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By William Van Zyl
Published in May 2023
Soft and Light Words.
Credit image: Contemporary Art by Sefira Lightstone – Golden Calf.
In a tent in the hot desert somewhere in the middle east, a young girl – adorned with gold and silver jewellery around her neck, wrists, ankles and hair – turned and looked into a polished bronze mirror.
“Oh, I love the extravagant gold and silver jewellery, I feel like a princess!” said the young teenage girl.
“Don’t let your father see you dressed up like this; he will not approve,” said her concerned mother with trepidation.
“I will keep it on for a little longer,” said Adi.
“I will stand at the tent’s entrance and keep watch,” said Hadar – Adi’s mother.
“The golden fibula (decorative safety pin) on the cloak and the combs in your hair look exquisite,” said Hadar.
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“All the gold jewellery the people of Egypt gave you people to appease your furious God could be used to form a new culture and a new blessing,” said one of the Egyptian remnants (the ‘riff raff’) that travelled with the Jews. They were the erev rav (“mixed multitude”)—a ragtag group of Egyptian outcasts that went out with the Jews from Egypt.
“That sounds like a great idea,” said Hadar.
“Why don’t you take all the gold and precious stones and create a new mixed religion? An Egypt-Hebrew image that will incorporate Jehovah and some of our Egyptian gods. Together they would be very powerful. Don’t you think? Imagine the power of your God, Jehovah, combined with the extravagant gods of Egypt. You will become very prosperous!”
“That sounds fascinating! We could become a blessed nation with Jehovah and the Egyptian gods as our new religion. A powerful combination! We would be unstoppable,” said Hadar.
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The priest Aaron had nowhere to go. He was thinking; ‘If I could delay these people and give Moses time to return from Mount Sinai, Moses would stop them. I can’t stop them, they will kill me,’ he reasoned by himself.
“Go ahead, bring all the gold of Egypt to me. Let the skilled men design and create an animal that represents wealth and prosperity that Jehovah would approve of,” said Aaron while trembling in his sandals.
“Let’s create a calf sculpture! We need a blessing so our livestock would increase – just like in Egypt – so we can eat the meat,” chanted some rebellious Israelites. The Egyptian riff raff was stirring them up.
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As Moses descended from Mount Sinai – with the Law of God written on both sides of the stone tablets – he realised what the nation of Isreal had done. Jewish scholars reckon the spiritual forces that kept the tablets raised in Moses’ hands – above his head – lost their spiritual force (Kesselman, n.d.). It dropped like a block of lead and shattered on the ground.
Moses was reasoning: ‘If I drop the law and it shatters before the Israelites, they won’t be able to read it – they will then not be fully guilty. It meant Jehovah’s punishment would not be as severe.’
He wanted to protect the rebellious and stiff neck people. He dropped the tablets, and the stone tablets shattered before him – The Law could not be applied to the Jewish people. They have not received it.
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The burnt-grounded-gold tasted bitter in the mouths of the Israelites. Moses burned the golden calf and poured the ashes into their drinking water. It tasted disgusting. A mix of ash with a horrid metal taste.
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“We can’t drink this bitter foul-tasting water,” cried the Israelites.
“You can’t mix God with the gods of Egypt, He is a jealous God!” said Moses.
“You shall serve the Lord your God and Him alone,” proclaimed Moses.
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Table of Contents
Have you ever wondered how the Golden Calf was created? As to who formed the calf, there are three opinions, according to Kesselman (n.d.) – a Jewish Scholar:
- Aaron formed it by molding the form of a calf from the molten gold.
- Sorcerers from the erev rav (the ‘riff raff’) formed it using magic. The magic from Egypt (remember the sorcerers who also threw their rods on the ground – just like Moses – and it turned into snakes). Magic was real back then in Egypt.
- Micah, a member of the erev rav whose life had been saved by Moses, created the calf. When the Jewish people were leaving Egypt, Moses went to collect Joseph’s coffin to fulfill his request that his remains be redeemed together with the Jews. However, in an attempt to stop the Jews from leaving, the Egyptians had sunk Joseph’s coffin in the Nile. Moses took a plaque, wrote on it the words “alei shor” (“rise ox”), and threw it in the river, causing the coffin of Joseph (who is compared to an ox) to rise to the surface. Micah had stolen this plaque and now used it to create the calf by throwing it into the blaze.
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The weight of the stone tablets changed when the magical letters disappeared from it (Kesselman, n.d.).
Rabbeinu Bachaye says that the words on the tablets disappeared when Moses descended from the mountain. These were miraculous letters engraved through both sides of the stone and readable from any direction. The tablets containing the Ten Commandments were compared to a body and soul, so when the letters disappeared, the stones, much like a human body after the soul leaves, became incredibly heavy. Moses was so disappointed that he dropped them. As it started falling down the ‘Words of God’ disappeared on the tablets and the tablets instantly became as heavy as rock. It shattered on the ground. Source: Rabbeinu Bachaye, Shemot 32:16.
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I have included this introduction of fiction combined with the truths of the scriptures to prompt you to think. I had also included images below of some of the jewellery of Ancient Egypt so you can get an idea of what the jewellery looked like, which the Israelites received from the Egyptians before they left Egypt (Credit: YouTube – Uniquely Madison). The fear of God was upon the Egyptians after they lost the firstborn of all their children and animals. They were devastated, They feared that they would all die. So, they gave their valuables to the Israelites as a sacrifice to Jehovah so He would spare them.
Link to Uniquely Madison video: The Real Fashion Of Ancient Egypt: Fashion Archaeology Ep.1
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The Old Covenant says:
Exodus: 20
- And God spoke all these words:
2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.
3 “You shall have no other gods before me.
4 “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.
5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me,
6 but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.
Old (Old Testament – The Law) and New Covenant (New Testament – Holy Spirit): A Comparison
The New Covenant says.
What is the message you want to convey, you may ask. The Words on the stone tablets made the stone tablets lighter. There is a blessing when you obey the Law. Life is ‘lighter.’ Compare the Words of Yeshua (the Word that became flesh) in the New Covenant: Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
In other words, there is an amazing parallel between the Tablets. The Tablets of the Law and the Holy Spirit who help us to obey God’s Words (His Laws, precepts, and statutes).
The weight of the stone tablets (The Law of Moses) which is stored in the Ark of the Covenant.
The Ark of the Covenant is hidden somewhere in the Earth today. The stone tablets with the Law on it, were placed inside the chest, as was instructed by God. In the ‘chest’ is the second set given to Moses by God – The Law. The miraculous letters were engraved through both sides of the stone and readable from any direction, as mentioned. We don’t know where the ark is. Is it possible that when it is found – and eventually it will – the stone tablets will be lighter because Yahweh wrote the Law on them in ‘miraculous letters’? The letters make the stones lighter because when we obey the Law, our lives are ‘lighter’ and easier. Compare the words of the New Testament: Jesus said obey my commandments – My yoke is soft, and My weight is light. Quote: “My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” The Holy Spirit – who dwells in us – will make it easy for us to obey God’s Words. The Holy Spirit is the Helper.
God’s Words make the ‘weight’, which we have to carry in life, lighter (Old and New Covenant). When we submit ourselves to Him, we are truly free. God works behind the scenes for us. Do you see the parallels? Friend, have you entered the rest of God? Is God working for you behind the scenes? If you could place Gods Words on a scale they will be as light as a down feather – floating.
Fun fact: On average, a down feather weighs just 0.000289 ounces (0.0082 grams). That’s really light!
Video – God made a way for the Israelites out of Egypt – He will make a way for you!
ALSO: See the ‘light-weight tattoos’ on Sheila Walsh’s wrists. Video link below:
Here are some examples of Ancient Egyptian Jewellery – Credit Uniquely Madison (Taken from her YouTube Channel).
Typical ancient polished Egyptian bronze mirror.
Typical bracelet (Scarab Beetle).
Wide necklace pieces.
Long dangling amulets and ankle bracelets.
Special signet rings. Unique to the individual wearer.
Signature rings were used for signing documents and more.
Papyrus sandals for priests: adorned with fine jewels and engraved with gold.
References:
Kesselman, C.K. (n.d.). What was the golden calf? By Shlomo Chaim Kesselman
https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/3613047/jewish/What-Was-the-Golden-Calf.htm
Link to Uniquely Madison video: The Real Fashion Of Ancient Egypt: Fashion Archaeology Ep.1 https://youtu.be/d9kvd5wgRYA
Citation:
Van Zyl, W. N. (2023). The Weight of Words. Published to Five House Publishing (article). https://fivehousepublishing.com/2023/05/11/the-weight-of-words/
Copyright © 2023 by William Van Zyl
The Weight of Words.
All rights reserved. This eBook/article or any portion
thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner
without the publisher’s permission, except for using brief quotations in a book review.
Published by Five House Publishing (New Zealand)
First Publishing, May 2023
More eBooks and articles are available at https://fivehousepublishing.com/
More about the author at http://williamvanzyl.com/
Interesting as always
John. Thanks for your comment on the article. Much appreciated. Regards. William Van Zyl