When Moses disappears up Mount Sinai, the people are anxious and confused. Where did our leader go? Is he coming back? What’s happening?

Israel had just come out of slavery, and without their leader they are left to their own devises, without purpose, direction or vision.

As such they need something to hold on to, something they can grasp, anything to help them with the insecurity of not knowing, the fear of the unknown. Without knowledge, faith can find a way, but when there is no faith, the people are left with emptiness and fear. That’s when they will do just about anything to fill that emptiness.

False gods

So Israel creates a god with their own hands, a man-made figure in place of the Holy One, just not to be left alone. Even Moses’ brother Aaron doesn’t ask questions, nor does he try to calm down the people. “They want a god; a god they shall have!”

He took the gold from their hands, and with an engraving tool he fashioned it into...