need, we need, we need more help th- than from the federal government.Joey Dumont: So those are all problems, I can say that we have an issue with.Joey Dumont: But As we know, this is affecting everyone, not only the day-to-day people, but farmers specifically because a lot of farmers use diesel fuel as opposed to regular fuel. And, um, so let's talk a little bit about that, dude. I just moved back to Minnesota to be with my mommy, uh, for her 86th birthday, and, uh, it was cool.Joey Dumont: And I don't know, I think most of our listeners understand that I grew up there. I've been in California for now 44 years, and I have a lot of buddies both from high school here in California, as well as the people I grew up with in Minnesota who are in the farming business.Sean X: Yeah. They're also tend to be more conservative than out, uh, out in California.Joey Dumont: I mean, it's- All my friends from Minnesota are Red Hatters. Not all, but most. And then most of my relatives are Red Hatters as well. I've been talking to them for the four years that I've been reporting on politics. They come to me because they say I don't judge them, and that, you know, they know I love them.Joey Dumont: And so they're just like, “Joey, what's actually going on?” Yeah. And that's kind of why we wanted to start this program as well, is that it's, if I'm reaching out to my Republican friends all the time on a DL basis, which is kind of funny, um, they don't explain to everyone else, “Hey, I called Joey.Joey Dumont: I wanted to know what's going on.” That's really what I try to do with my friends and relatives the other side of the aisle, if you will.Joey Dumont: And what we tried to explain to them specific to gas is that I have a buddy of mine who's a soybean farmer, in the Midwest, and he called me previous to the election and said, you know, “What do I need to know?”Joey Dumont: And I tried to explain to him, I said, “Hey, buddy, look at where you're getting your potash,” because I knew he was actually getting potash. Potash, about 80% of our potash comes from Canada. In Project 2025, the Trump administration announced that they actually did want to tariff potash. And I told my buddy, I said, “Hey, just if you can, try to find another source.Joey Dumont: Look at supply chain issues. Figure out that specific to your EBITDA,” because farms, if you guys don't know out there, farmers run at a very small margin to begin with. And if there's increased prices specific to tariffs, which is on the potash, the Mexico-Canadian free trade agreement that Trump actually launched in 2017, which was a good free trade agreement, he blew it up, said it was the worst deal ever, and now we have supplies specific to John Deere, other maintenance issues that are going across the borders of Mexico and Canada, which is also putting up their prices.Joey Dumont: And some of the things that I talked about specific to the numerous farmers that I've talked to over the last month- Is that the Farmer Bureau is actually saying that, and I'll just repeat it here, “Fertilizer pre-booking rates up 19%. 70% of farmers being interviewed are unable to afford all the fertilizer they need,” so they're actually planting less, “And farm diesel prices have increased by 46% since the end of February.”Joey Dumont: So nearly six in 10 farmers report worsening finances, rising fertilizer, fuel cost during plant season, and the immediate economic assistance to keep these open is probably gonna help this year, but they're worried, they're very worried about next year. Yeah. So that's the big-Sean X: So, well, a lot of them, as you said, they pre-book.Joey Dumont: So they'll pre- Well, they're running out. That's the problem.Sean X: They'll order, and now it's running out. Yeah. So now the effects are hitting them. Yeah. So what, what were their main concern to you? What, what are they asking you?Joey Dumont: They're just asking me what I think based on my reporting, based on the homework we're doing here at True Thirty to figure out, you know, what do you guys see an end to this war?Joey Dumont: President Trump has said very publicly that there is so much disarray in Iran that there is actually no leadership to negotiate with. And if you read up on this, the Iranian leadership specifically are a Basarashi-Sean X: Well, that is a problem when you bomb their leadership.Joey Dumont: I- Well, he did mention that. He did mention that. He didn't kill the people they wanted to replace, Khomeini. But, uh, yeah, I, I, I don't see an end to the war. Obviously, there's a lot of people talking about that. We've had some war correspondents on the show to talk about the externalities of this war and the longevity and the possibly forever war specific to anything in the Middle East based on our history, based on us being the United States.Joey Dumont: I think what we're gonna try to explore here at True Thirty, some of the experts we're bringing on in the next couple months will be talking about what they have referred to as a asymmetric war, and the war is no longer about kinetic destruction.Sean X: Joey. What do you mean by,, asymmetric war?Joey Dumont: Great question. So asymmetric war in this sense is that historically kinetic war, we have big battleships, we have destroyers, we have the biggest military in the world.Joey Dumont: Iran's known this for as long as it's existed. So the way they fight us means the asymmetry to what we're doing. So if we're launching at $4 million-Sean X: It's not, it's not equal. Yeah. Like, it's like if we, we can't- It's not equal ... we can't launch $10 million missiles at $10,000 drones all day.Joey Dumont: There you go.Joey Dumont: That's it. Okay. That's a big piece of it. There's also something called mosquito boats. So there's these little tiny boats with engines and people and guns, and they go after the big boats, like our destroyers, and that's how they're actually taking Straits of Hormuz under siege, if you will.Joey Dumont: They only- So basically, they're not blowing up anything now, but they're, they're essentially taking it hostage because of these things.Joey Dumont: Through strategies that involve less dollars. Yeah. They have mines-Joey Dumont: A lot less dollars ...Joey Dumont: they plant a bunch of mines in the Straits of Hormuz because there's most of the narrow ways, some actual throughput is, like, two miles wide. It's very narrow, so they can actually take from the ground, from the coasts and defend it.Joey Dumont: They can defend it with the mosquito boats that I was talking about. They can defend it with drones. And then something that not a lot of people talk about is the topography o- of Iran to begin with. It's approximately four times the size of Iraq, and I mention that because when we had a surge in Iraq, um, I think we had 170,000 soldiers during the surge, 150,000 now.Joey Dumont: And one of the big things, and I think this, we learned this in our interview with Tom Shanker, uh, the New York Times war correspondent.Joey Dumont: Dude, that was a great interview, man.Sean X: Yeah, he's so smart.Joey Dumont: I think you were right about Bibi. I think, like, he convinced Trump- that's my guess. I have to, I, I think- Yeah.Joey Dumont: Like, I'm sorry, man. It's like, dude, someone said, somebody said “If we go into Iran, the people will rise up.” Yes. The problem is the people had just risen up, and they got slaughtered. Wow, that's- I mean, if you take out 10 to 20,000 protesters, guess what? All the people that are likely to lead the charge are gone.Joey Dumont: Wow. And yes, and, and people see people being slaughtered, that's not good for them either. So yeah, I mean, that's what I mean by asymmetric war, buddy.Joey Dumont: That's where we are today.Joey Dumont: Dude.Joey Dumont: So I think one of the things that we can admit across the board is that we, America, have proven to be unbelievably powerful in our military might.Joey Dumont: So what we did in Venezuela, where we swooped in and pulled out Nicolás Maduro in the middle of the night, put him in Rikers Prison, maybe one of the most efficient, wonderfully produced smashes-Sean X: Efficient leadership changes, yeah.Joey Dumont: Yeah, I mean, just... Well, I mean, it actually, the regime change didn't happenJoey Dumont: I think that was where Donald Trump got very excited about how he can go into other countries. And with Netanyahu coming in specifically to his war room and saying, “Hey, I think we can go-” Iran's weak. I think we can get them today.Joey Dumont: Let's go after them. Obviously, that's what took place on February 28th. Now we're seeing, you know what? Eight, seven, eight weeks later, , this very small military excursion, as he called it, has moved into a full-blown war.Joey Dumont: But back to my Republican friends and farmers, everything they mentioned to me in my one-on-ones with them, their fertilizer, their diesel fuel, their supplies, their maintenance, they're scared-Joey Dumont: they're going under. These are places that operate on, like, a 3 to 5% margin if they're lucky.Sean X: Yeah, now it's going up.Joey Dumont: And we're talking about 20... Yeah, and you're talking about, expenses that are just through the roof. Yeah. We talked about the farmers. There's also global aspects of this. Yeah.Joey Dumont: I mean, the Strait of Hormuz closing is most important to Japan, South Korea, China, and India. Yeah.Sean X: And you mentioned to me, one of, one of our members was literally asking about... Because they are international- Yeah ... they were asking about the international effect that this is having.Joey Dumont: Well, Prime Minister Modi actually asked all of his 1.4 billion citizens to cut back on gas and anything to do with,, fertilizer or anything to do with the things that we now have a shortage in.Joey Dumont: LNG, if, for those who don't know-Sean X: Liquid natural gas ...Joey Dumont: it's liquefied natural gas. Liquified natural gas is something that most people have never really talked about but please understand it's this: what we use LNG for is fertilizer, intensive food, electronics, textiles, plastics, household utility bills.Joey Dumont: Again, guys, what we're gonna try and do is bring some experts on the show to talk to these specifically. We're gonna bring some economists on, and we're gonna talk about the longevity of this war. Is it possible with the ceasefire? What does that mean?Joey Dumont: Well, uh, the, the nature of warfare has changed. I, it- People, and this is where I'll totally agree with Republicans, like people are growing frustrated with a war that is literally only 60 days old.Sean X: Yeah. It's just the fear of the effects long term.Joey Dumont: So Trump is going to China. What do you think he hopes to accomplish there?Joey Dumont: I think he hopes to accomplish some type of a trade deal. I don't know if he's gonna jump down on the, the tariffs or not, but I do know that this Iran war is not helping his negotiations with XiJoey Dumont: because obviously America is the biggest foe of China. I do know that there's rumor around the campfire that Donald Trump is trying to negotiate numerous deals specific to tariffs and opening up more markets here in America that he's shut down based on his, 100% or 145% tariff, I think, in the beginning of his first or second administration.Joey Dumont: The sad part about all this is that there's, there's no end in sight with anything to do with what's going on in Iran. Lebanon obviously is a big issue with that because Donald Trump wants to negotiate with Netanyahu to say, “Hey, we need you to stop bombing in Lebanon because that's part of our ceasefire agreement, and you're violating that.Joey Dumont: And if that's violation, if that continues to happen, then the ceasefire itself stops, and then we're right back to a kinetic war.” Bibi isn't listening. Let's just say that. Bibi's not listening. He's doing what he wants to do because he got us into this war, I think, and I don't think he wants us to leave anytime soon, and this is more of his issue specific to his place in the Middle East and the surrounding countries that have not been a big fan of him for many years now.Joey Dumont: So yeah. Yeah.Joey Dumont: I, I don- I wish I had better news for my friends, specifically in the farming business because it is... It's been really scary to talk to some of these people. And then, you know, the one-on-one conversations are different than the stuff we're reading from.Sean X: Yeah.Joey Dumont: Sitting down and talking with farmers who have, you know, third, fourth, fifth generation, farms that they're very proud of.Joey Dumont: And these are not big farms, by the way. These, you know, 1,000 acres, 2,000 acres. These are not huge farms. The farm my, my grandpa used to work when I was growing up I think was 400 acres. Um, and these are the typical farmers you read about growing up. You know, they jump on their tractors-Sean X: Yeah, these aren't, these aren't the big agribusinesses.Joey Dumont: No. These are your mom-and-pop farmers- These are mom-and-pop farmers ... just trying to, you know, waking up at 5:00 every morning- Yeah ... working 18-hour days.Joey Dumont: Yeah. Yeah. All day, every day till the sun drops, and then they go back and eat, and then they re- rinse and repeat. Yeah. And they're very s- they're very scared because, again, these are generational, and these farmers that I talk to specifically don't have any other skills.Joey Dumont: They've been doing this their whole life. They were born and raised on these farms. They watched their father go through exactly what they're now going through. There is some diversification in s- there's some big pig farmers that I talk to that are doing well on that, but the guys that are planting soybeans, corn, and wheat, and the typical commodities, they're very scared for all the aforementioned reasons, right?Joey Dumont: The fertilizer itself, the price of their supplies, their maintenance, the upkeep on their tractors, their combines, all that stuff, it's, it's pricey and it's, and it's scaring them.Joey Dumont: Okay. We'll get an update, on that issue. Yeah.Joey Dumont: One of the other big questions that I've got right in front of me from one of our members, and many people ask this, what is about this golden calf?Joey Dumont: It's probably good to end this on a little bit of a whimsical piece. So in case you guys don't know, Donald Trump had a golden statue erected in his honor at Doral, which is one of his golf courses here in the United States. It's 22 feet. It weighs seven tons. And if you guys aren't aware of the old story specific to the Bible-Sean X: With MosesJoey Dumont: Yeah. So- ... Exodus 32, I'm a recovering Catholic, so I know a little bit about this story. Um, it was when Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the Bibles, or excuse me, with, with- The Ten Commandments ... Ten Commandments Ten Commandments. And he saw this golden calf that Aaron had a- had built for the staff because they needed an, an idol to worship.Joey Dumont: Moses was pretty pissed, to paraphrase. And he shattered the tablets, and then he melted down the golden calf, and he made all of the Israelites drink it. So not happy about that. Fast-forward to 2026, Donald Trump has erected a calf. Now,Sean X: who g- who gave, who gave this to him?Joey Dumont: Uh, it was a gift, and the Pastor Mark Burns was the one orchestrating this piece at the Trump National Doral in Miami, and he said this, to quote, “Let me be clear. This is not a golden calf,” he said. “This statue is a celebration of life. It is a symbol of resilience, freedom, patriotism, strength, and the willpower to keep fighting for the future of America.” Now, this was the statue from Trump's attempted assassination in Butler, Pennsylvania, which was obviously awful.Joey Dumont: Where he said, “Fight, fight, fight.” And they wanted to capture that moment for the remainder of time to prove how brave he was in, in the circumstance. He was pretty brave or foolish, but he was.Joey Dumont: If the pastor has to say, “This is not a golden calf”- Yeah ... that's an issue. Yeah. Like, you know, it, it's r- it reminds me of when Trump did that post a couple weeks ago, and he took it down because there was controversy of it.Joey Dumont: The Jesus post?Joey Dumont: The Jesus post. Yeah, yeah. He's like, this... You know, and then he comes out and he says, “I'm not being Jesus here.” Right. It's like, you know, don't tell people to not believe their eyes. So when I look at this 22-foot golden monument to Trump, like, how is that not a golden calf?Joey Dumont: Well, it is... And I think that's the funny thing, too, is check this out.Sean X: So there was a show called The Boys, and- Oh, my God ... have you seen it?Joey Dumont: Oh, it's a great show. My mom watches it. Okay. So- She's 85, by the way- All right ... watching superhero stuff.Joey Dumont: So Eric Kripke is... I guess he put, “What the fuck? Seriously?” And this idea, this is what he wrote on Instagram- So who, who is he? ... over the weekend.Sean X: Who is... He's one of the actors.Joey Dumont: He's the showrunner.Sean X: He's the showrunner.Joey Dumont: Okay, got it. And he said, “Seriously, what the fuck?” over a split image of a golden statue of Homelander from episode six of The Boys and the golden statue of Donald Trump. So in the sixth episode of the show features a larger than life golden Homelander statue.Joey Dumont: The psychotic leader of The Seven proclaims that he is the new Messiah following a visitation by an angel. So the showrunner, this was July of 2025, and he's saying everything that we put in here as parody about a ridiculous man trying to be the Messiah has now come to fruition. Except-Sean X: I've seen that.Joey Dumont: The craziest thing about it is- Except it happened here ... if you look at that statue that they had in that episode, I mean, it's obviously not the same pose as Trump- No ... but- It's so close ... it is so clo- Dude, it is so close He's got his arm out like this. He's got...Joey Dumont: and maybe because that was the JC being on the cross, all that.Joey Dumont: So, so they're like- But it's the same fucking A ... this is not a golden calf. Trump is not Jesus in this post. No. The, the showrunner for The Boys has basically come out and say... Now, the character on the show, the character on the show is one of the worst characters, right?Joey Dumont: Well, he's the Antichrist in this story.Joey Dumont: He's the Antichrist.Joey Dumont: But this is, and this is Pastor Burns again, to continue this quote, “We worship the Lord Jesus Christ and Him alone,” he wrote on his social media. “Honor is not worship. Respect is not idolatry, and celebration is not bowing down to a false god.” So again- This is not a golden- It's right out of Central Casting.Joey Dumont: If you wanted to write a script- about what not, what isn't real while you're actually looking at what is real. This just took place in our life as citizens of the United States of America, and yeah, I don't think, I don't think there's enough, there's not enough jokes. I mean, the good news is there's plenty of jokes now.Joey Dumont: The memes are going everywhere with this. But the idea too, in case you haven't heard this, was that Donald Trump, who's never actually opened a Bible much less ridden it-Sean X: No, he opened a Bible. I saw him open a Bible.Joey Dumont: All right, true. But he's never read it.Joey Dumont: He opened the Bible that he held upside down- Down.Joey Dumont: True, true, true ... if you don't remember. He held it upside down when he was front of the church and he opened the Bible that he put, the Declaration of Independence in and the Bill of Rights, ‘cause he sold that once.Joey Dumont: Well, in his defense, in his defense he's probably never seen a picture of Jesus, so if he didn't think- ... he looked like Jesus, it, it actually might have been part of it. But I also heard this, and I have nothing to confirm this is true or not, but they said that either Caroline Leavitt or one of his comms people said, “Hey, Mr. President, say that the f- photo was doctored and that you had nothing to do with that.” I don't know if that's true, and then he came out and said, “Oh, I was supposed to be a doctor.” So I don't know if that's true or not, but it's one of those things where I just can't get over how silly this whole thing is and how...Joey Dumont: I thought it'd be good just to, uh, yeah- Yeah ... run this story through the ringer to- Yeah ... bring our- So- ... bring our members some fun-Sean X: That's the- ... on a Monday morning ...Sean X: true Thirty this week, and let's end it on this-Joey Dumont: Sounds like a good idea, buddy ...Sean X: pathetic note of the golden calf.Sean X: Thank- Thank you guys forJoey Dumont: listeningJoey Dumont: thank you. Thank you, Joey. Cheers. This is a public episode. 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In this edition of Boogie Nights Babies, Jack and Miles discuss their respective weekends, the south celebrating the death of the Voting Rights Act, Trump releasing the files… the UFO files, Trump's *not* golden calf statue, an update on Iran's latest peace proposal and much more!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Does God ever change His mind? If God has eternally decreed all things, how do we explain passages where He seems to “repent,” regret, or relent — like the Flood in Genesis 6, Nineveh in Jonah, or Old Covenant Israel after the Golden Calf in Exodus 32?This sermon tackles one of the most difficult questions about God's character: Can the unchanging, sovereign God of the universe actually “repent” or alter His plans? Through Numbers 23:19 and several key stories, we explore the immutability of God, the nature of His eternal decree, and why passages that appear to show God changing His mind don't contradict His absolute sovereignty, but ultimately reveal the riches of God's grace in Jesus ChristThe good news of God's Eternal Decrees is that if God never changes His plan, then all of His promises, His love, and His plan of redemption are completely trustworthy in Christ.If you've ever wrestled with the Bible's apparent contradictions, questioned God's sovereignty, or simply want to know Him better, this sermon offers clarity and confidence in the unchanging character of God.

Pastor Christian brings the next message in our series, Holy Ground, where we have been reflecting on the life of Moses. Our scripture reference is Exodus 32:7-35.We hope you were blessed by this message! Visit our website for more information about Grove City Vineyard.

Send us Fan MailDownload study notes for this chapter.Download study notes for this entire book.**********Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version ®, NIV ® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used with permission. All rights reserved worldwide.The “NIV”, “New International Version”, “Biblica”, “International Bible Society” and the Biblica Logo are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.  Used with permission.BIBLICA, THE INTERNATIONAL BIBLE SOCIETY, provides God's Word to people through Bible translation & Bible publishing, and Bible engagement in Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and North America. Through its worldwide reach, Biblica engages people with God's Word so that their lives are transformed through a relationship with Jesus Christ.Support the show

God invited an entire nation to become a "kingdom of priests" and a "holy nation." But while Moses was on the mountaintop receiving the blueprints for heaven, Israel was in the valley building an idol out of the very gold God gave them for the Tabernacle. Are we doing the same thing today? Summary: In this massive study of Exodus 19–34, we witness the highs and lows of the Covenant. We explore the sacred invitation of Sinai, the specific boundaries of the Ten Commandments, and the tragic irony of the Golden Calf. The Invitation to Sinai: We analyze the "Degrees of Glory" on Mount Sinai and how the Tabernacle was designed to bring the mountain to the people. The Ten Commandments: We reframe the Decalogue not as a list of "thou shalt nots" that restrict us, but as "protective bars" that keep us out of life's snares. The Tabernacle Pattern: We dive into the symbolism of the ark, the veil, and the altars, seeing how every piece of furniture is designed to point us back to the presence of God. The Golden Calf Tragedy: We discuss the "Prophetic Absence" and why Israel fell so quickly. We learn the danger of "plundering the riches of Egypt" only to use our blessings to build our own idols. A God of Second Chances: We conclude with the "second set" of tablets. Though the first set was broken, God provided a way for Israel to try again, proving that His mercy is more enduring than our mistakes. Call-to-Action: Are you using the "gold" God has given you (your talents, time, and resources) to build a Tabernacle for Him, or a Golden Calf for yourself? Let's talk about the difference in the comments. To stay "Unshaken" as we build our own sanctuaries today, please like, subscribe, and share this video!

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1Dt2NzCUXm/?mibextid=wwXIfrTo purchase my book, Choosing Glory, visit:https://lilianderson.com/product/choosing-glory/--also available on Kindle and as an audio book To support this podcast and access extra content, subscribe on Patreon where you can submit specific questions:https://www.patreon.com/choosingglory?fan_landing=true&view_as=public

In today's reading from Exodus 32, Fr. Mike shows us how when we become uncertain, we immediate try to take control of the situation, and build up idols in our hearts. We also read Leviticus 23 and Psalm 79. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/bibleinayear. Please note: The Bible contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.