The One Year® Chronological Bible, NKJV (Tyndale, 2013), February 11
Aaron blew it. Aaron failed to lead when the people came to him and demanded an idol, "Come, make us gods that shall go before us" (Ex. 32:1). Aaron became a follower of men rather than a follower of God. The people led him instead of the other way around. Aaron was a people-pleaser.
The Bible offers five clues that Aaron was a people pleaser:
Moses' absence threatens Aaron's leadership position. He has to grant the people's demand and make them the god they want in order to protect his leadership "position." People-pleasers protect their position at all cost.
Aaron builds an altar to the calf god and throws a party. Parties are always crowd-pleasers. People-pleasers feel powerful when they use their position to enable people to do what they want to do.
Aaron blames his actions on the people, "They said to me, 'Make gods that shall go before us'" (32:23). People-pleasers blame others for their poor decisions.
Aaron embellishes the truth, "They gave [gold] to me, and I cast it into the fire, and this calf came out" (32:24). He refuses to admit personal failure in his responsibility to lead the people. People-pleasers embellish the truth.
Aaron didn't intercede for the 3,000 people who lost their lives that day. People-pleasers let others perish to save their own skin.
Crowd-awareness pressures leaders to compromise God's righteous standard, while God-awareness protects leaders from succumbing to the pressure of followers. Choose rather to please God than to be popular with man.
Questions from today's reading (Exodus 32:1-34:35):
Celebrating the sabbath reminded Israel of what truth? How does Aaron abuse his place of leadership in chapter 32?
What other sin accompanied idolatry? What does this reveal about man and sin?
What rationale does Moses use in his intercession for the people?