Wise-Hearted Ones: Idols and Altars
You might already be familiar with the Exodus story of the golden calf.
Moses ascends the mountain of the Lord and the people go astray from God’s commands, calling on Aaron to make them an idol to worship. Aaron gathers the jewelry from the people and they quickly produce the golden calf, falling down before it in adoration and committing sinful acts. Things have declined quickly since God’s commissioning of the Wise-Hearted ones. Though God has proven time and time again that He is faithful to meet the Israelites’ practical and spiritual needs in big ways, their fear gets the better of them.
The Divine Pattern
Before Moses ascended the mountain, God reassured the Israelites of His care for them and commissioned them to build an altar in worship of Him:
“Make an altar of earth for me and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, your sheep and goats and your cattle. Wherever I cause my name to be honored, I will come to you and bless you. If you make an altar of stones for me, do not build it with dressed stones, for you will defile it if you use a tool on it.” - Exodus 20:24-25
This commission of a temporary altar was to be made with certain elements created by God as God wanted them purposed. These directions for the altar might seem contrary to the pomp and splendor of the Tabernacle design God gave them, but God is the prime Creator. His artistic commissions are both pragmatically and spiritually providential; aesthetics matter to God.
A Tale of Two Designs
It’s no mistake that this story is situated between the Tabernacle’s design and its execution. Here we see the weakness and foolishness of doing things in our own strength. From preparation to materials and design, the stark contrast between a holy call to create and a self-serving one shows us that the heart and manner of creating is directly tied to the outcome.
God chose skilled artisans to build his temple with precision and intention. Filled with pent up frustration and worry, the Israelites pressure Aaron to make them a god who will ‘go before’ them. They act rashly, refusing to wait on the Lord. This same rushed spirit can be felt in the offering of the gold. The Israelites give over to Aaron whatever jewelry they have on them, while the patrons of the Tabernacle gave joyfully from a generous heart ‘as they were moved.’ Yahweh had authored an ornate, illustrious pattern for the Tabernacle. The Israelites’ idol? No thought, nothing set apart, no skill, no craftsmanship. A plain calf.
Throughout our exploration of the calling of the Wise-Hearted ones, we’ve seen the clear link between our artistic and spiritual lives. God’s commission of the temporary altar came with a promise, “Wherever I cause my name to be honored, I will come to you and bless you.” (Exodus 20:24). The people were promised God’s presence and blessing: the very things they grumbled for. Building the altar would have drawn them closer to Him, their craftsmanship rightly ordered. Instead, they postured their hearts toward their paltry idol and sinned with particular depravity as a result.
Casting Down Our Idols
Idolatry begins way before a false image is created. Sin is subtle. While a golden calf might not be our idol of choice today, we turn many of God’s good gifts into idols. Our jobs, success, finances, even our worship can turn idolatrous when we cherish it disproportionately. We put our hope and trust in the gift rather than the Giver. If the spirit and means of creating is directly tied to the outcome of our work, then having our hearts right before God matters. Our vocation and sanctification go hand-in-hand.
Have you built idols in your heart? What graven images are driving your creative efforts? Forsaking our golden calves frees us up to live into what God, in His infinite wisdom and excellent craftsmanship, is calling us to be, make, and do.
Continue your journey by listening to episode eight of the Wise-Hearted Ones: Idols and Altars. Listen to Idols and Altars >
Be. Make. Do. is an educational podcast with a conversational format that conveys the foundation of the soul|makers path. To prepare the next generation of culture makers, Lisa Smith shares her unique perspective gained from over 20 years of mentoring and ministering to artists.
Host Lisa Smith received her BFA in Drama from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, PA and worked as a professional actor for many years before attending seminary. Seeking a way to merge her calling as an artist and a person of faith, Lisa went on to receive her MTS degree from the John Leland Seminary in Arlington, VA. She teaches classes at the John Leland Seminary, Wesley Theological Seminary, and Virginia Theological Seminary on the subjects of worship, theology and arts. Lisa is currently working on the soul|makers curriculum to equip artists to serve as prophetic critics and imaginative visionaries in the world.
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