Curriculum
The Golden Calf
Memory Verse:
“They have been quick to turn away from what I commanded them and made themselves an idol.” Exodus 32:8
Bible Background
What Kids Will Learn
The Israelites created an idol because they wanted a God they could see instead of worshipping the one true God who they couldn’t see. God was angry with the Israelites, but He listened to Moses’ pleading and gave the Israelites another chance.
Scripture Summary
Moses spent 40 days on Mount Sinai as he received the Ten Commandments from God. The Israelites not only became restless, but they also took matters into their own hands. Rather than living in the deliverance from Egypt (after more than 400 years), they quickly resorted to their old ways of idol worship.
The Israelites had seen and experienced what God (the one, true God) can do, though they sought comfort from familiar idols of gods. They could see these gods with their own eyes as they created the idols into any shape they desired.
While Moses was away, the Israelites approached Aaron. Together, they formed a golden calf out of the gold earrings they were wearing. There were two Egyptian gods, Hapi and Hathor, that took the form of cattle. The Canaanites worshipped Baal which was also a bull. These gods were directly linked to power and fertility (and often associated with immoral practices).
The Israelites relied on their instincts and created a golden calf to represent the God who delivered them from Egypt. Because they so desired a God they could physically see, they were willing to disobey God’s command about not creating an idol of any form.
God was understandably angry with the Israelites for ignoring His ways and discarding His merciful deliverance. God was done. He was ready to destroy the Israelites and start over with a new line of descendants from Moses. But Moses advocated for the Israelites, God’s people. He begged God to reconsider and spare the Israelites. God changed his mind and didn’t destroy the Israelites.
Why Is This Important
God knows what’s best for us, and the Ten Commandments reflect just that. It is for our own good to worship God, the one true God, without creating any idols or anything else that would distract us from worshipping Him.
Teacher Devotion
Scripture
A New Creation
“This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)
There are stories in the Bible of when people desired to follow God but, instead, turned back to their old ways. The Israelites created and worshiped idols. Gomer, Hosea’s wife, returned multiple times to her life as a prostitute. The rich young ruler chose his possessions instead of a new life with Jesus.
Jesus created a new way when He took upon our sins and died in our place. We don’t need to return to our old ways. We can embrace being a new creation. What does a new creation look like in everyday life? It means listening to God, His voice, and His Word–not the deceiving voice of Satan. We no longer rely on our own strength and understanding to solve challenges. We focus on God and find our identity in Him. We are beloved children of God.
Take a moment to ponder your answers to these questions.
- What is your first reaction when things don’t go your way?
- When you have a big decision to make, how do you go about finding the answer?
- What occupies your mind most throughout your day?
If you’re like me, you answered with a combination of responses. Some reflected a life lived as a new creation. Others bring to light areas of turning to old ways. Commit all of these ways to Christ and continue to let him transform you into His new creation.
The gods and idols we create, when we resort to familiar sin or solving things on our own, blind us from God, His plan, and the lavish blessings He has for us.
Prayer
Dear God, thank You for making me into a new creation.
Please help me remember that I’m a new creation and that I don’t need to rely on my old false securities, habits, or attitudes. Everything is new with You. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Bible Memory Verse
You’ll Need: Newsprint, Yellow construction paper, Bible
Get Ready: Before class, cut out golden “spots” from yellow construction paper. On each spot write a word or phrase from today’s Bible memory verse and then mix them up face up on the floor. On the white newsprint, draw an outline of a calf and hang it on the wall.
“They have been quick to turn away from what I commanded them and made themselves an idol.” Exodus 32:8
SAY: Today we are going to learn that we are to worship God and Him alone. The Israelites didn’t really follow that command and our Bible memory verse sheds some light on what they did.
Follow these steps:
- Read aloud Exodus 32:7-8.
- One by one, allow kids to place a golden spot on the calf in order of the Bible memory verse.
- After all the spots are placed in order on the calf, help the class read through the Bible memory verse together.
- Take a couple of spots down each round and see if the kids can remember the verse.
SAY: The lesson of the golden calf teaches that we are to worship God and Him alone.
Interactive Bible Experience
You’ll Need: Bibles - one per child, Little statue from children’s sermon
Help children find 1 Corinthians 10:14 in their Bibles. Give their little hands time to turn the pages and feel the Bible. Read the Bible verse to them several times.
ASK:
- What does it mean to run away?
SAY: The Bible says to flee or run away. That means to go the opposite way and get away from something. That is how bad idols are. We want to go the opposite way and worship God alone.
Hold up the small statue and tell kids it is a pretend idol for this game.
- Explain that as you hold it up and move about the room, they are to flee from it and go the opposite direction.
- Have fun with it and be creative as you try to catch the children going the wrong way.
ASK:
- Was that easy or hard to get away from our pretend idol?
- What kinds of things do we sometimes love so much that they might become an idol?
SAY: In today’s Bible lesson, God was angry when His people created and worshiped an idol. God wanted them to worship Him alone. Sometimes it can be hard to put God first and flee from idols, but God will help us if we ask.
PRAY: Dear God, we need Your help to flee from things that want our worship that are not You. Help us to flee from idols. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Snack
No Idols Snacks
You’ll Need: Cupcakes - one per child, Yellow Icing, Mini M&M’s - 10 per child, Paper plates, Plastic knives, Napkins
Give each child a cupcake, a plastic knife, and a paper plate.
SAY: In today’s Bible lesson we learn that we are to worship God alone. That’s not exactly what the Israelites did, is it?
- Invite each child to ice their cupcake with yellow icing.
- Have them place 10 mini M&Ms to remember that we worship and obey God alone.
SAY: While Moses was meeting with God, the people gathered to make a golden calf to worship. Can you believe that? Did that make God happy or angry? (Allow kids to answer.) God was very angry. After all the ways He had provided for His people, they chose to worship something else.
Game
Moo Moo Calf
You Will Need: Pool Noodle
This is a version of Duck, Duck, Goose, but kids will say Moo, Moo, Calf. The person walking the circle will touch heads with a pool noodle. When they touch a head and say calf, that player chases them back to their original seat.
Lead children in playing the game several times.
SAY: Today it may have been fun to be the calf, but God was not pleased when His people worshipped an idol. They made an idol out of gold and began worshipping it. God is serious about our worship and He wants us to worship Him alone.
Craft
Our God Is #1
You’ll Need: “You’re #1” handout one per child, Cardstock, Markers and/or crayons, Rulers and/or, wooden craft sticks, Scissors, Tape
Get Ready: Photocopy a “You’re #1” handout on a sheet of cardstock for each child.
To make the “You’re #1” sticks, have kids follow these steps:
- Write words of praise on the #1.
- Cut out the hand.
- Tape the hand to a ruler or craft stick.
- Hold it in the air like you would at a sporting event.
Lead them in this chant with their “You’re #1” stick: God, God, He’s #1. We worship Him And Him alone!
Prayer
Aluminum Prayers
You’ll Need:
“The Golden Calf How-to Video” Lightweight aluminum foil - 3 feet per child
SAY: Today we learned that we are to worship God alone and not make idols. Now we may not have a golden calf in our lives, but an idol is anything we put before God. Do you ever put things like friends, TV, toys, or family before God? We can certainly love those things, but we are to love God most of all. Take your piece of aluminum foil and shape it into something you may have as an idol in your life.
Allow kids plenty of time to shape their idol and be prepared to direct them if they are confused about an idol in their life.
After they have completed their idol, instruct them to hold it out in their hands. Lead them in prayer to give it to God and silently ask God to help them not worship anything more than Him. After they have silently prayed, invite them to stomp on their aluminum idol.
PRAY: God, we are sinners and at times we worship things more than we worship You. Search our hearts and show us our sin and how we can always put You first. In Jesus’ name, amen.
